Contextualising eating problems in individual diet counselling.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Psychology
• Health Coaching

Background:

• Diet is crucial for managing weight, chronic diseases, and overall health.
• Current diet counseling, motivational interviewing, and health coaching often lack the necessary nuance for complex individual eating problems.
• A more systematic and context-sensitive approach is needed to address eating issues effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose narrative practice as a critical and context-sensitive counseling approach for eating problems.
• To integrate principles of externalization and co-researching into a counseling framework.
• To analyze eating problems using logistic, social, and discursive categories.

Main Methods:

• Utilized case studies from a health clinic at Metropolitan University College, Copenhagen.
• Employed narrative practice principles, including externalization and co-researching.
• Analyzed eating problems through logistic, social, and discursive frameworks.

Main Results:

• Exploration of complex food and eating structures with clients can enhance agency, even if structural issues remain.
• Narrative practice helps clients navigate the context of their eating problems more effectively.
• A reflexive and critical approach to client health perceptions is essential in diet counseling.

Conclusions:

• Narrative practice provides a valuable, context-sensitive framework for addressing complex eating problems.
• Client agency can be fostered by exploring the multifaceted nature of eating behaviors.
• Integrating critical reflection on health perceptions is vital for effective diet counseling.