Influences on Nutrient Intake and Food Choices
When we make decisions about what to eat, there are a variety of factors that can influence this choice. These factors might include food accessibility, dietary restrictions, culture, food safety, or current “diet” trends to name a few.
In the Unit 9 assignment, you will be given the opportunity to examine the reasons why you choose the foods you eat.
The following resources may assist you with completing this assignment:
- Leng, G., Adan, R., Belot, M., Brunstrom, J., De Graaf, K., Dickson, S., Smeets, P. (2017). The determinants of food choice. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 76(3), 316-327. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceeding…
- Roberto, C., & Findling, M. (2015, September 25). Hungry: food choices are often influenced by forces out of your control. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/hungry-food-choices-ar…
- The European Food Information Council. (2006, June 6). The factors that influence our food choices. https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/th…
- Zelman, K. (n.d.). Why we eat the foods we do. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/why-we-eat-the…
Assignment Instructions:
- Review your Unit 3 Food Intake Record and reflect on the foods you choose to eat.
- Write an essay that discusses the many factors that influence your food choices.
- Your essay must include one factor from each of the following categories (do not use the examples given):
- Environmental (i.e., organic food does not contain pesticides),
- Psychological (i.e., trying to lose weight to feel “good about myself”), and
- Social factors (i.e., low carbohydrate diets are the “trend”).
- Explain how each of the factors influences your food choices now.
- Explain how each of the factors may influence your food choices in the future.
- Your cultural background might influence what you eat or how food is prepared. Identify three specific examples of how culture impacts food choices or food preparation.
