Where We Are Now
5.8 million people in the UK are living with diabetes.
Even more shocking, approximately 36,000 children and young people under the age of 19 are affected.
We are living in a time where nutrition knowledge and education have never been more accessible, yet the numbers tell a very grim story.
The NHS is already under immense pressure.
Diabetes alone costs approximately £10.7 billion per year in England.
For a condition that, in many cases, is preventable.
These are not just statistics.
They are:
- families
- futures
- independence
- quality of life
slowly slipping away.
So the question is no longer
“What should we eat?”
It is:
“Why are we still not doing it?”
The Contradiction
We have never been more educated about food.
We know:
- sugar spikes blood glucose
- ultra-processed foods damage metabolic health
- cooking from scratch improves health and therefore longevity
Yet convenience wins every time.
Why?
Not because people are lazy.
But because, in modern life, we have become deeply disconnected from the natural rhythm of nourishment.
We have replaced:
prepare → cook → share → nourish
with:
speed → convenience → survival mode
And in doing so, we have lost the protective habits that once kept chronic disease far less common.
The Deeper “Why” Behind the Struggle
This is not a lack of knowledge.
It goes much deeper:
1. Overwhelm
People are inundated with conflicting information:
- keto
- fasting
- plant-based
- low-fat
So it becomes easier to do nothing at all.
2. Emotional Eating and Stress Physiology
Many people are eating in a constant state of:
- stress
- fatigue
- emotional depletion
The body is not in repair mode. It is in survival mode.
3. Time Poverty
Cooking has been reframed as a luxury, rather than a basic life skill.
When I was a child, I did not wake up to an alarm clock but to the smell of minestrone my mother was already cooking before leaving for work.
That was normal.
I am not suggesting we need to return to that exact way of living.
But we do need to ask ourselves, what have we replaced it with?
4. Disconnection from Consequence
Chronic disease develops slowly.
There is no immediate feedback.
Then, over time, you start to notice the signs.
Your waistline is increasing, often taking on the typical “apple shape.”
You feel more tired than usual.
The weight gain does not quite make sense.
Eventually, you decide to go to the doctor for a check-up.
After a blood test, there it is.
You are on medication for life.
5. Cultural Shift
We are surrounded by ultra-processed convenience foods that are engineered to:
- override satiety
- increase cravings
- influence decision-making
Where I live, on a high street of just 300 to 400 metres, there are around 20 food establishments, the majority offering ultra-processed convenience food.
This is the environment people are navigating every single day.
And it is both shocking and deeply concerning.
From morning to night, my street is a continuous flow of scooters collecting and delivering food. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.
And I find myself asking, what is happening?
Please know that what has just arrived to your doorstep is not real food.
The Reality
The problem is not awareness.
People do not lack information.
They are living in an environment that constantly pulls them away from the very behaviors that protect their health.
We have built a way of living where the healthy choice is no longer the easy choice.
The Shift
This is where the conversation needs to change.
We do not need more nutrition information.
We need to:
- reconnect with real food
- repeat simple, sustainable habits
- support the nervous system and reduce stress
- create environments that make healthy choices easier
Because prevention is not complicated.
But it does require intention.
A New Direction
If we continue normalising a lifestyle where
“busy equals disconnected from food”
We will continue to see the rise of metabolic disease.
But it does not have to be this way.
If you are feeling:
- stuck
- overwhelmed
- unsure where to start
This is exactly what I support people with.
I help individuals rebuild a simple, sustainable way of eating and living that supports:
- energy
- weight balance
- long-term health
If this resonates with you, get in touch.
Let’s start changing your habits before your body forces you to.
Prevention is better than a cure, always.
Milvia Pili,
Functional Nutritional Therapist
