KATE: Eating clean isn't about health anymore. It's about shame.

“If any qualified professional made such claims [as Sarah and Pete], they would be held accountable,” she explains. “But the beauty of not being qualified to write on nutrition or nutritional science is that you are only accountable to yourself – and with the power of social media, can convince yourself and your online followers that what you are doing works.”

In short, Sarah Wilson and Pete Evans are not qualified to provide nutritional advice to people just because they’ve quit sugar or gone paleo themselves.

People with genuine allergies and diseases need to modify their food intake in consultation with a professional – coeliacs need to cut out gluten and lactose-intolerant people should cut back dairy, for example.

But just copying a celebrity’s meal plan is dangerous.

In a recent interview with The Australian, Pete Evans revealed the foods he will not stock in his home. They include grains, soy, sugar (including natural sugars like fruit juice), oil, dairy, and certain types of meat.

Burrell says she cannot comment on the fact that Evan’s children, Indii and Chilli, will grow up thinking of these essential foods as forbidden. “At the end of the day, what we eat, or what we feed our own family is a personal choice,” she says. “The issue is when these decisions are preached and promoted to a wider audience as the ‘ideal’ way we all ‘should’ eat – without the credentials to back it up.

“There are so many factors that influence health, diet and nutrition that taking one factor or eliminating one food group can have significant implications for health long term. I know Pete, I worked with him and in general his recipes are promoting a positive nutritional message, but no, he is not qualified to be giving specific, or population based advice on what the average family should be eating.”

As a nutritionist, Burrell sees ordinary people fail at extreme diets every day: “I see clients who have tried all of these plans – cutting sugar, eating Paleo – but in general they are not sustainable. It is not normal to have severe limitations on what you can and cannot eat or to change your entire lifestyle for your diet. Sure, some people like Sarah or Pete may choose to do that; indeed it may work for them but just because they choose to do it, does not mean everybody should be doing it.”

In particular, Burrell sees women who constantly restrict their diet because they want to be ‘good’ and eating ‘clean’ foods is their way of managing anxiety about their bodies.  “The issue with this is that carb intake can be low; calcium can be low; and chronic calories can be low. Long term this leads to bone issues, low food, reduction in metabolic rate, hormonal disruption and gut issues.”

Obviously, Burrell is not giving us all permission to guzzle saturated fats and processed foods. She knows how real a problem obesity is in this country. “One thing all professionals will agree on is that all Australians need to eat better – less processed foods; more fruit and vegetables but it does not have to be all or nothing. You do not have to eliminate all sugar to improve your health; nor do you need to eliminate grains or dairy. Rather it is an approach of balance with each individual with their lifestyle and personal preferences.”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to fail at eating anymore.

If this post brings up any issues for you, please – go to The Butterfly Foundation for support, help and further information about eating disorders. Please contact The Butterfly Foundation on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit their website at www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au.

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