UNDERSTANDING OUR FOOD CHOICES Factors That Influence What We Eat

UNDERSTANDING OUR FOOD CHOICES  Numerous factors influence choices:  Hunger, appetite, and food habits  Nutrition knowledge, health beliefs/concerns, and practices  Availability, convenience, and economy  Advertising and the media  Early experiences, social interactions, and cultural traditions  Personal preference, taste, and psychological needs  Values, such as political views, environmental concerns, and religious beliefs

 Availability: Americans enjoy the most abundant food supply in the world We have the resources to maintain a large agricultural industry and import a wide variety of foods from all over the world Americans tend to choose high-fat diets rich in meat, eggs, desserts, etc.  As a result, an abundant food supply has been linked to degenerative diseases  Degenerative diseases are sometimes referred to as diseases of affluence Influential Factors in Making Food Choices

Income, Food Prices, and Convenience:  Extremely low incomes make it difficult to buy enough food to meet minimum nutritional needs which leads to… Undernutrition: severe under-consumption of calories or nutrients leading to disease or increased susceptibility to disease; a form of malnutrition.  Many people perceive that a healthy diet costs more and is inconvenient.  Which can lead to the purchase of inexpensive, high fat, low nutrient “fast foods” and overnutrition Influential Factors in Making Food Choices

Advertising and the Media:  The food industry spends more than $11 billion overall for food, beverage, and fast-food advertising  The media rank among the most influential sources of diet and nutrition information  Television, then magazines and newspapers, radio, family or friends, books, and the Internet: and finally to doctors  Advertising is not always created with the consumer’s best interest in mind. What is the advertisers goal??? Influential Factors in Making Food Choices

PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO HEALTHFUL EATING  Healthy foods are not always available from fast-food and take-out restaurants  It costs more to eat healthy foods  Too busy to take the time to eat healthfully  Too much conflicting information about which foods are healthy and which foods are not  Healthy foods don’t taste good  The people I usually eat with do not eat healthy foods

EATING TO BEAT THE ODDS Healthy Food Choices

EAT TO BEAT THE ODDS  Fat  Saturated Fat  Sodium/Salt  Limit Alcohol  Added Sugars  Whole grains  Fiber  Fruits/Veggies  Low Fat Dairy  Maintain a HEALTHY Weight

EATING TO BEAT THE ODDS  Helps to REDUCE the risk of:  Certain types of cancers  Diabetes  Heart Disease  Obesity  Stroke  High Blood Pressure

NUTRITION ACTION Eating to Beat the Odds at School Good and Fast: A Guide to Eating on the Run

Guide to eating on the run at school Without “Supersizing” your waist Strategy 1: Don’t supersize. Strategy 2: Think grilled, not fried. Fried food adds 50% more fat and calories. Strategy 3: Hold the mayo. Strategy 4: Avoid all-you-can-eat restaurants. Strategy 5: Avoid the soda. Have water or seltzer.

Strategy 6: Balance fast-food meals with other food choices during the day. Strategy 7: Split your order—share with a friend. Strategy 8: Bring your lunch. Strategy 9: Choose grab-and-go foods – pretzels, fresh fruit, string cheese, bars (think portable) Guide to eating on the run at school Without “Supersizing” your waist