Diet culture can negatively affect mental health and body image by promoting unrealistic beauty standards and encouraging restrictive eating behaviors. This culture often emphasizes weight loss over health, leading to feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and shame associated with food choices. It can create harmful patterns of disordered eating and a fixation on appearance, detracting from the true essence of well-being. Challenging diet culture by promoting body positivity and health at every size can foster healthier relationships with food and encourage a more balanced and sustainable approach to health.