Week 5 - Food Choice Flashcards
1
Q
What is food choice?
A
- Much more complex than just picking the food you like
- It is the product of multiple conscious and subconscious evaluations
- Food choice affects our food habits/ behaviours and health
2
Q
Why is it important to consider food choice?
A
- Each individual is different
- There is no one size fits all approach
- Most people are not meeting the guidelines and we need to understand why
3
Q
The importance of food choice for health professionals
A
- Important to public health nutritionists to make guidelines that are easy for a population to follow
- Important for a dietician to develop a diet plan for an individual with specific needs or health problems
- Important to product developers as they need to make food products that meets the needs of customers
4
Q
Individual factors
A
- Taste and physiology (Liking, Satiety)
- Learning and exposure
- Level of education
- Income
- Ability and desire to cook
- Health status
5
Q
Taste
A
- Detection of non volatile food components (or nutrients) on the tongue
- Differentiated by smell which is the detection of volatile food components (gases) via the nasal cavity
- 2 types of taste: appetitive (promote intake) and aversive (inhibit intake) tastes
- Not everyone tastes the same - some people are more sensitive to tastes than others
- Variation in sensitivity has been shown to impact on what we eat and how much we eat
6
Q
Taste sensitivity and dietary intake
A
- Sensitivity to different tastes can influence how much we like a food
- Some tastes regulated by genes, some by environment/diet
- Adding salt to vegetables masks the bitter taste and increases consumption in children and adults
7
Q
Liking
A
- Liking is pleasure derived from oro-sensory stimulation of food
- This is distinct from wanting, which is the motivation to engage in eating
- You might like it but you might not want to eat it (previous intake/ ethical reasons)
8
Q
Liking, dietary intake and health indices
A
- Food liking has been noted as an important determinant of food acceptance, food rejection and potentially dietary intake and health indices
- Based on the assumption that, over time, we tend to eat what we like and avoid what we do not
9
Q
Satiety
A
- Satiety is the overall feeling of fullness or sustenance (opposite of hunger)
- Sensory-specific satiety is the declining desire to eat foods of a certain sensation throughout an eating event ( the more you eat of a particular food the less appealing a food becomes, helps your body eat a varied diet)
- Energy dense foods tend to be less satiating - this is our body’s way of encouraging macronutrient intake
- People who are more sensitive to certain tastes reach satiety quicker than those who are less sensitive
10
Q
Learning
A
- Flavour-nutrient learning - associating the flavour of a food with the positive consequences of a nutrient ingestion or satiety
- Flavour-flavour learning - associating the flavour of a food with another flavour
11
Q
Exposure
A
- Early exposure to a food leads to liking (includes in utero exposure, breastfeeding and early childhood)
- Frequent repeated exposures to a food to combat neophobia; mostly researched in children but also effective in adults
- Learning and exposure are much better promotors of healthy food choices in children than rewarding or forcing
12
Q
Level of education
A
- Higher levels of education is associated with greater diet quality
- This may be due to increased knowledge of nutrition, or an increased ability to understand nutritional guidelines and promotions
13
Q
Income
A
- Families with higher income tend to consume more fruit, vegetables and wholegrains, but also consume more sodium
- May be due to access to healthy foods (fast food density, healthy food options)
- Greatest perceived barrier for low income families is inability to afford fresh fruit and vegetables
- Income and education are linked
14
Q
Ability and desire to cook
A
- Preparing food at home is associated with a healthier diet
- Perceived barriers include (cooking skills, time, money to buy food and enjoyment of cooking/shopping)
15
Q
Social factors
A
- Social norms
- Body image
- Culture and religion
- Social facilitation
- Modelling
16
Q
Social norms
A
- Social norms impact every decision that we make about food
- For example timing of food, special occasions, types of food consumed, healthy vs unhealthy and body image
17
Q
Body image
A
- Adolescents, especially females are concerned about their body image
- Likely due to social pressure and media influences
- Poor body image is associated with inappropriate dietary restrictions and poor nutritional choices
- Dieting is common amongst teenage girls
18
Q
Social facilitation
A
Eating more when others are present
- Influences by social factors
- Examples include eating less when you are in presence of someone you like/ want to impress
- When eating in larger groups we tend to eat for a longer duration
19
Q
Modelling
A
- Eating similar foods and food quantities to others
- People are more likely to consume greater quantities if people around them are eating large quantities
- The effect persists even if a person is full or hungry, healthy weight or obese
- Children are more likely to accept a new food that they see a parent eating
- Children are also likely to pick up bad eating habits from parents
20
Q
Environmental factors
A
- Food context
- Environmental and ethical concerns
- Marketing ( branding, packaging and labelling)
- Accessibility
21
Q
Food context
A
- Portion size/ food distortion
- Size of dishware
- Lighting and music
- Meal duration
- Effort
- Distractions
22
Q
Environmental concerns
A
- Energy consumption
- Effect on biodiversity
- Waste of packaging
23
Q
Ethical concerns
A
- Animal welfare
- Fair trade
- Climate change
24
Q
Marketing
A
- Can include advertisements, labelling, branding, ambient sensations
- TV ads increase purchase intent, liking and consumption of food, especially in children
25
Q
Branding
A
Known brands increase preference for a food
26
Q
Packaging
A
- Food packaging that uses bright colours and cartoon characters appeals to more children
- Natural colours appeal to more health conscious adults
27
Q
Labelling
A
- Labels can influence the consumer while shopping
- Healthy labels can sometimes impact sales
28
Q
Specialised diets definition
A
Is a dietary pattern that is the product of one or more factors that influence food choice
29
Q
Vegetarian/Veganism
A
- Are associated with reduced risk of coronary heat disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer
- Important to consider nutritional adequacy in vulnerable groups
- Health effects likely due to increased fruit and vegetable intake
30
Q
Allergen free diets
A
- Most common include peanut, tree nut, egg, cows milk, sesame and fish
- Gluten and dairy intolerances are quite common too
31
Q
Fad Diets
A
A diet plan that is radically different from standard healthy guidelines
- Promises a quick fix
- Promotes magic or miracle foods
- Excludes or severely restricts certain food groups or nutrients
- Makes claims based on a single study, expert or testimonials
- Most incorporate some form of energy restriction
32
Q
Negative implications of fad diets
A
- Micronutrient deficiencies
- Fatigue
- Yo-yo effect on weight loss
- Dehydration and constipation
- Lack of evidence for long term safety
- May dissuade people from seeking proper medical or nutritional support
33
Q
Personalised nutrition
A
Is a unique diet plan for an individual based on their physiological needs
- Individuals vary in their nutrient metabolism and response to diet
- The same diet followed by multiple people have slightly different outcomes for each person
34
Q
Precision nutrition
A
Seeks to develop effective approaches based on the combination of an individuals genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors
- Our understanding of genes is currently not sufficient to be able to formulate an individuals diet plan
