Counting calories can affect dieters’ mental health and lead to bulimia and other eating disorders, according to new research.
A study carried out by a successful low-carbohydrate healthy eating programme prescribed on the NHS found that focusing on calories led people to skip meals and avoid healthy foods so they ate only a fraction of their recommended daily calorie intakes.
The study of 1,000 people who regularly count and restrict calories was commissioned by Second Nature, a 12-week programme prescribed to NHS patients by 50 clinical commissioning groups across England.
One in ten people became bulimic while trying to stick to a low-calorie diet, with one respondent saying that they avoided eating for two days “as punishment for having a binge day”. Another confessed to
