1.5. influences on nutritional status Flashcards
What does optimal nutrition mean?
achieving the most appropriate nutrient intake for health
What is nutritional status?
the current dietary condition of the body and the impact of nutrients in maintaining good health.
What factors can affect food selection?
physiological-hunger, appetite and satiety, nutritional requirements, reactions to food.
psychological-values and beliefs, attitudes and experiences, emotions and self concept.
social- culture & traditions, lifestyle
economic and moral issues- food cost, purchase place, disposable income
Physiological factors affecting food selection: What is the difference between hunger and appetite?
Appetite- the desire for food and will go away if someone eats.
Hunger- the feeling of emptiness or weakness caused by a lack of food and that feeling grows more intense the longer someone is without food. (controlled by hypothalamus- gland at base of brain)
what is satiety and what foods can affect it?
the feeling of “fullness” -when eating food because foods are digested at differing rates, some foods leave people feeling less satiated than others.
-fat has the lowest satiating power, carbohydrates have an intermediate effect and protein has been found to be the most satiating.
Physiological factors affecting food selection: nutritional requirements?
depend on age, gender, body size, level of physical activity, pregnancy and lactation, state of health (e.g. CHD, hypertension, obesity).
Physiological factors affecting food selection: reactions to food
-sensory aspects-smell, appearance and texture and taste
-allergies and intolerances- food can cause unpleasant and often serious reactions. Reactions vary but include abdominal swelling (bloating), vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, wheezing, headaches and anaphylaxis
Psychological factors affecting food selection: what are values and beliefs
values-strong feelings about what is important. can be affected by someones family and culture eg. vegetarianism may reflect values of environmental damage from meat or animal welfare.
Beliefs-opinion or conviction which is not based on scientific evidence but is strongly held.Often relate to religions- eg. in hinduism you can’t eat beef as its sacred
Psychological factors affecting food selection: attitudes and experiences
travel experiences may make us more willing to try new foods.
Culture may affect the foods we find acceptable and food origin eg. GM, organic, political attitudes.
-Can also be affected by habits as these become part of our routine eg.adding salt when prepping foods or having the same breakfast everyday
Psychological factors affecting food selection: emotion and self concept
emotion eg. comfort eating- people use eating foods to relieve stress- are often highly processed and high in fat, salt and sugar.
self concept- insecurities around body image can affect food choices
Economic factors affecting food selection: cost of food and disposable income
- cost of food can vary depending on the amount purchased, food seasonality, place of purchase, branding and processing involved
-disposable income- affects a persons budget and finances- higher disposable income enables someone to have more choice about what and where to eat eg. restuarants, takeaways, own brands
Social factors affecting food selection: culture and traditions
-can impact food choice as festivals and traditions often involve food eg. Christmas, thanksgiving, easter, Chinese new year
Social factors affecting food selection: lifestyle
Employment- relates to activity levels so someone with a more active job eg. construction, requires more energy. Can also affect how much money people have ton spend on food
Education- by learning about nutrition and cooking skills children have more of an awareness of food choice and more likely to make better healthier choices
Household structure- affects food selection due to number of people in the household, their roles, ages, employment, interests and dietary needs
Climate and geography- affects the foods grown in a country and also the types of food choices that people make e.g. in hot weather people may crave colder food such as smoothies and ice cream, whereas in cold weather they may prefer hot foods such as soups and noodles,
Travel and other interests-gives more opportunities for people to learn about food from other countries and the internet have made access to information about recipes and ingredients that are used to create authentic foods,
What does the reliability and validity of nutritional information mean?
Reliability - refers to the repeatability of findings and whether the same results would occur if the research was carried out again.
Validity - refers to the credibility or believability of the research, why and how the data was collected.
Examples of common allergies
peanuts, soy, eggs, shellfish, w
