Factors and Controversies That Drive Food Choices

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Many factors determine food choices and availability of food in our environment. Our food choices are determined by social circumstances, physical availability, and our psychological and philosophical relationship with food. When someone offers us food at a party or other social gathering we may accept, even when it is not food we would normally eat, because the individual is inviting us into their life. Under these circumstances we partake because we do not want to offend the individual and/or because we want to try something new. However, when we are offered a food, such as meat when we are vegetarian or vegan, we will decline based on personal views and philosophies (Sizer, Whitney 2014).

Our relationship with food begins when we are babies. We grow up eating the food our parents feed us, and continue eating them as we age. This is why, as parents, we should understand nutrition and feed our families healthy foods from the start (Sizer, Whitney 2014). However, for many families, healthy foods are not always available. Low income communities are especially vulnerable to inadequate access to healthy foods. These communities usually lack grocery stores and fresh produce, so families must rely on fast food restaurants and convenience stores for food. Food available from these sources is high in saturated and trans fats, sodium and cholesterol and is lacking in nutritional value. Community leaders are beginning to understand how lack of nutritious food is affecting families in these neighborhoods and are implementing programs to bring grocery stores and produce carts into these neighborhoods (HBO Documentary Films 2012).

Absence of healthy foods and inadequate physical activity can lead to health problems and chronic disease in children and adults. Many people do not know that inadequate nutrition can be detrimental to children, now and in the future, because it puts them at risk of obesity, heart and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. All of which can worsen as the child ages unless they adopt a healthier diet and daily exercise plan (Sizer, Whitney 2014).

A diet low in sodium, cholesterol, saturated and trans fats and high in nutrients, as well as adequate physical activity can help children and adults reduce or reverse risk of obesity and chronic disease. Not all fats, however, are harmful. In fact, a diet, such as the Mediterranean Diet, that contains mono and polyunsaturated fats can actually increase levels of HDL (good cholesterol) in the blood and reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and decrease risk of cardiovascular and heart disease, obesity, and cancer (Sizer, Whitney 2014).

A Mediterranean based diet is high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and healthy fats, as well as whole grains (Jibrin, Olgeaty 2015). I found a Mediterranean meal plan in Good Housekeeping that allows for substituting ingredients and making adjustments to suit personal tastes (Jibrin, Olgeaty 2015). For those interested, the meal plan can be found here.


References:

"GreekSalad" by en:User:Action st - en:Image:GreekSalad(2).jpg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GreekSalad.jpg#/media/File:GreekSalad.jpg

HBO Documentary Films and The Institute of Medicine (Producer). (2012) The Weight of the Nation: Part 4 – Poverty and Obesity [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MJnm5X9NN0

Jibrin, J., Olgeaty, T. (2015). Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan: Week 1. Good housekeeping. Retrieved from http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/advice/a15255/mediterranean-meal-plan-w1/

Sizer, F., Whitney, E. (2014). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, 13e, 13th Edition. Cengage Learning. VitalBook file.