Anyone who goes to a beach already has a ‘beach body’. Don’t strive for an illusion | Devi Sridhar

Instead of falling for fitness and diet fads, focus on the things that will bring you true health and happiness this summer

As summer weather begins, and bare arms and legs start to appear across the country, and people start to worry about their beach body", maybe falling for claims that a particular diet or workout can achieve wonders in just a few weeks. This is not only impossible - there is no diet or exercise that can transform your body so quickly - it's unhealthy at its core. Doesn't anyone who simply walks on to a beach have a beach body?

The focus on aesthetics (can I take off my shirt? Can I wear a bikini to look a certain way?) distracts from the real purpose of our body and the functionality of fitness, exercise and nutrition (do I feel strong and healthy within my body, and can I do what I want to do with it?)

Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh