2.2 Diet and nutrition

Keeping a food diary is a useful way for someone to track what they are eating and when. You can use visual aids such as relevant parts of the Eatwell guide to encourage people to talk about their current diet. Box 1 (below) shows some general tips to pass on to people getting started in making dietary changes.

Meal timing affects health outcomes irrespective of the quality or quantity of food eaten – and obesity is associated with late-night eating patterns. Skipping meals such as breakfast or lunch can also disrupt the body’s metabolism.

Don’t forget fluids, not only for hydration, but also to help people feel full. Roughly 80% of a person’s fluid intake comes from drinks and a further 20% is water contained in food.