National No Diet Day

EDM number 1937 in 1992-93, proposed by Alice Mahon on 04/05/1993.

That this House supports National No Diet Day on 5th May, the purpose of which is to draw attention to the perils and futility of dieting, except for medical reasons such as stomach ulcers and diabetes, and to promote a healthier way of living; notes that dieting undermines women's emotional and physical well being and is often the first step towards more serious eating disorders; condemns the extreme pressure on women and girls to be unhealthily thin; is concerned that dieting has reached epidemic levels; notes that 90 per cent. of women will diet at some time in their lives, and at any given time 50 per cent. of women are dieting including girls as young as eight and in other parts of the world so many people are dying through starvation; believes that the tyranny of thinness encourages women to be valued on their looks alone and encourages the oppression of fat people as well as causing misinformation on healthy living, eating and food; realises that, whilst obesity may cause health risks to some people, the solution is not a simple answer of losing weight because 96 per cent. of diets don't work, and dieting causes other problems including depression, low self esteem, mood swings, irritability, gall stones, lack of concentration, constipation and headaches; and therefore supports National No Diet Day for abetter of way of living.

This motion has been signed by a total of 72 MPs.