Prof Daley said: “IVF was hugely controversial, chemotherapy was hugely controversial, but could you imagine a life where we don’t have those treatments?
“Just because it might have negative effects for one population, it doesn’t mean we have to discount it.”
PACE labelling is an approach that sees food and drinks labelled with the amount and type of physical activity needed to expend the calories they contain. It may be an effective way of encouraging people to reduce their calorie consumption – but also comes with its critics.
Charities that provide support for people affected by eating disorders and body image issues have warned that encouraging people to start watching, counting, and burning off food could prove problematic for individuals at risk.
Prof Daley told podcast host Dr Chris McLeod that she appreciates the complexities involved: “We’ve got a small number of people who experience an eating disorder, but we’ve also got 60% of the population that are overweight.
“Many of those people are dying of diseases that could have been prevented had they not been overweight…if you know that a carrot is going to take you one minute of running [to burn off], and a chocolate cake is going to take you 20 minutes of running [to burn off], then it might help or nudge you towards eating the carrot.”
Prof Daley also spoke about the difficult conversations she often has with concerned parents: “It bothers me when I get phone calls from parents of children who have eating disorders. You can’t not be moved by that. You have to reflect and ask, ‘is this worth it?’”
Amanda Daley is a Professor of Behavioural Medicine and an NIHR Research Professor in Public Health. She is also the Director of Loughborough University’s Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour (CLiMB).
Experts in Health is a podcast that highlights the latest research and trends in health.
Season one welcomes seven guests across a host of different disciplines and can be viewed in full on the Loughborough University YouTube channel.
Experts in Health is also available in audio form and listeners can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and TuneIn.