Factors Influencing Food Choices Sue Way Fall 2008 Why Are You
Eating That? Factors Influencing Food Choices Physical
Psychological Social Cultural Resources Physical Factors: Health
Essential to life Nutrients are needed for body to function
properly To control diseases such as diabetes Physical Factors:
Health Nutrition: Study of nutrients and the body uses them
Nutrition: How food choices affect health Benefits of good
nutrition: Look your best, grow properly, and you have energy
Physical: Taste You enjoy the taste of food Source of pleasure
Physical: Age Needs are different throughout the life cycle
Physical: Appetite VS Hunger Appetite: A natural and healthy desire
for food Want It Hunger: Body needs food Need It Psychological:
Emotional Eating Stressed, troubled, bored, or unhappy
Psychological: Means of Rewards Food for good grades Food for good
behavior Psychological: Food Associations Past Experiences Reminds
you of when you were a child Attach importance to an occasion or a
loved one Social: Family A time for families to prepare and share
meals and time together Social: Peer Pressure Your friends
influence your choices Social: Special Occasions Holidays,
weddings, birthday parties Social: Food Fads Whats new and trendy?
Social: Food Fads Whats old? Social: Lifestyle Your way of life
Activities Social: Advertising Advertisers want to convince you to
buy their product Social: Advertising Limited information Positive
images Celebrity endorsement Scare tactics Studies Infomercials
False claims Cultural: National Origin Geography Staple Foods
Economics Foreign Contacts Cultural: Religion Hindus do not eat
beef Jews keep Kosher Catholics refrain from meat on certain days
Muslims dont eat nor drink during daylight hours Cultural:
Traditions Food customs are handed down Cultural: Ethnic Customs
USA is a blend of many ethnic groups Pretzels and doughnuts from
Holland Pizza from Italy Tacos from Mexico Egg rolls from Asia
Resources Objects and qualities that can help reach goals
Resources: Food Supply What foods are available We may eat more
seafood Resources: Time Time to prepare meals Time to shop Time to
eat Resources: Energy Electricity or gas Personal energy Resources:
Knowledge Knowing how to shop and prepare meals Resources: Skills
The ability to do something well Resources: Money The amount of
money you have influences the food you can buy
