Food Choices – What Determines Them and How are They Influenced?
Food choices can be influenced by a number of different factors, such as social, psychological, philosophical, physical, and culture. Unfortunately, nutrition is not always the focus when choosing foods. Food is fuel and we should fill our bodies with healthy nutritious foods.
Often times in a social setting, we eat more than we normally would because we want to enjoy ourselves. There may be more foods to choose from and larger portion sizes, so we tend to overeat because eating is fun in a social setting. Listed in this article are 12 Tips to follow when eating in a social setting.
Phycological factors play a major role in food choices. Stress eating, eating to feel happiness, boredom, and food addiction can influence the choice of foods one makes. Usually, these are referred to as comfort foods. They are normally high in sugar and carbohydrates. These factors can lead to weight gain and obesity.
Many people are not educated about food and the effects it can have on health. We tend to carry on habits and traditions from our upbringing and what we were taught as children. But as we get older, we have the opportunity to educate ourselves about food and the choices that should be made to live a healthy lifestyle. While traditions can be very special to carry on, it is for our best interest to limit unhealthy traditions or try to make healthier versions of the foods we know and love. Choose My Plate is a great place to start to learn about the foods you eat and how much of a particular food you should be eating.
Physical factors, hunger, body image, and cravings can largely dictate our food choices. Hunger is natural, but extreme hunger can lead to eating whatever is available and in some cases, the fear of not knowing when food will be available again can cause binge eating. Body image, especially among girls can have negative side effects and can lead to anorexia. 40-60% of elementary girls are concerned about their weight or gaining weight (The Healthy Teen Project). The thinking that one needs to lose weight because they are unhappy with their appearance can be quite dangerous. Eating too little or only eating certain foods can be harmful to the health of those living that way.
Culture plays a big part in our food choices. The area in which you live, where your family comes from, traditions, ethnicity, these can influence food and how or why we choose what we do, and they usually revolve around foodways. Personally, I love food. I love trying different cuisines than those I am used too. It is fun, and it is a peek inside different cultures but for the most part, I basically eat simple and what I know. It is influenced by my upbringing a little, but mostly from what I have learned about nutrition over the last several years and how to make healthy choices and why it is necessary (Sizer & Whitney, 2017).
The bottom line is no matter what influences your food choices, you have the ability to take control of your life and make healthy choices. Treat yourself and enjoy food, splurge once in a while, indulge on occasion, but day in and day out- make healthy choices. If you need help getting control of your diet, seek help from a doctor, dietitian, health coach, psychologist, or counselor. Whatever that looks like for you to get a handle on your diet, to make healthy choices, do that. Fuel your body with what it needs- protein, fiber, healthy fats and carbs, fresh fruits and vegetables, vitamins, minerals, water, and along with that, exercise. Find something you love to do and move. Your body and your health will thank you.
References:
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2017). Nutrition: Concepts and controversies. (14thed). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/Sizer.2199.17.1/sections/ch1-sec10
Adolescent Eating Disorders. (nd.). The Healthy Teen Project. Retrieved from http://www.healthyteenproject.com/adolescent-eating-disorders-ca
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