an essay about eating habits

Healthy Eating Habits

Introduction, nutrition and healthy eating, healthy living strategies, works cited.

Proper nutrition and physical activity are important aspects of healthy livings as their contribution to reducing the rates of chronic diseases is a well-established fact. On the other hand, unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical exercise lead to diseases such as diabetes, obesity, stroke, heart diseases, and osteoporosis, which can sometimes be fatal.

The findings of a study conducted in 1990 established that 14% of all deaths in the U.S. could be attributed to poor eating habits and physical inactivity with sedentary lifestyles, a contributor to 23% of disease-related deaths[1]. Healthy eating habits involve the inclusion of fruits, vegetables, and important minerals in the diet and the reduction of saturated fat intake.

Regular physical activity is essential for healthy living as it reduces the chances of developing coronary heart disease. The reduced physical activity and the changes in eating and dieting habits have long-lasting health consequences on the general health of the public, particularly the children and adolescents.

Developing good eating habits for children and adolescents is important for their long-term nutritional well-being. Proper nutrition, together with regular physical activity, enhances proper physical growth, promotes positive self-esteem, and promotes the children’s capacity to learn. In addition, good nutrition and physical activity also prevent diseases such as obesity.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a rapid increase in the rate of children becoming overweight over the past twenty years, attributed to poor nutrition and exercise habits[2]. Proper nutrition and physical exercise habits are important in maintaining a healthy living, and this can be started at an early age.

The parents eating habits influence the children’s feeding practices, and therefore, teaching children healthy eating habits in schools would make them practice healthy behaviors throughout their lives[3]. Increased consumption of vegetables and fruits with a reduction in fat intake coupled with physical activity are among the healthy habits to curb the overweight problems in children.

The consequences of physical inactivity and poor dietary habits in children and adults alike are obesity, which is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30k/m2.

The prevalence of obesity increased among the population between 1991 and 2000, affecting all the segments of the population in the U.S[4]. Obesity is the major cause of health complications, including diabetes (type II), hypertension, heart diseases, stroke, osteoarthritis, respiratory complications, and some cancers.

The socio-economic consequences of obesity, now an epidemic, are overwhelming. The intervention strategies usually focus on promoting good eating habits, including a reduction in calorie intake and helping people increase their physical activity. In children, breastfeeding prevents excessive weight gain and obesity in early childhood and adolescence and, thus, a good strategy of reducing childhood obesity[5].

For adults and young people, poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity increase the risk of developing health-related complications. These segments of the population have an increased risk for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels.

By establishing healthier eating habits combined with physical activity, the onset of these diseases would be prevented[6]. Additionally, active lifestyles and healthy eating behaviors help people with chronic diseases to cope with or control the effects of the diseases and prevent deterioration of their physical condition.

In order to promote healthy living and prevent complications arising from poor eating habits such as obesity, various healthy living strategies involving behavior change are important[7]. To reduce health-related complications in the elderly, regular physical exercises and sporting, including jogging and regular visits to the gym, can be very helpful.

Given the immense benefits of physical exercises, social support is one way of motivating people to remain physically fit and live healthy lifestyles. This can be achieved by providing programs that help people incorporate exercises into their daily routines.

Furthermore, increasing community-based programs and facilities would encourage people to exercise and in the process, live healthy lifestyles. Increased consumption of vegetables and fruits with lower calorie intake lowers the incidences of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and some cancers[8].

Excessive intake of saturated fats is the major cause of cardiovascular diseases and cancers[9]. Therefore, to achieve healthy living, the diet should constitute plenty of fruits and vegetables and less saturated fat. Daily consumption of at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables is recommended for healthy living; however, less than 25% of the U.S. population consumes this[10].

For young children and adolescents, school-based physical education (PE) enables students to engage in physical activities to promote their physical well-being and learning. Prolonged television watching among children and adolescents increases overweight incidences among children[11].

This may be because television watching leads to a decline in calorie-burning physical activity and reduces the children’s metabolic rate. Furthermore, television watching may influence the children’s eating habits contributing to an increased risk of obesity.

Physical inactivity and poor eating habits cause health-related complications such as obesity and heart diseases. The intervention methods usually focus on promoting physical exercises and healthier eating habits. Given the current increase in health-related diseases, it is evident that reduced physical activity and unhealthy eating habits have adverse impacts on the general health of the public, more especially the young people.

CDC. Healthy Youth! Childhood Overweight , 2006.

DHHS. Healthy People 2010 . Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 2000.

McGinnis, John, and Foege, Wrights. “Actual causes of death in the United States.” JAMA 37.2 (1993): 2207-12.

Ness, Amie, and Powles, Jacobs. “Fruit and vegetables and cardiovascular disease: a Review”. Int. J Epidemiol 26.4 (1997): 7-13.

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English that goes straight to the heart

Healthy Eating Habits Essay

The greatest wealth is our own health. People eat junk foods and other unhealthy food items only for taste. They don’t even have time to nourish their bodies with the required diet.

After going through our post “Healthy Eating Habits Essay” you will be able to understand the importance of healthy food.

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Healthy Eating Habits Essay (500+ Words)

Introduction:

In our fast-paced world, where the pursuit of material wealth often dominates, it is crucial to recognize the paramount importance of maintaining good health. While wealth can be accumulated through hard work and dedication, it cannot buy genuine well-being. Healthy eating habits play a pivotal role in nurturing our bodies and promoting a balanced, fulfilling life. By prioritizing a nutritious diet and making conscious food choices, we can safeguard our physical, mental, social, intellectual, and financial well-being.

The Importance of a Balanced Diet:

A balanced diet is one that incorporates all the essential nutrients our bodies require in adequate quantities. It is essential to consume a variety of foods that provide essential proteins, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and calories. A wholesome diet should include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, dairy products, and healthy fats. These nutrients work synergistically to maintain and improve overall health, boost immunity, reduce stress levels, and prevent chronic diseases.

Promoting Physical Health:

Nourishing our bodies with a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining optimal physical health. The consumption of fresh, unprocessed foods provides us with essential vitamins and minerals, which are vital for the proper functioning of our organs and bodily systems. Regular intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Additionally, a well-balanced diet supports healthy weight management, provides sustained energy levels, and enhances physical performance.

Mental and Emotional Well-being:

Healthy eating habits not only benefit our physical health but also significantly impact our mental and emotional well-being. Research has shown a strong connection between diet and mood. Nutrient-rich foods help regulate brain chemistry, leading to improved concentration, enhanced memory, and reduced risk of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. A well-nourished brain is better equipped to handle stress, promoting a positive outlook and emotional resilience.

Social and Intellectual Enhancement:

Adopting healthy eating habits can also foster positive social interactions and intellectual growth. Sharing meals with loved ones creates opportunities for bonding and nurturing relationships. Additionally, proper nutrition supports cognitive function, enabling sharper focus, improved memory retention, and enhanced problem-solving abilities. By fueling our bodies with the right nutrients, we optimize our potential for personal and professional growth.

Financial Implications:

Maintaining good health through healthy eating habits can have significant financial benefits. While the immediate cost of nutritious food may seem higher, it pales in comparison to the long-term expenses associated with medical treatments and managing chronic illnesses. By prioritizing preventive measures, such as a balanced diet, we can minimize healthcare costs and invest in a healthier future. Furthermore, optimal health positively influences productivity, potentially leading to higher career opportunities and financial success.

Conclusion:

In a world where materialistic pursuits often take precedence, it is essential to recognize that the greatest wealth lies within our own health. Healthy eating habits play a fundamental role in nurturing our bodies and fostering overall well-being. By adopting a balanced diet and making conscious food choices, we can enhance physical health, promote mental and emotional well-being, improve social connections, stimulate intellectual growth, and even benefit financially. Let us prioritize our health and embrace the gift of good health as nature’s most valuable treasure.

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Healthy Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on healthy food.

Healthy food refers to food that contains the right amount of nutrients to keep our body fit. We need healthy food to keep ourselves fit.

Furthermore, healthy food is also very delicious as opposed to popular thinking. Nowadays, kids need to eat healthy food more than ever. We must encourage good eating habits so that our future generations will be healthy and fit.

Most importantly, the harmful effects of junk food and the positive impact of healthy food must be stressed upon. People should teach kids from an early age about the same.

Benefits of Healthy Food

Healthy food does not have merely one but numerous benefits. It helps us in various spheres of life. Healthy food does not only impact our physical health but mental health too.

When we intake healthy fruits and vegetables that are full of nutrients, we reduce the chances of diseases. For instance, green vegetables help us to maintain strength and vigor. In addition, certain healthy food items keep away long-term illnesses like diabetes and blood pressure.

Similarly, obesity is the biggest problems our country is facing now. People are falling prey to obesity faster than expected. However, this can still be controlled. Obese people usually indulge in a lot of junk food. The junk food contains sugar, salt fats and more which contribute to obesity. Healthy food can help you get rid of all this as it does not contain harmful things.

In addition, healthy food also helps you save money. It is much cheaper in comparison to junk food. Plus all that goes into the preparation of healthy food is also of low cost. Thus, you will be saving a great amount when you only consume healthy food.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Junk food vs Healthy Food

If we look at the scenario today, we see how the fast-food market is increasing at a rapid rate. With the onset of food delivery apps and more, people now like having junk food more. In addition, junk food is also tastier and easier to prepare.

However, just to satisfy our taste buds we are risking our health. You may feel more satisfied after having junk food but that is just the feeling of fullness and nothing else. Consumption of junk food leads to poor concentration. Moreover, you may also get digestive problems as junk food does not have fiber which helps indigestion.

Similarly, irregularity of blood sugar levels happens because of junk food. It is so because it contains fewer carbohydrates and protein . Also, junk food increases levels of cholesterol and triglyceride.

On the other hand, healthy food contains a plethora of nutrients. It not only keeps your body healthy but also your mind and soul. It increases our brain’s functionality. Plus, it enhances our immunity system . Intake of whole foods with minimum or no processing is the finest for one’s health.

In short, we must recognize that though junk food may seem more tempting and appealing, it comes with a great cost. A cost which is very hard to pay. Therefore, we all must have healthy foods and strive for a longer and healthier life.

FAQs on Healthy Food

Q.1 How does healthy food benefit us?

A.1 Healthy Benefit has a lot of benefits. It keeps us healthy and fit. Moreover, it keeps away diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and many more. Healthy food also helps in fighting obesity and heart diseases.

Q.2 Why is junk food harmful?

A.2 Junk food is very harmful to our bodies. It contains high amounts of sugar, salt, fats, oils and more which makes us unhealthy. It also causes a lot of problems like obesity and high blood pressure. Therefore, we must not have junk food more and encourage healthy eating habits.

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Essays About Eating Healthy Foods: 7 Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

If you’re writing essays about eating healthy foods, here are 7 interesting essay examples and topic ideas.

Eating healthy is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But we can all struggle to make it a part of our routine. It’s easier to make small changes to your eating habits instead for long-lasting results. A healthy diet is a plan for eating healthier options over the long term and not a strict diet to be followed only for the short.

Writing an essay about eating healthy foods is an exciting topic choice and an excellent way to help people start a healthy diet and change their lifestyles for the better. Tip: For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing ?

1. The Definitive Guide to Healthy Eating in Real Life By Jillian Kubala

2. eating healthy foods by jaime padilla, 3. 5 benefits of eating healthy by maggie smith, 4. good food bad food by audrey rodriguez, 5. what are the benefits of eating healthy by cathleen crichton-stuart, 6. comparison between healthy food and junk food by jaime padilla, 7. nutrition, immunity, and covid-19 by ayela spiro and helena gibson-moore, essays about eating healthy foods topic ideas, 1. what is healthy food, 2. what is the importance of healthy food, 3. what does eating healthy mean, 4. why should we eat healthy foods, 5. what are the benefits of eating healthy foods, 6. why should we eat more vegetables, 7. can you still eat healthy foods even if you are on a budget.

“Depending on whom you ask, “healthy eating” may take many forms. It seems that everyone, including healthcare professionals, wellness influencers, coworkers, and family members, has an opinion on the healthiest way to eat. Plus, nutrition articles that you read online can be downright confusing with their contradictory — and often unfounded — suggestions and rules. This doesn’t make it easy if you simply want to eat in a healthy way that works for you.”

Author Jillian Kubala is a registered dietitian and holds a master’s degree in nutrition and an undergraduate degree in nutrition science. In her essay, she says that healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated and explains how it can nourish your body while enjoying the foods you love. Check out these essays about health .

“Eating provides your body with the nourishment it needs to survive. A healthy diet supplies nutrients (such as protein, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates), which are important for your body’s growth, development, and maintenance. However, not all foods are equal when it comes to the nutrition they provide. Some foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are rich in vitamins and minerals; others, such as cookies and soda pop, provide few if any nutrients. Your diet can influence everything from your energy level and intellectual performance to your risk for certain diseases.”

Author Jaime Padilla talks about the importance of a healthy diet in your body’s growth, development, and maintenance. He also mentioned that having a poor diet can lead to some health problems. Check out these essays about food .

“Eating healthy is about balance and making sure that your body is getting the necessary nutrients it needs to function properly. Healthy eating habits require that people eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fats, proteins, and starches. Keep in mind that healthy eating requires that you’re mindful of what you eat and drink, but also how you prepare it. For best results, individuals should avoid fried or processed foods, as well as foods high in added sugars and salts.”

Author Maggie Smith believes there’s a fine line between healthy eating and dieting. In her essay, she mentioned five benefits of eating healthy foods – weight loss, heart health, strong bones and teeth, better mood and energy levels, and improved memory and brain health – and explained them in detail.

You might also be interested in our round-up of the best medical authors of all time .

“From old generation to the new generation young people are dying out quicker than their own parents due to obesity-related diseases every day. In the mid-1970s, there were no health issues relevant to obesity-related diseases but over time it began to be a problem when fast food industries started growing at a rapid pace. Energy is naturally created in the body when the nutrients are absorbed from the food that is consumed. When living a healthy lifestyle, these horrible health problems don’t appear, and the chances of prolonging life and enjoying life increase.”

In her essay, author Audrey Rodriguez says that having self-control is very important to achieving a healthy lifestyle, especially now that we’re exposed to all these unhealthy yet tempting foods that all these fast-food restaurants offer. She believes that back in the early 1970s, when fast-food companies had not yet existed and home-cooked meals were the only food people had to eat every day, trying to live a healthy life was never a problem.

“A healthful diet typically includes nutrient-dense foods from all major food groups, including lean proteins, whole grains, healthful fats, and fruits and vegetables of many colors. Healthful eating also means replacing foods that contain trans fats, added salt, and sugar with more nutritious options. Following a healthful diet has many health benefits, including building strong bones, protecting the heart, preventing disease, and boosting mood.”

In her essay, Author Cathleen Crichton-Stuart explains the top 10 benefits of eating healthy foods – all of which are medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, a registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist. She also gives her readers some quick tips for a healthful diet.

“In today’s generation, healthy and unhealthy food plays a big role in youths and adults. Many people don’t really understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods, many don’t actually know what the result of eating too many unhealthy foods can do to the body. There are big differences between eating healthy food, unhealthy food and what the result of excessively eating them can do to the body. In the ongoing battle of “healthy vs. unhealthy foods”, unhealthy foods have their own advantage.”

Author Jaime Padilla compares the difference between healthy food and junk food so that the readers would understand what the result of eating a lot of unhealthy foods can do to the body. He also said that homemade meals are healthier and cheaper than the unhealthy and pricey meals that you order in your local fast food restaurant, which would probably cost you twice as much.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked both an increased clinical and public interest in the role of nutrition and health, particularly in supporting immunity. During this time, when people may be highly vulnerable to misinformation, there have been a plethora of media stories against authoritative scientific opinion, suggesting that certain food components and supplements are capable of ‘boosting’ the immune system. It is important to provide evidence-based advice and to ensure that the use of non-evidence-based approaches to ‘boost’ immunity is not considered as an effective alternative to vaccination or other recognized measures.”

Authors Ayela Spiro, a nutrition science manager, and Helena Gibson-Moore, a nutrition scientist, enlighten their readers on the misinformation spreading in this pandemic about specific food components and supplements. They say that there’s no single food or supplement, or magic diet that can boost the immune system alone. However, eating healthy foods (along with the right dietary supplements), being physically active, and getting enough sleep can help boost your immunity.

If you’re writing an essay about eating healthy foods, you have to define what healthy food is. Food is considered healthy if it provides you with the essential nutrients to sustain your body’s well-being and retain energy. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water are the essential nutrients that compose a healthy, balanced diet.

Eating healthy foods is essential for having good health and nutrition – it protects you against many chronic non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. If you’re writing an essay about eating healthy foods, show your readers the importance of healthy food, and encourage them to start a healthy diet.

Eating healthy foods means eating a variety of food that give you the nutrients that your body needs to function correctly. These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. In your essay about eating healthy foods, you can discuss this topic in more detail so that your readers will know why these nutrients are essential.

Eating healthy foods includes consuming the essential nutrients your body requires to function correctly (such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water) while minimizing processed foods, saturated fats, and alcohol. In your essay, let your readers know that eating healthy foods can help maintain the body’s everyday functions, promote optimal body weight, and prevent diseases.

Eating healthy foods comes with many health benefits – from keeping a healthy weight to preventing long-term diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. So if you’re looking for a topic idea for your essay, you can consider the benefits of eating healthy foods to give your readers some useful information, especially for those thinking of starting a healthy diet.

Ever since we were a kid, we have all been told that eating vegetables are good for our health, but why? The answer is pretty simple – vegetables are loaded with the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that our body needs. So, if you’re writing an essay about eating healthy foods, this is an excellent topic to get you started.

Of course, you definitely can! Fresh fruits and vegetables are typically the cheapest options for starting a healthy diet. In your essay about eating healthy foods, you can include some other cheap food options for a healthy diet – this will be very helpful, especially for readers looking to start a healthy diet but only have a limited amount of budget set for their daily food.

For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing ?

If you’re stuck picking your next essay topic, check out our round-up of essay topics about education .

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Health Capsule

How Your Eating Habits Affect Your Health

Young woman in grocery store looking at apples.

A new study shows how the things you eat can influence your risk of dying from heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes. The findings suggest ways to change your eating habits to improve your health.

Experts already know that a healthy eating plan includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. A healthy diet also includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. It limits saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars.

NIH-funded scientists analyzed how these 10 dietary factors affect your risk of death from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These are known as cardiometabolic diseases. The team relied on data from the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and national mortality data.

The scientists found that risk of death from the 3 diseases was higher for those who consumed too much sodium, processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and unprocessed red meat. Risk of death was also higher among those who didn’t eat enough nuts and seeds, seafood omega-3 fats, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, or polyunsaturated fats. According to the analysis, nearly half (45%) of deaths in 2012 from the 3 diseases was associated with too much or too little of these 10 dietary factors.

“This study establishes the number of cardiometabolic deaths that can be linked to Americans’ eating habits, and the number is large,” explains Dr. David Goff, a heart disease and public health expert at NIH. “Second, it shows how recent reductions in those deaths relate to improvements in diet, and this relationship is strong. There is much work to be done in preventing heart disease, but we also know that better dietary habits can improve our health quickly, and we can act on that knowledge by making and building on small changes that add up over time.”

College Students and Eating Habits: A Study Using An Ecological Model for Healthy Behavior

Giovanni sogari.

1 Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy; [email protected]

2 Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA; ude.llenroc@7gim

Catalina Velez-Argumedo

3 Tecnológico de Monterrey, EGADE Business School, San Pedro Garza García 66269, Mexico; [email protected]

Miguel I. Gómez

Cristina mora.

Overweightness and obesity rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States (US). Unhealthy dietary habits are among the factors that can have adverse effects on weight status in young adulthood. The purpose of this explorative study was to use a qualitative research design to analyze the factors (barriers and enablers) that US college students perceived as influencing healthy eating behaviors. A group of Cornell University students ( n = 35) participated in six semi-structured focus groups. A qualitative software, CAQDAS Nvivo11 Plus, was used to create codes that categorized the group discussions while using an Ecological Model. Common barriers to healthy eating were time constraints, unhealthy snacking, convenience high-calorie food, stress, high prices of healthy food, and easy access to junk food. Conversely, enablers to healthy behavior were improved food knowledge and education, meal planning, involvement in food preparation, and being physically active. Parental food behavior and friends’ social pressure were considered to have both positive and negative influences on individual eating habits. The study highlighted the importance of consulting college students when developing healthy eating interventions across the campus (e.g., labeling healthy food options and information campaigns) and considering individual-level factors and socio-ecological aspects in the analysis.

1. Introduction

Overweightness and obesity rates have dramatically increased over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States, as well as in many other areas of the world [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. According to a scoping review of risk behavior interventions in young men, Ashton, Hutchesson, Rollo, Morgan & Collins [ 4 ] identified obesity as a serious health risk with an incidence rate of obesity reaching 29% of the population aged 20–39 years old [ 5 , 6 ]. Physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary habits are among the main behaviors that potentially have adverse effects on weight status in young adulthood, and consequently, the future health of adults [ 3 , 7 ].

As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) [ 8 ], the adult disease burden is due to health risk behaviors that start during adolescence (e.g., unhealthy eating practices). For example, most of the United States (US) population does not consume the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables, nuts, and seeds. On the other hand, the consumption of added sugars, processed meats, and trans fats is higher than the recommended daily intake [ 9 ]. It has been shown that after the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, when independency increases, young adults are continuously challenged to make healthful food choices [ 2 , 10 ]. Along with unhealthy eating behaviors, a new series of weight-related behavioral patterns begins throughout this period, such as excessive alcohol consumption and a low level of physical activity.

Substantial life-changing transitions happened when young adults finish high school to start college or a working life [ 10 ]. According to the literature [ 11 , 12 , 13 ], university is a critical period for young adults regarding food choices and their relationship with weight gain. Some studies have even shown that college students tend to gain more weight than those who do not attend university [ 14 ]. In order to design and support healthy nutrition campaigns (e.g., less meat options) across campuses, it is critical to improve knowledge of dietary behaviors in the university-age population [ 15 ].

In the last decades, there has been growing interest in the development and implementation of health promotion interventions in the workplace [ 16 ]. Studies exploring eating behavior in children [ 17 ], adolescents [ 18 , 19 ], and young adults [ 20 ] have been done in recent years; however, theories to explain such behaviors are still moving from the nascent to the mature stage [ 21 ].

Recently, the so-called Ecological Model has been considered as an acceptable framework to link individual and social behaviors with environmental determinants, to reduce serious and prevalent health problems [ 22 ].

The aim of this study is to explore the barriers and enablers of healthy eating behaviors among US college students, using focus groups that foster open discussion between a small number of participants. This study is the first stage of a larger research project called “CONSUMEHealth. Using consumer science to improve healthy eating habits”, funded bythe European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and Innovation programme (Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 749514).

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. focus groups.

We selected focus group interviewing as a key methodology for the study, the elements of which include participant observation, formal and informal interviewing, filming, and recording, among others [ 23 ]. Focus groups are used to obtain insights and in-depth information on why and how people think (perceptions, attitude, opinions, experience) about a topic of interest [ 24 ] used to unlock the complexity of the decision-making process [ 25 ] and unencumbered by what we expect to find [ 26 ]. In our study, a focus group was suitable, since we were aiming to obtain cultural insights from a group of individuals, and to explore their beliefs and behaviors [ 27 ], allowing for us to examine the context of healthy eating behaviors [ 16 , 28 ]. Various studies have demonstrated that focus groups are an appropriate research method to study eating habits, particularly among students [ 2 , 29 ]. Since the definition of this population was not just a matter of age, but of lifestyle and identity, a focus group could help us to better understand the meanings of healthy eating behaviors and its contexts.

2.2. Participants

Eligible participants were college students aged 18 to 25 years, who were transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood, who lived in the USA, and who were enrolled at Cornell University in the town of Ithaca (New York, NY, USA). Similar to previous studies [ 29 ], no first-year university students were included in the study, due to their limited college experience. In addition, we excluded students from nutrition classes or any other disciplines that might transmit a greater overall knowledge or awareness of healthy eating. The final group consisted of students from different disciplines (humanistic and scientific). These young adults were recruited via flyers that were distributed across the University facilities, and via email using a college student database. In the advertisement sheet, a link to an online survey was provided to facilitate recruitment, and to give subjects the essential statement outline of the study (aim, benefits, and risks that are associated with time, incentives, other). One advantage of our approach was that it allowed us to recruit participants from different disciplines and years of study. In addition, we chose to have mixed-gender groups, which could produce a greater variety of responses and better discussion [ 29 ]. The interview guideline was designed to take participants on a journey, starting from a broader concept of health, to more specific questions on past, present, and future diet behavior practices.

2.3. Procedure

The recruitment of participants was carried out using an online system at Cornell University. A recruitment rate of between six and eight participants per focus group session was planned, in order to have at least four people in each focus group session, therefore, an over-recruitment of two students was planned in the case of ‘no-shows’.

Following the literature [ 29 ], a semi-structured question guide was developed to identify the key questions for the research problem (eating habits, physical activity levels, and weight change). Enough flexibility and side-questions allowed for open discussions within the group, to obtain more in-depth information from participants.

Projective techniques were used both at the beginning of the sessions for “ice-breaking”, and later on to understand better emotional connections and cognitions towards the topic of interest [ 30 ]. Specifically, the photograph response test technique was used, which consists of showing a series of photographs that are related to the topic under investigation. A stimulus (images of obese/overweight individuals) was presented to the group, and the participants were asked to answer with the first words that came to their mind.

As reported by Guerrero and Xicola [ 24 ], the integration of different qualitative techniques (e.g., projective stimuli as in this study) within the same focus group was considered to be a mixed approach. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance of Cornell University (Protocol ID: 1709007406).

2.4. Data Collection Outline

During the online prescreening registration, all of the participants completed a short questionnaire, providing self-reported socio-demographic information, physical activity, height, weight status, and perceived body image.

Before beginning the focus group, an information sheet about the study and a consent form for anonymity and confidentiality were signed by each participant. Drinks and a few snacks were provided in order to make the environment as much comfortable as possible. In addition, the room that was used to carry out the discussions was modified to look like a living room of a house.

As suggested in the literature [ 28 ], each focus group lasted around 90 min, and it was held in a comfortable and quiet place. The sessions were video-audio recorded with the permission of the participants, and were facilitated by a well-trained and experienced moderator (female moderator with five years of experience in focus groups in the field of food, both in the public and private context). The principal investigator was an observer, and stayed in another room that was connected with audio and video recording systems during the focus group discussion. The moderator directed the flow of the discussion, and ensured that all of the important issues were covered. We opted for small groups (4–6 people), which was considered to be more appropriate when the topic of investigation is seen as complex and personal [ 31 ]. Both the principal investigator and the moderator did not have any type of relationship with the participants; we strongly believe that no bias or conflict of interest exist between the research team, the subjects, and the focus of the study.

The semi-structured questions guide ( Table 1 ), as developed following Krueger and Casey [ 27 ], aimed to investigate the main factors influencing eating behaviors among college students. First, a projective technique was first used for “ice breaking”, and to facilitate the group discussion. At the beginning, all of the participants were asked to list “five healthy eating habits” and “five unhealthy eating habits”, and afterwards to read the list out and share it with group. In this way, the whole group was actively involved in the discussion, and participants became acquainted with, and felt connected with each other. The main questions focused on factors influencing students’ health and weight-related behaviors. Before ending each of the focus group sessions, the moderator and principal investigator decided whether further questions were needed. At the very end of the focus group, all of the subjects chose to either receive a monetary payment ($ 15) or university course credit (1.5) for their participation.

Short version of the Focus Group questions guide.

2.5. Data Analysis

In the field of health studies, the use of focus groups for research is a relatively recent phenomena [ 28 ]. The information resulting from focus groups is usually analyzed throughout a process of categorizing and coding the data in a systematic manner.

At the end of the six focus group sessions, the audio tapes were transcribed verbatim in Microsoft Word by an independent transcription agency, and they were double-reviewed by two researchers. Second, the data collected were analyzed by the principal investigator and two research assistants who were trained in qualitative analysis. All quotes were encoded using the computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software Nvivo11 Plus Version 11 (QSR International Pty Ltd., Melbourne, Australia) [ 32 ]. This software helped the researchers at the stage of data analysis, marking, and coding the transcription, and helped them to identify the relations between categories (concepts, themes, and ideas) and individuals [ 28 ].

An inductive thematic approach, which is useful for identifying core meanings that were relevant to the research objects, was used for data analysis, in which quotes were coded and categorized into themes and subthemes [ 25 , 33 ]. These themes were organized into individual, social, and environmental categories using an Ecological Model framework [ 16 , 22 ], and were successively described. A Microsoft Excel package was used to analyze the characteristics of the sample using responses from the questionnaire (descriptive statistics).

3.1. Descriptive Results

In our study, six focus group discussions were conducted until saturation of new information was reached. The final sample consisted of 35 students (23 females), with a mean age of 20.4 ± 1.5 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 23.2 (SD ± 4.52), which was calculated as weight (kg) divided by height squared (m 2 ). Most participants considered themselves to have a healthy weight status, and few of them indicated current or past eating disorders. The characteristics of the sample are summarized in Table 2 . Participants were also from a variety of study disciplines and different college years (from junior to senior). This variety in participant characteristics enormously contributed to gather more insights (e.g., diverse experiences and opinions) into the relationship between behaviors and healthy eating.

Characteristics of focus group participants ( n = 35).

3.2. Qualitative Results

Following the literature [ 31 ], the researchers reviewed the transcript line-by-line encoding and classified the text. As a first step, the questions that were enclosed in the script were used as initial categories, then during a rigorous and systematic reading of the transcript, the main categories started to emerge [ 33 ]. The researchers used an inductive coding method to find meaningful messages to categorize into main themes and sub-themes.

The information was then analyzed in conjunction with the Ecological Model conceptual framework. The importance of the Ecological Model in the social sciences is the consideration of interactions between the people’s behavior and the environment (sociocultural, policy, and physical) [ 16 , 29 ].

With the results from this model, we developed a list of factors influencing healthy eating behaviors among college students, based on content analysis of the focus groups ( Figure 1 ). We adapted a model by Deliens, Clarys, Bourdeaudhuij & Deforche [ 29 ], and then developed the following main levels for the analysis: individual (intrapersonal), social (interpersonal relationship), and university environment (community settings), and some main attributes of the students (e.g., gender). The most significant quotes by respondents were reported to illustrate each (sub)theme. We also decided to incorporate some basic information of the participants by using an ID for the quotes: e.g., FG1_F21 (Focus Group 1, Female, age 21 years old).

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Factors influencing healthy eating behaviors of college students.

3.2.1. Individual Level (Intrapersonal)

Intrapersonal factors are represented mainly by attitude, behavior, self-concepts, and skills [ 16 ].

Healthy Eating: Meaning, Perception, and Consequences

Research shows that individuals’ beliefs about a healthy diet is shaped by their psychology. Understanding what healthy eating means is crucial to making healthy food choices across and within product categories. Participants seemed to be aware of healthy eating habits: “ For me, healthy eating is eating clean. So, lots of fresh veggies and fruits and some sort of protein ” (FG1_F20); however, they were also aware that they did not necessarily follow this suggestion: “ Things (healthy food) that help fulfil your daily nutrition requirement, even though I obviously don’t do that ” (FG1_F20).

There was a gap between having knowledge and actually practicing it: “ … now I feel like I’m more aware of it (healthy eating), I just don’t pay attention to it ” (FG5_F21). In addition, they highlighted how the meaning of healthy eating had changed over the past decades: “ when I was a kid, I definitely thought it was more ... just eating less, ... now I understand that it’s more eating the right things, and not necessarily eating less, but just eating different stuff ”(FG1_F21).

During the focus groups, the term “healthy” itself proved to be quite elastic: “ I think about getting a lot of balance ” (FG3_M23) and it was perceived to have changed overtime: “ before, it was all about portion control, eating smaller things, but now, it’s focused more on eating healthy things ” (FG1_F20). Most participants considered their generation to be more health-aware and more health-conscious than the previous ones. However, others believed that today, it is harder for people to eat healthy because there is so much fast food available. For someone whose parents taught them during childhood, healthy eating remained an important factor for the future: “ my mom told me when I was a kid, healthy eating is if your plate is colourful, so sometimes when I went through that little phase where I was trying to eat really well at the dining halls I’d be like, carrots, orange, tomatoes, red, I’d get a bowl of blueberries, blue. You’d try to get every colour on your plate and that’s healthy ” (FG5_F19).

Participants were aware of the long-run consequences of not maintaining a healthy diet: “ It’s risk for diseases, increasing your risk of dying earlier ” (FG4_F19); “ you have less health problems, for the most part, that are related to your diet. You probably have more energy, honestly, because processed stuff sort of slows you down ” (FG1_F20). In particular, a male participant reported: “ I think that America has this epidemic, which is obesity. And I know that leads to a whole bunch of complications, especially the demographic that I am. I understand that our life expectancy isn’t as high as other demographics, and that’s due to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stuff like that ” (FG2_M20).

They also considered “eating healthy” as something that was related to a lifestyle with positive consequences to the general mindset of the individual: “ I think healthy is feeling good about yourself, having energy, and not being exhausted all day ” (FG2_F18); “ I think healthy goes beyond just food, you have to be mentally healthy and physically healthy ” (FG2_F19); “ I tend to like healthy food, it makes me feel better ” (FG6_M22). More generally, people related the concept of being healthy to both physical and psychological status: “ I think being healthy is both your physical appearance and your mindset… exercised and eating food, as well as balancing it out with your mental state ” (F2_M20).

We used a projective technique to create more interaction and interest on the topic. Images of overweight/obese people were shown, and participants were then asked what thoughts came into their mind. Most participants felt uncomfortable with describing these images. Some of them thought that being heavily overweight or obese could be attributed to not having control over their own lifestyle: “ I feel bad for them, because I know the probably inside, they are not happy with themselves, but it’s all your personal choice ” (FG3_M19). At the same time, there was a feeling both of sadness for them, but also a willingness to not judge other people’s weight status. Only one person mentioned that body image was a motivator in maintaining healthy eating: “ I want to be in a good shape, and I think that’s what motivates me ” (FG4_M21).

Eating Habits (Healthy and Unhealthy)

Every participant was asked to list five healthy and five unhealthy eating habits on post-it notes and then share it among the groups ( Table 3 ). First, snacking was associated most of the time with unhealthy eating, as mentioned by several participants: “ I’m trying to eat a heavier breakfast so that I snack less throughout the day ” (FG1_F21); “ I have snacks late night, mostly, if I’m going to snack at all, it’s generally junk food ” (FG4_M19). Only a few of them tried snacking with an healthy option: “ I don’t mindlessly snack, but when I do snack, it’s always something healthy like nuts or fruit ” (FG4_F19). Some participants did not seem conscious of having three meals a day, but preferred to have smaller snacks consistently throughout the day and being portion-aware: “ I try to eat like four to five times a day like smaller meals as opposed to just like breakfast, lunch and dinner ” (FG3_M23). Regarding drinking habits, surprisingly, alcohol consumption was not mentioned as an unhealthy drinking habit; but more attention was focused on the most common daily drinks (i.e., water, coffee, and soda). One female participant said: “ I like carbonated drinks, like sugary drinks that I should probably stay away from ” (FG1_F21). Many people were aware that a high sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with greater weight gain.

Top 12 self-reported healthy and unhealthy eating habits of the participants.

Notes: “Other”: eating habits that have been mentioned only one or two times. The researchers decided not to report them.

The participants were asked about why American consumers do not follow the dietary guidelines given by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Most of them mentioned that nowadays there is a greater availability of unhealthy foods: “ I think there’s a lot more junk food now than there was then, and it’s also way cheaper than getting healthy food ” (FG1_F20); “ I think junk food is way more accessible than going out to get healthy food ” (FG1_F21); “ sometimes people just don’t have access to food in their neighbourhood ” (FG6_M22).

Food Preferences

Food preferences are highly complex, personal, and influenced by a broad variety of factors, especially physiological. Even if health seemed to be important for everyone, when choosing food, students did not take health into consideration as the most important factor, but usually pleasure and taste. As one participant said: “ I think unhealthy food just tastes better. I don’t know, if a food tastes good to me, I have thoughts of, "Is this unhealthy?" Because I feel like healthy food just doesn’t taste as good ” (FG2_F19). Likeability as a first factor for choosing food was confirmed by another student: “ I think unhealthier food just tastes better to everybody ” (FG2_M20). Another participant highlighted the importance of the pleasure of eating: “ I really like pasta, like a lot, it’s pretty much what I eat every day. I put hot sauce on everything ” (FG5_F19).

Healthy Activities

Almost all of the participants mentioned that they had been very busy since they started tertiary education, and that this was a barrier to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They remembered that exercising was as a big part of family time: “… me and my two brothers and my dad, we started going to the gym. So we’d go to the gym like every weekend ” (FG2_M20); “ I play a lot of soccer with my dad ” (FG3_M19). It is clear the role of parents in incentiving activities to stay healthy: “ my parents were also very encouraging of me and my other siblings with doing sports ” (FG6_M21). Nowadays, due to time constraints associated with being a college student, it was more difficult to stay active. The statement “ not keeping junk food in the house ” was repeated by several students as a way to avoid the temptation of eating unhealthy foods, as was having small snacks throughout the day rather than designated meals. They were also aware about overeating, and few of them believed themselves to be good at controlling portion sizes: “ I try to get individual packages, so I have portion control ” (FG2_F18).

Food Preparation and Knowledge

In order to eat healthy, consumers must have some knowledge about food, healthful products, and the composition of a meal, among others. During the focus groups, participants were asked about changes that they had made in their cooking habits since they had moved from home. Some of them realized how negative the changes were in terms of eating healthy: “ the first time I lived outside of home wasn’t good. I ate out twice a day, every day, which is really unhealthy and really expensive. So now I’m trying to cook more, which is good. I feel like I’m healthier when I’m cooking it myself ” (FG1_F21). Others confirmed how expensive it is to eat out frequently: “ Well I didn’t cook at all when I was at home. So just off campus, it’s cheaper to cook than eating out every night, so I’m just trying to cook more ” (FG1_F21).

Students were asked their involvement in preparing food when living with their parents, the majority declared to have never helped in the kitchen or only during holiday meals. One participant shared a personal experience: “ Only for Thanksgiving or Christmas I would usually make a dessert or something like that. Cake or cookies ” (FG6_M21).

When asked to elaborate more on a healthy diet and give examples, few students had a vague idea of what the Mediterranean diet was about: “ I’ve definitely heard of it before, but I don’t ... is it like, only eating certain Greek, Mediterranean ingredients? ” (FG2_F19), and most of them had not even heard of the term before.

Time, Price and State of Mind

The transition from living at home to the college experience was considered to be stressful. Most of the participants mentioned a problem with stress eating, especially when studying; as one participant said: “ … I definitely snack too much when I’m stressed ” (FG4_F19). Another one: “ I work too much. I don’t take the down time to exercise. I like to snack a lot. I use food to regulate my mood ” (FG6_M22). Almost all participants believed that they did not have enough time to prepare healthy meals. The “lack of time” appeared to be an important barrier: “ I don’t have time to be going to the grocery store to just get fruit and healthy things ” (FG1_F20). Time constraints also made students skip meals: “ …then sometimes I will eat at random hours during the day, including sometimes I’ll have to skip lunch if I just don’t have enough time, which I can see the effects, it just makes me really tired, it’s not good for working out ” (FG4_F19).

Also, the relative perception of the high costs of buying healthy food (i.e., fruits and vegetables) was one of the main barriers to a varied diet [ 2 , 34 ]. For many students: “ junk food is way cheaper than getting healthy food ”; as one female participant specified: “ it can be hard to afford healthy food, because no matter what healthy eaters say about how easy is to find cheap, healthy food, it’s always probably gonna be cheaper to find heavily processed junk food ” (FG1_F20). Another female participant with Asian origin confirmed with her personal experience that: “ it’s very abnormal in America that the fruit and the vegetables are much expensive than the meat, because back in China the vegetables and fruits are very cheap, so everyone can have access to that ” (FG5_F24).

3.2.2. Social Level (Interpersonal Relationships)

Social relationships in early adulthood are predominantly formed with roommates and friends at college, as well as with family members, even if with a lower frequency with the latter. The perception of social pressure was a strong determinant in supporting and maintaining a healthy diet [ 35 ]. As one participant said in relation to healthy eating: “ What you eat and who you’re around is really influential ” (FG2_F20). Another one confirmed this point: “ Seeing if someone’s eating really unhealthy, you can be like: "I’m going to be the one to eat healthy tonight", or if everyone’s eating healthy, you feel more inclined to eat healthy ” (FG2_F20). Sometimes, it was also the influence of the partner that could make a person change their dietary habits.

Parental Feeding Behavior

Respondents were asked about how parents can negatively and positively impact a child’s eating behavior. They agreed that it was difficult for kids and adolescents to learn about eating healthy if their parents did not influence and teach them: “ I think as a child, you look up to your parents a lot, so instead of verbally saying, "Eat healthy, blah blah blah…" you actually have to show it ” (FG2_F19).

One student explained that sometimes there was a risk that the parents were too busy to take care of their children’s diet: “ If parents are too busy or they don’t have the income and also the time, if they’re working too many jobs, you know, they’ll just get packaged food or processed foods and that could definitely have a very negative effect ” (FG6_M21). As a result, the parents prefer to give them money to buy food away from home and most of them choose junk food or fast food: “ if I’m with my friends, I can kind of get away with my mom not knowing what I’m eating. So I tend to eat what I can’t eat at home, so always unhealthy ” (FG1_F21).

These young adults believed that parents should give a good example (i.e., not going to a fast food place). Most of the students mentioned the role of the mother as a relevant figure for giving good recommendations: “ my mom has always ingrained the healthy eating thing in me ” (FG1_F20); “ when I was younger ... even now, my mom only has healthy food available for me. And if I ever shop with her, she doesn’t let me buy snacks or sweets ” (FG1_F21). The participants who mentioned that their parents were good at cooking, and liked preparing foods from different cultures, also realized that they should not be really picky in their food choices. Others reported that their parents used some tricks to make their children to eat healthy food: “ I think my parents just seasoned my vegetables so it would taste better. And that way I wouldn’t really have to think about me eating vegetables ” (FG4_M20). Other students experienced a more ambiguous and controversial approach with food: “ We weren’t allowed to leave the table until I finished my food ” (FG4_F21); in this case, sometimes their mothers were part of the "Clean Plate Club”, a club where parents are used to asking their children to finish everything on their plates.

Dietary Aspects of Home, School, and Eating Out

Respondents were asked what different eating behaviors they had between eating out and at home. Even if young adults ate in a variety of different settings, especially after living with their parents, the number of times eating out strongly increased. For instance, eating at home was usually correlated with higher fruit and vegetable intakes. However, many participants said that eating out was a kind of relief where all food desires could be satisfied: “ I tend to eat what I can’t eat at home, so always unhealthy ” (FG1_F21); “ when I’m eating out "I might as well treat myself" and treat myself for nothing ” (FG4_F21); “ when I lived at home, I would always eat really healthy, so whenever I go out, I tend to eat a lot of junk food ” (FG1_F21). One participant’s personal experience confirmed that: “ usually when I go out with my friends or family, I eat just such trash food. And restaurant food to begin with is already so caloric, and then you just add on top of it, let’s get appetizers and desserts ” (FG4_F19).

High school had also a strong determinant on eating habits; most of the time, eating in secondary school was related with a negative experience: “ a lot of times in high school I just ate chips, because I just hated my school lunch, it was pretty bad. But I think if the school lunch is the only thing that’s available to you, it’s definitely going to affect what you’re eating and how you’re eating ” (FG4_F21). Several students reported that they did not feel that the school meal was healthy, due to limited choices. One remembered: “ we always used to joke about saying that pizza counted as a vegetable, we had to get a vegetable but pizza counted, so we’d always get pizza ” (FG4_M19). However, almost all of the participants agreed that nowadays, schools are getting more involved in providing healthy options than in the past: “ I think our school definitely they had healthier options ” (FG5_F19).

Friends and Media Pressure

Young adults are often influenced by their peers for many habits, and also when eating behaviors are involved [ 29 ]; as one male participant, who had a high frequency in activity level and played in a team, said: “ there is just so much social pressure to eat healthy around other people ” (FG3_M23). As one female student reported: “ I think every girl has this kind of thing and you have some pressure from your friends and if you will see them wearing beautiful dresses you want to lose weight or something ” (FG5_F24). Another explained: “ I think general rule of thumb, if you see people [friends] that look healthy, that we tend to ask someone, what do you eat? How do you do that? ” (FG5_M21). Usually, meals with friends tended to be not healthy: “ when I’m with my friends in the evening we do tend to eat heavier meals, which make me feel pretty sick the next morning ”. However, for someone else, the experience was the opposite: “ I think the big thing that changed for me was when I came here at Cornell, I saw other people and their eating habits, and some of them were eating lean or eating healthier, and I tried to pick up on some of those too ” (FG4_M21).

Many participants raised concerns about the role of television and other mass media on how an adolescent or young adult should look: “ I just feel like in the media, you see all these images of celebrities and their body type is glorified, so you just want to eat healthier to look like that ” (FG4_F19). In addition, they also considered advertisement on TVs for candies and other sweet foods to be negative communication on what to eat, as one participant said: “…there’s all these ads on TVs for candies and stuff like that… kids would rather have the bright colors, the fun candies and stuff that aren’t necessarily healthy” (FG1_F21).

3.2.3. University Environment and Student Life

Besides human physiology, the physical environment is also another element that can strongly shape our food choices [ 36 ]. In general the surroundings where you are living can strongly determine your diet: “ I also think like your environment that you’re in and that like you’re constantly in really affects how you eat ” (FG3_M19).

The university environment could have both a positive and negative influence on eating habits, as one participant explained: “ I think if the community is driven to be healthier, then I think once you’re in that environment, it tries to influence you to be healthier. And seeing other people around you eat healthy and want to be healthier is a big influencer on changing your habits. And vice versa ” (FG2_F20). For example, most of the students thought that the dining halls strongly influenced their eating habits. Some students started to eat irregularly when starting college: “ I eat irregularly, like sometimes for dinner I just don’t want anything in the dining halls and I’ll just eat cookies or the ice cream ” (FG5_F19); “ I probably eat more meat at college, I don’t know, just a lot of food ” (FG5_F19). When asked what events could make a person gain or lose lots of weight, someone said that going to college made people gain weight: “ having that sort of unrestricted freedom of being able to choose whatever you want to eat, and also having a meal plan where it’s like an “all-you-can eat” buffet ” (FG1_F20). One participant shared a personal experience and said: “ I need to go eat every meal at the dining hall. And once you’re at the dining hall, you have unlimited food, so I feel like I overate a lot in the dining halls. And now living off campus, I’m able to just buy what I want to cook, and sometimes I cook all my food at once. So I can plan, this is for lunch, this is for dinner. So I can do better with portion control ” (FG1_F21).

For some other students, especially athletes, having the dining hall always available and close to the dormitory or workplace was instead an advantage: “ it was good to have the dining halls right there so you could kind of eat whenever you wanted to. So it helped me stay healthy and had a good eating pattern for that kind of lifestyle. And then, I think once when I got off campus, it’s like harder to keep up with good eating patterns ” (FG6_M21). Student life could be a critical period regarding unhealthy changes in lifestyle behaviors: “ I also sometimes skip lunch when I have class or studying to do, and a lot of times when I’m studying I also eat junk food, try to keep myself awake ” (FG4_M21).

Table 4 summarizes the main barriers and enablers that are associated with health decisions during college life.

Summary of the main barriers and enablers to a healthy diet among college students ( n = 35).

Source: own elaboration.

4. Discussion

Using an adapted version of an Ecological Model used by Deliens et al. [ 29 ], we developed a framework that included individual (intrapersonal), social (interpersonal), university environment (community settings), and students’ life factors as influences affecting eating habits. This model integrated individual healthy and unhealthy eating patterns, in combination with the main barriers and enablers that are associated with health decisions during college life. Many researchers [ 4 , 15 , 37 , 38 , 39 ] identified a great number of factors that may contribute to the malnutrition epidemic, and related health problems (e.g., weight gain and other dietary disorders) in emerging adulthood: unhealthy eating habits increased when young adults leave their home circumstances, such as lower consumption of healthy options (i.e., fruit and vegetables), irregular meals (e.g., breakfast skipping), and increasing intakes of unhealthy snacks and other “junk food” (e.g., fried food). For college students, the transition phase from living at home to living alone/with roommates during the period of postsecondary education, is one of the most important life changes, and many food choices are deeply involved in this change.

As indicated by other authors [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 35 ], the most common factors that are reported as barriers to a healthy diet are time constraints, the high price of food items, and their availability, followed by the lack of motivation in food preparation, which is strongly related to intention. Regarding the latter barrier, as reported by Menozzi, Sogari & Mora [ 35 ], intention is the main factor in predicting behavior regarding the consumption of healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Therefore, we believe that nutrition professionals within the university community should design programs and tools that can help students to be more motivated in choosing healthy food. During the focus groups, students realized the strong role of college facilities in influencing their eating habits. In fact, when students start college, they will face a new (food) environment (e.g., all-you-can-eat formula dining), which can have strong impact on their eating habits and intention to perform a healthy behavior. Interventions across campus dining facilities should decrease the potential barriers to healthy food, and increase self-efficacy and behavioral controls, to encourage students to embrace a better diet [ 40 ].

Among the social enablers, students found that having the support of friends to be active in healthy eating was an important stimulus. We also observed that students who have a higher frequency of physical activity believe that social pressure helps them to stay healthy. Parents also have a crucial role, both positive and negative, in shaping the concept of healthy eating and in encouraging children in healthy activities, both related to eating (e.g., food preparation) or more physical (e.g., sport, outdoor activities). We noticed how perceived benefits of healthy eating also influence the intention to consume healthier food [ 41 ], which seems to be more easily achieved if students start planning their meals (self-control technique). Moreover, university characteristics, such as living arrangements (i.e., dormitory, off-campus, with parents) or academic schedules (e.g., classes, exams, etc.), also influence the relationships between individuals and their eating behaviors [ 18 , 29 , 42 ], and they should be taken into account when designing effective and tailored multilevel intervention programs.

Finally, it should be noted that some barriers for certain individuals, might be perceived as potential drivers by others. For instance, and not surprisingly, some students stated that “all-you-can-eat” formulas have a negative impact on the amount and quality of food consumed, whereas others believed that these types of dining halls facilitated their ability to have a healthy diet.

The focus groups confirmed that both lifestyle and behavioral factors are strongly associated with dietary patterns among college students: participants were aware that “being a healthy person” was not just exercising and eating healthy foods, but also taking time for yourself and being an overall happy individual.

One of the methodological limitations to the current study is that these results cannot be automatically generalized to the whole population of university students, when considering the specific and limited sample of participants (i.e., US college environment, healthy BMI status, other). Another limitation is related to the presence of students who might have been more interested in this topic, and decided to participate at the focus group, leading to “selection bias”.

5. Implications

More precision in the relationship between food and health is a topic of growing importance on the public agenda [ 43 ]. Nevertheless, even with wide recognition that the food that we consume has a strong impact on our health, consumers’ food preferences do not always lead to the best nutritional choices. A better understanding of the link between diet and health among college students is important for developing programs and behavioral change strategies to improve their lifestyle in general, and to reduce diet-related diseases in particular [ 9 ].

This study highlights the importance of consulting college students when developing healthy eating interventions across the campus for dining services or programs. As suggested by Stok et al., [ 10 ], researchers in the food and nutrition field should not only focus on individual-level factors, but they should also integrate socio-ecological aspects into the analysis. Dining halls and other University facilities should ensure the availability of healthy food choices, as well as promoting physical activity practices regularly. They should also provide food education and food preparation classes, to make students more knowledgeable on how to cook and better plan meals.

Giving college students the necessary skills to be more aware of what a healthy diet style means would empower them to make better food choices throughout their life. As suggested by many authors [ 4 , 44 ], interventions should be specific for the targeted population (i.e., young adults) in order to help individuals to behave accordingly with their healthy intentions. For instance, social media facilitates the interaction between individuals and organizations (e.g., university administrators and food researchers), in order to provide tailor-made information [ 29 , 45 ]. This aspect can be helpful in promoting healthy diets without creating eating disorders. In addition, price reductions for high-cost foods in campus facilities, such as dining halls and cafeterias, should also facilitate the purchase of more healthy options (e.g., fruits and vegetables). Environmental modifications can include changing and/or labeling healthy food options to make them more appealing, while creating a point of nutrition information where students can see healthy food options.

6. Conclusions

The aim of this study was to identify factors driving healthy lifestyle behaviors among US college students. Opinions and recommendations for effective and tailored-made intervention programs or environmental modifications that support healthy eating were presented, using an ecological framework that combined psychological, social, and environmental strategies.

Consumer behavior scientists typically do not contribute to the scientific debate about what is best to eat from a nutritional point of view or give recommendations about dietary components for the specific amounts and limits for food groups. In this study, we instead tried to understand the individual, social, and environmental factors that influenced students’ healthy eating choices. Our results suggest that participants were influenced by individual, social, and university environmental factors.

The Ecological Model can help university communities to gain more insights into how and why students make certain food choices, and support them in staying healthy.

Colleges and dining halls on campuses should acknowledge their crucial role in guiding healthy eating behaviors, and be the first subjects to be interested in creating a healthy environment for the students. Unless they start understanding the reasons behind unhealthy eating behaviors of young adults, effective policies and managerial strategies to fight malnutrition (obesity, anorexia, micro-deficiency) cannot be developed.

The next step of this research will include the collection of a larger and more representative sample size, especially when taking into consideration the socio-cultural differences of college students between the US and other Western countries. Considering that the same negative trend of overweightness and unhealthy eating behavior among children, adolescents, and young adults is emerging in Europe, and also in Mediterranean countries [ 46 ], discussions on potential and future studies addressing this problem in a national context are advised. In addition, further research should evaluate whether specific tailor-made interventions are effective in changing behaviors towards a healthy lifestyle.

Acknowledgments

This study, which is part of a wider project called “CONSUMEHealth. Using consumer science to improve healthy eating habits”, has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and Innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 749514. We appreciate the assistance of Liam Wickes-Do and Zekun Ma, two research assistants, for the contribution in data collection, cleaning and transcription of the focus groups. The authors also thank all students participating in this study and the staff members of the Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research (CISER). We also sincerely appreciate the feedbacks and insightful comments of the anonymous reviewers who helped improve and clarify this manuscript.

Author Contributions

G.S. took lead in writing the manuscript and was overall responsible for the study design, data collection and analysis. C.V.-A. has contributed in the study design and in the data collection (Focus Group moderator). C.M. and M.I.G. contributed in the result interpretation and made suggestions and comments of the final version of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflicts of Interest

None of the authors or affiliated institutions associated with this manuscript submission has any financial or personal relationship or affiliation that could influence the present work.

Improving Your Eating Habits

Obesity and Excess Weight Increase Risk of Severe Illness; Racial and Ethnic Disparities Persist

Food Assistance and Food Systems Resources

When it comes to eating, many of us have developed habits. Some are good (“I always eat fruit as a dessert”), and some are not so good (“I always have a sugary drink after work as a reward”). Even if you’ve had the same eating pattern for years, it’s not too late to make improvements.

Making sudden, radical changes, such as eating nothing but cabbage soup, can lead to short term weight loss. However, such radical changes are neither healthy nor a good idea and won’t be successful in the long run. Permanently improving your eating habits requires a thoughtful approach in which you reflect, replace, and reinforce.

REFLECT on all of your specific eating habits, both bad and good; and, your common triggers for unhealthy eating.
REPLACE your unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones.
REINFORCE your new, healthier eating habits.

Create a list of your eating and drinking habits. Keep a food and beverage diary for a few days. Write down everything you eat and drink, including sugary drinks and alcohol. Write down the time of day you ate or drank the item. This will help you uncover your habits. For example, you might discover that you always seek a sweet snack to get you through the mid-afternoon energy slump. Use this diary [PDF-105KB] to help. It’s good to note how you were feeling when you decided to eat, especially if you were eating when not hungry. Were you tired? Stressed out?
Eating too fast
Always cleaning your plate
Eating when not hungry
Eating while standing up (may lead to eating mindlessly or too quickly)
Always eating dessert
Skipping meals (or maybe just breakfast)
Look at the unhealthy eating habits you’ve highlighted. Be sure you’ve identified all the triggers that cause you to engage in those habits. Identify a few you’d like to work on improving first. Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for the things you’re doing right. Maybe you usually eat fruit for dessert, or you drink low-fat or fat-free milk. These are good habits! Recognizing your successes will help encourage you to make more changes.
Opening up the cabinet and seeing your favorite snack food.
Sitting at home watching television.
Before or after a stressful meeting or situation at work.
Coming home after work and having no idea what’s for dinner.
Having someone offer you a dish they made “just for you!”
Walking past a candy dish on the counter.
Sitting in the break room beside the vending machine.
Seeing a plate of doughnuts at the morning staff meeting.
Swinging through your favorite drive-through every morning.
Feeling bored or tired and thinking food might offer a pick-me-up.
Circle the “cues” on your list that you face on a daily or weekly basis . While the Thanksgiving holiday may be a trigger to overeat, for now focus on cues you face more often. Eventually you want a plan for as many eating cues as you can.
Is there anything I can do to avoid the cue or situation? This option works best for cues that don’t involve others. For example, could you choose a different route to work to avoid stopping at a fast food restaurant on the way? Is there another place in the break room where you can sit so you’re not next to the vending machine?
For things I can’t avoid, can I do something differently that would be healthier? Obviously, you can’t avoid all situations that trigger your unhealthy eating habits, like staff meetings at work. In these situations, evaluate your options. Could you suggest or bring healthier snacks or beverages? Could you offer to take notes to distract your attention? Could you sit farther away from the food so it won’t be as easy to grab something? Could you plan ahead and eat a healthy snack before the meeting?

photo of man in front of open refrigerator

Replace unhealthy habits with new, healthy ones . For example, in reflecting upon your eating habits, you may realize that you eat too fast when you eat alone. So, make a commitment to share a lunch each week with a colleague, or have a neighbor over for dinner one night a week. Another strategy is to put your fork down between bites. Also, minimize distractions, such as watching the news while you eat. Such distractions keep you from paying attention to how quickly and how much you’re eating.
Eat more slowly. If you eat too quickly, you may “clean your plate” instead of paying attention to whether your hunger is satisfied.
Eat only when you’re truly hungry instead of when you are tired, anxious, or feeling an emotion besides hunger. If you find yourself eating when you are experiencing an emotion besides hunger, such as boredom or anxiety, try to find a non-eating activity to do instead. You may find a quick walk or phone call with a friend helps you feel better.
Plan meals ahead of time to ensure that you eat a healthy well-balanced meal.
Reinforce your new, healthy habits and be patient with yourself . Habits take time to develop. It doesn’t happen overnight. When you do find yourself engaging in an unhealthy habit, stop as quickly as possible and ask yourself: Why do I do this? When did I start doing this? What changes do I need to make? Be careful not to berate yourself or think that one mistake “blows” a whole day’s worth of healthy habits. You can do it! It just takes one day at a time! Top of Page

Eating Disorders Information on common eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.

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Home / Nutrition & Fitness / 11 tips for healthier eating habits

11 tips for healthier eating habits

A healthy diet can help reduce the risk of some health conditions. Picking up some beneficial habits now might help avoid having to make abrupt changes later.

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Eating habits often begin in childhood. Some are healthy, like grabbing your water bottle when you leave the house and layering lettuce and tomato on a sandwich. Some are not so healthy, like drinking soda throughout the day.

You might not think about those established habits — until you have a reason to. Sometimes a test result showing high cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar inspires change. Even without a diagnosis, it’s always a good time to adopt healthier eating habits. Making diet changes can help reduce the risk of chronic disease. Diet is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and 13 kinds of cancer.

The majority of Americans don’t eat a healthy diet, according to the American Heart Association. Of course, it’s not all by choice. Systems are in place that make it easier and cheaper to grab a fast-food meal on the way home than it is to buy and prep ingredients for dinner. If you work two jobs, have kids who are picky eaters or don’t live near a grocery store, eating nutrient-rich foods can be even more challenging.

Making changes to diet habits isn’t always as easy as social media influencers might make it sound either. Research shows that the more often a person eats high-sugar or high-fat foods, the more they develop a taste for them. That makes habits even harder to break.

Here are some tips from Mayo Clinic experts for adding some healthy eating habits.

Learn the basics of a healthy diet

The diet you follow should fit your tastes, lifestyle and budget. It shouldn’t be so restrictive that you can’t follow it indefinitely. Here are some basics for a healthy diet:

Eat more vegetables and fruits. Most Americans don’t get the recommended five or more servings per day, so look for opportunities to add more fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables. When comparing canned options, look for low-sodium vegetables and fruit packed in juice or water rather than syrup.
Pick whole grains. When you look at the ingredients list on foods like bread and cereal, look for the words “whole wheat” or “whole grain.” An easy guideline is to pick the one with the most grams of fiber per serving. You also can include brown rice, quinoa, millet and oats in your diet.
Limit unhealthy fats. Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products like meat, cheese and butter. To help with healthy blood pressure levels , try to keep your intake of saturated fats to 13 grams per day. Avoid trans fats as much as possible.
Choose low-fat protein. Try to use fewer red and processed meats like bacon, sausage, and breaded chicken. Instead, choose eggs, beans, turkey, chicken, fish, lean beef and low-fat dairy.
Reduce salt intake. Healthy adults should try to limit their sodium to 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, which is about a teaspoon of salt.

Make a plan

It might help to track your food for a few days. Use an app or write down what you ate and when. You could make notes about your mood or your hunger level when you ate. You might notice that you:

Snack while cooking.
Keep eating even if you’re full so you don’t waste food.
Eat while distracted, such as while scrolling social media.
Always crave something sweet after dinner.
Get tempted by the menu of pastry offerings when you stop for coffee.

With this information, you can start looking for patterns you want to break. Some of the following tips might work for you.

Start with an easy one. It’s hard to change everything at once, so start with the healthy habit that would be easiest for you. It might be adding a vegetable to dinner or using brown rice instead of white.

Make an impact. If you’re trying to reduce your sugar intake, for example, start with the biggest sources of sugar, like desserts and sweetened beverages. Don’t worry so much about the sugar in your condiments or salad dressings.

Add instead of subtract. Rather than making cuts, think about what you can add. You might have a serving of fruit with breakfast or enjoy a walk after lunch. Focus on what you can have. That might leave less time in your day or room in your belly for habits you want to break.

Cut your portion sizes. You can enjoy your favorite foods and still cut your sugar or saturated fat intake. Try switching to a small soda, sharing dessert with a friend or using less butter on your toast.

Drink water. Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. Sipping water throughout the day helps keep you full and hydrated.

Sit at the table to eat. Stepping away from your desk or phone will allow you to focus on your food and internal cues for hunger or fullness.

Find a replacement. If you eat out of habit, can you find a different habit? Consider having fruit for dessert. Or go for a walk until the craving subsides. Cravings come like waves. If you ride them out, they will pass.

Relax. People don ‘ t always make the healthiest choices when tired or stressed. Sometimes improving your diet comes from prioritizing sleep or stress management.

Remember why. Think about why forming healthier habits is important to you. Maybe you want more energy to finish projects around the house or to keep up on the company softball team. Consider setting a picture of your healthy-habit motivation as the lock screen of your phone or writing a note to yourself.

Ask for support. Tell your loved ones about your goals and what you’re doing. Ask them to support your efforts. You might even inspire them to make their own healthy changes.

Accept imperfections. Having a doughnut in the breakroom or an extra slice of pizza at dinner doesn’t mean all progress is lost. No side order of guilt needed.

A dietitian can help

You don’t have to make diet changes on your own. Ask your health care team for a referral to a dietitian. The dietitian can help you find solutions that work for your lifestyle and budget. You also can find professional and community support with the Mayo Clinic Diet .

Relevant reading

Cook Smart, Eat Well

Healthy, flavorful meals are well within reach for anyone. This book is full of recipes that are easy to put together quickly with basic cooking techniques. Delicious kid friendly recipes, healthy desserts, snacks and side dishes. Being successful in the kitchen doesn’t mean you need to be a gourmet chef. Learn standard food preparation methods and cooking techniques for preparing a wide variety of tasty and healthy meals.

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Essay on Healthy Food Habits

Students are often asked to write an essay on Healthy Food Habits in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Healthy Food Habits

Introduction.

Healthy food habits are essential for our well-being. They involve consuming balanced meals, rich in nutrients, to maintain good health and growth.

Importance of Healthy Food

Eating healthy food helps us stay active and keeps diseases away. It boosts our immunity and promotes healthy growth and development.

Healthy Eating Habits

Start by eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid junk food, and drink plenty of water. Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

In conclusion, adopting healthy food habits is vital for a healthy and productive life. So, make wise food choices!

Also check:

10 Lines on Healthy Food Habits

250 Words Essay on Healthy Food Habits

The importance of healthy food habits cannot be overstated, especially in the context of an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. These habits not only contribute to physical health but also mental well-being.

The Impact of Healthy Food

Consuming a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains provides the necessary nutrients for optimal body function. These nutrients boost the immune system, aiding in the prevention of diseases. Moreover, they support cognitive functions, enhancing concentration and memory, which is crucial for college students.

The Role of Portion Control

Portion control is an essential aspect of healthy eating. Consuming large quantities of even healthy foods can lead to excessive calorie intake. Therefore, understanding portion sizes and practicing mindful eating are key to maintaining a healthy weight.

Importance of Regular Meals

Eating at regular intervals is another vital healthy food habit. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to overeating later in the day. Regular meals help maintain stable blood sugar levels, preventing energy slumps and promoting overall health.

In conclusion, adopting healthy food habits is a vital step towards a healthier lifestyle. It requires conscious efforts to choose nutrient-rich foods, practice portion control, and eat regularly. These habits not only ensure physical health but also enhance mental well-being, contributing to academic success. As the saying goes, “You are what you eat,” and indeed, our food choices significantly shape our health and life.

500 Words Essay on Healthy Food Habits

Food, one of the essential elements of life, plays a significant role in our health, growth, and development. Healthy food habits are not just about following a diet; they are about making lifestyle changes that contribute to overall wellbeing.

The Importance of Healthy Food Habits

Our food choices significantly influence our health. A balanced diet provides the body with the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required for its proper functioning. Consuming a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Moreover, it can improve mental health, boost energy levels, and support healthy body weight.

Understanding Healthy Food Habits

Healthy food habits involve more than just choosing the right foods. They also encompass other aspects such as portion control, regular meals, and mindful eating. Portion control is about understanding how much a serving size is and how many calories it contains. Regular meals ensure that our bodies receive a constant supply of energy, keeping us active throughout the day. Mindful eating involves being conscious of what and when you eat, helping you to avoid overeating and emotional eating.

The Role of Exercise

Food and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity can help burn off the extra calories, reduce stress, improve heart health, and boost your mood. It is recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.

Challenges in Adopting Healthy Food Habits

In today’s fast-paced world, it can be challenging to maintain healthy food habits. The convenience of fast food, the abundance of processed foods, and the lack of time often lead us to make unhealthy food choices. However, with a bit of planning and determination, it is possible to overcome these challenges. Preparing meals at home, carrying healthy snacks, and making conscious food choices can go a long way in promoting healthy food habits.

In conclusion, healthy food habits are crucial for maintaining good health and preventing diseases. They involve choosing a variety of nutritious foods, practicing portion control, eating regular meals, and combining this with regular exercise. While there may be challenges in adopting these habits, the benefits they offer make them worth the effort. It’s important to remember that healthy food habits are not about strict dietary limitations or depriving oneself of the foods one loves; rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and improving one’s health.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Eating habits and life style Introduction The term eating habits refers to why and how people eat, which foods they eat. There are further two types of eating i.e healthy eating and unhealthy eating. Simply focusing on what is eaten or how much is consumed sidesteps the important question of why people eat the amounts and types of food that they do. Healthy and unhealthy eating are both influenced by a variety of individual and collective (social and environmental) factors, many of which interact with each other in complex fashions. We must understand these factors and their interactions to understand how to promote and support healthy eating, and how to maximize the physical and mental/emotional benefits of healthy eating (Polivy & Herman, 2005). Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving …show more content…

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Food Habits and Culture: Factors Influence Essay

Introduction, factors that influence food habits and culture.

Food is any substance that is taken by a living being to help in the production of energy and growth. This definition addresses only the biological side of food, but there are other aspects of food. The pertinent question is why people eat. People eat for various reasons other than for metabolic purposes. Such reasons include eating to pass the time, have fun, bond, and celebrate. In addition, food can be used as a remedy for stress, among other reasons. Owing to such reasons, food plays an important role in people’s lives beyond the biological processes.

The food habits of a group of people/community can be described as the reasons for eating, the methods used while eating, the types of food eaten, and the mode of storage. Food habits have a major impact on society and the development of culture. In most cases, food habits are subject to age, gender, environmental changes, acculturation, religious beliefs, personal health, and the financial status of an individual.

Food habits may vary from one individual or family to another. However, some food habits are common amongst particular groups of individuals, for example, the practice by some Muslims to eat from one plate. On the other hand, culture is the uniform way that a community of people conducts its activities. Culture is passed on from one generation to another through learning, and it is not constant (Kittler, Sucher & Nelms, 2012). This assertion means that culture changes with time, and thus it may differ from one generation to another. It may include the mode of dressing, the mode of worship, the family hierarchy, and the traditional foods, among other aspects. This paper will look at the factors that influence the different food habits and culture.

One of the factors that influence food habits and culture is the availability of food. People have a tendency to eat what is readily available (Dindyal, 2003). For example, junk foods are readily available and cheap. Consequently, a majority of people end up eating junk foods due to availability, despite the desire to have a healthy lifestyle. The cost and season of food determine its availability. Rare foods are expensive, and thus they are not readily available. Most people live on an average income, and thus they can only afford to buy what is readily available because it is affordable. Foods that are in season tend to be cheap and readily available as opposed to those out of season (Dindyal, 2003). Therefore, factors like the availability and the season of the food make food habits seasonal and flexible. In addition, such factors tend to define the identity of the person relying on them to determine his/her food habits.

The second factor that influences food habits and culture is the lifestyle of a person. People with medical conditions that require the consumption of a specific diet will adopt a certain lifestyle. For example, a person suffering from diabetes or blood pressure will tend to avoid foods that have excessive sugar (Kulkarni, 2004). On the other hand, such an individual will concentrate on foods that are rich in specific nutrients. Vegetarians will eat foods that are void of animal products. Strict vegetarians avoid all animal products, whether they have meat or not, while other vegetarians avoid animal products that have meat only. Some people have also adopted healthy lifestyles, and thus they cannot buy or take any foods that are deemed unhealthy (Kittler et al., 2012).

Therefore, such people cannot take junk food even when it is readily available. People take such personal measures to ensure healthy living coupled with avoiding lifestyle diseases. For example, some people will take white meat only and avoid red meat. According to such people, white meat is safer than red meat. Such aspects can be used to determine the eating habits of a person.

The third factor that influences food habits is the social background of a person. Eating is considered a social issue. Therefore, social circles influence the eating habits of different individuals (Lasn, 2000). It is very had to maintain a personal eating habit when spending time with different people. For example, when people spend a lot of their time at work or school, they are highly likely to adopt the eating habits of the people that they socialize within the different settings, thus forsaking their personal eating habits (Montanari & Sonnenfeld, 2006).

Culture is the fourth factor that influences food habits. Interactions with different cultures influence the food habits of the involved people (Helstosky, 2009). As people interact, they tend to borrow or copy from each other, and food habits differ from one culture to another. Culture influences how people prepare, store, cook, consume, and get rid of their food (Messer, 2007). For instance, the culture of food in France is different from that in the UK or the US. When people from these cultures settle in areas, which are different from their home regions, they continue to practice their traditional food habits and culture while adopting and learning new cultures as well.

The result of this interaction is a cultural exchange of food habits. For example, the Latinos in New York will seek identity by practicing food habits that are allowed in their cultures. However, they will be more flexible by combining their cultures with those of the New Yorkers.

The fifth factor that influences food habits and culture is religion. Religion plays a major role in influencing individuals’ food habits (Pena & Lawrence, 2011). Certain religions prohibit their believers from taking certain foods. For example, the Muslim and Jewish religions discourage their followers from eating pork because the source of the meat is an allegedly cursed animal according to their beliefs. In addition, the Hindus do not take beef because they believe that the source of the meat is holy and a symbol of their god. Some religions view the consumption of wine as a form of drunkenness, while others have no problem with such issues (Counihan & Esterik, 2008). Therefore, people who subscribe to these religions will adopt a food culture that does not contravene such teachings and beliefs.

Personal skills and experience also play an important role in defining the food habits of an individual (Dindyal, 2003). Some people love making food, and thus they have perfected their culinary skills. Such people prefer to make their own food and experiment with new recipes, and they would love to make their own foods as opposed to visiting restaurants. Other people are not passionate about food or the kitchen, and thus they prefer buying ready-made food. Such people do not mind eating from restaurants and cafes. In such a case, the person’s perceptions of food and the process of preparing it to influence his/her food habits and culture.

Another factor that influences food habits is a person’s beliefs and knowledge about food. Some people are very keen on the nutritional benefits of different foods, and thus they engage in research on different meals. Such people are considered as food enthusiasts (Freedman, 2007). Other people hold a certain belief on certain foods, and thus they will avoid or take it even more. For example, some people consider pizza and burgers as junk, hence unhealthy. Such people will adopt a food habit that does not include pizza and burgers in their diet. Others hold the belief that beetroot is nutritious, and it helps to increase the blood levels in the body. Therefore, such people will ensure that they increase their intake of beetroot. Such perceptions develop a food habit that becomes part of a person’s lifestyle.

A person’s schedule can also determine his/her food habit (Dindyal, 2003). For example, people who are constantly busy to make their own food will develop a habit of ordering food or eating from food joints. Others will tend to skip certain meals or take light meals due to their tight schedules. Such conducts determine the food habit that the affected individual will adopt.

The availability, season, personal schedule, perception, health concerns, moods, and social circles are some of the factors that influence the creation and adoption of food habits and culture. Understanding such factors will help individuals to adopt healthy lifestyles, and thus improve the quality of life.

Counihan, C., & Esterik, P. (2008). Food and culture: A reader . New York, NY: Routledge. Web.

Dindyal, S. (2003). How personal factors, including culture and ethnicity, affect the choices and selection of food we make. The Journal of Third World Medicine , 1 (1), 18-21. Web.

Freedman, P. (2007). Food: The history of taste . Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Web.

Helstosky, C. (2009). Food culture in the Mediterranean . Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Web.

Kittler, P., Sucher, K., & Nelms, M. (2012). Food and culture . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Web.

Kulkarni, K. (2004). Food, culture, and diabetes in the United States. Clinical Diabetes, 22 (4), 190-192. Web.

Lasn, K. (2000). Culture jam: How to reverse Americanś suicidal consumer binge – and why we must . New York, NY: Quill. Web.

Messer, E. (2007). Cultural Factors in Food Habits: Reflections in Memory of Christine S. Wilson. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 46 (4), 185-204. Web.

Montanari, M., & Sonnenfeld, A. (2006). Food is culture . New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Web.

Pena, C., & Lawrence, B. (2011). Traversing the local/global and food/culture divides. Food and Foodways, 19 (2), 1-10. Web.

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Eating Habits essay

The list of everything I have eaten in the last 24 hours includes the following: I had a cup of espresso with sugar and cream, a toasted sandwich with cheese, tomato and a slice of lean ham, and a piece of chocolate cake for the breakfast; then, I had some chicken soup with vegetables and rice, a salad with tomato, white cheese, sweet corn, green olives and pieces of bacon, chicken nuggets, some fruit for the lunch; in the afternoon I had a glass of apple juice and a chocolate bar as a snack; and, finally, in the evening I had two slices of pizza with mushrooms, pieces of chicken meat, cheese and tomato, some homemade vanilla pudding, a piece of chocolate cake and an icy banana milkshake.

Certainly, social tendencies and trends influence our eating habits and eating behavior to a great extent. It is possible to name several major social factors, such as our socio-economic status, age, cultural backgrounds, housing, current social trends, etc. , that impact our eating habits. For example, about a decade ago many people started eating Chinese and Japanese food because it was supposed to be trendy. Also, such social phenomenon as advertising has a great influence on our eating behavior. For example, I myself always have a tendency to try a new menu in McDonald’s or Burger King, or visit a newly opened and well-promoted restaurant in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, in many situations the effects of social influences on our eating behavior is quite negative. In particular, we do not have enough time to cook some homemade meals which are really useful for our organism and do not affect our overall health. Instead, we prefer eating in fast food restaurants or having snacks, such as sandwiches or pizzas, which seriously harm our stomachs and teeth. Besides, modern active night life makes many young people eat and drink very late, and this is also not a healthy eating habit. That is why, as a rule, eating behavior of modern youth and adolescents can not meet the requirements of healthy nutrition strategies and dietary recommendations.

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Too much of a food thing: A century of change in how we eat

By Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News

Think about the last meal you ate. Whether it was a reheated plate of takeout food, a cornucopia of fresh fruit or something in between, it probably would have been unfathomable to most people a century ago.

Over the past 100 years, the way Americans buy, cook and think of food has changed dramatically, driven by developments in how it is manufactured, marketed, purchased and eaten.

Food historians say it's been an era of abundance. And that has had consequences.

"The increasing industrialization of the food supply has not been good for health," said Dr. Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University.

A detailed accounting of everything that reshaped Americans' health and diet over the past century could fill a library. But Nestle, a molecular biologist and award-winning author who has written a small library's worth of books on food-related topics, sums it up this way: "People used to eat at home and cook at home. Now, they eat out or eat foods that have already been prepared."

Prepared or even processed food isn't necessarily unhealthy – think of pasteurized milk or sliced carrots. But many highly processed foods contain unhealthy amounts of salt, fat and calories, and research has associated increased consumption of ultra-processed foods with a higher risk of heart conditions and numerous other health problems. A 2021 American Heart Association scientific statement recommends that people choose minimally processed foods instead of ultra-processed ones.

Nestle's simplified definition of ultra-processed food is "food that can't be made at home" because of the processes and additives involved.

Such foods were virtually unknown a century ago. But in 1924, the process that enabled the frozen food industry was invented. And while frozen fruits and vegetables can be a boon to health, frozen food was not the only change that would begin to reshape the U.S. diet, said Dr. Ken Albala, a food historian at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

Albala, author of 27 books on food and editor of many more, said that in the 1920s, most of what people ate would have been fresh, unprocessed and locally grown. But change was coming. A few years earlier, in 1916, the first modern supermarket had opened in Memphis, Tennessee.

Before supermarkets, Albala said, shoppers would have had a personal connection with the grocer at a local market, who would have fetched the items customers asked for based on what the grocer had chosen to stock. The supermarket let people select their own items, which put a premium on branding as manufacturers sought to make their products stand out.

That led to "incredible diversity, because now there's 18 different kinds of ketchup and there's 20 brands of frozen this or that," Albala said.

But supermarkets also began distancing people from the source of what they were eating, he said. Before that era, a family might have gotten produce from a stand, which would have sold local harvests in season. The new system favored mass-grown varieties that were bred for color, durability or other factors.

The way food was made changed, too. Factory-made sliced bread surpassed home bakers in the 1930s, a decade that also saw the arrival of processed legends such as boxed macaroni with powdered cheese (with sodium phosphate as an emulsifier) and canned pork shoulder (with salt, sugar and sodium nitrate as a preservative).

But it was World War II that brought radical changes as products and technologies developed to feed soldiers, such as canned meals, made their way into homes.

"You could say the C ration is the grandfather of the TV dinner," Albala said, referring to the frozen, oven-ready meals that became popular in the early 1950s.

Noel Hendrickson/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Nestle said that after the war, processed products started appearing in packages that resembled the original foods that they came from less and less, with an "enormous" emphasis on convenience.

"There was a real concerted effort to make cooking look like drudgery and to take away the idea that cooking was something that was fun and pleasant that you wanted to spend time on," she said.

Attitudes about eating out changed. In the 19th century, usually only the wealthiest families would have eaten for pleasure at restaurants. Chain restaurants started popping up in the 1920s, and the 1950s brought widespread fast food – meals that emphasized speed far above nutrition. Spending on meals eaten away from home eclipsed at-home eating in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture .

All that convenience may seem like a blessing for the people, traditionally women, who had to prepare and serve all those meals. A homemaker could have spent several hours a day cooking in the 1920s. As of 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , the average American spent an estimated 39 minutes a day on food preparation and cleanup.

Technology and transportation improvements mean someone in Kansas can pick up pineapples from the tropics and farmed salmon from the Atlantic on the same mid-winter grocery trip. And it wouldn't eat up as much of their money as food did a century ago: In 2022, families spent about 11% of their disposable income on food, federal data shows. In 1919, they spent more than three times that percentage, according to historical data .

And food is more abundant than ever. One analysis, published in Frontiers in Nutrition in 2022, estimated that available calories grew 18% from 1909 through the following century.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Americans are eating those calories. Albala said the past century is the first time "when a sizable percentage of the population can actually overeat. That's never been the case in history before."

It shows in our waistlines: More than 70% of U.S. adults are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . And while eating habits that emphasize foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and plant-based protein or lean, unprocessed meats are recommended for heart health, research suggests that more than half of what Americans eat on average is ultra-processed.

Nestle said the abundance of food in the U.S. means corporations have to work harder than ever to sell it. So their efforts are frequently focused on making their products "irresistibly delicious" and in larger portions. She said that economics dictate that manufacturers emphasize not wellness, but profits. "Food companies are not social service or public health agencies."

For people trying to stay healthy, fighting all that history can be an uphill battle. "I don't have a crystal ball," Nestle said. "But I see the trends going in the same direction unless there's a big change."

Understanding how we got here can help. But that requires education, Nestle said. And that favors wealthier people, who can afford healthier dining options. People without a lot of money "eat what they can get," she said, and in low-income areas, healthier food often is not easily accessible.

For people interested in bucking historical trends, Albala suggests a thoughtful approach. "Get as much pleasure as you can out of preparing it and cooking and serving it and sharing it and eating it. And that way, I think you will necessarily be more balanced."

While raising his children, Albala emphasized home-cooked meals that were eaten as a family. That's hard sometimes, he said. But "there's a value in sharing and preparing foods. It's much more than just feeding."

But even shopping for basic foods can be a reminder of how much things have changed, he said. A modern shopper picking up an apple might wonder who developed it and whether it was shipped from halfway across the country or from some other country.

"Those are questions that would have perplexed our ancestors a century ago," Albala said.

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Eating Habits essay. Free Essays. The list of everything I have eaten in the last 24 hours includes the following: I had a cup of espresso with sugar and cream, a toasted sandwich with cheese, tomato and a slice of lean ham, and a piece of chocolate cake for the breakfast; then, I had some chicken soup with vegetables and rice, a salad with ...
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College Students and Eating Habits: A Study Using An Ecological Model for Healthy Behavior

Catalina Velez-Argumedo

Miguel I. Gómez

1. Introduction

2. Materials and Methods

2.2. Participants

2.3. Procedure

2.4. Data Collection Outline

2.5. Data Analysis

3.1. Descriptive Results

3.2. Qualitative Results

3.2.1. Individual Level (Intrapersonal)

Healthy Eating: Meaning, Perception, and Consequences

Eating Habits (Healthy and Unhealthy)

Food Preferences

Healthy Activities

Food Preparation and Knowledge

Time, Price and State of Mind

3.2.2. Social Level (Interpersonal Relationships)

Parental Feeding Behavior

Dietary Aspects of Home, School, and Eating Out

Friends and Media Pressure

3.2.3. University Environment and Student Life

4. Discussion

5. Implications

6. Conclusions

Acknowledgments

Author Contributions

Conflicts of Interest

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