Factors Contributing For Food Choices

When children do not eat a healthy meal, their concentration and energy become more difficult to manage. The “Journal of School Health” issued a study in 2008 about the eating behaviors of approximately 5,000 school children. The research showed that children who ate more fruits and vegetables, accomplished higher grades on tests compared with children who consumed a high-fat, high-salt diet

Thankur, Netra, and Frank D`Amico. "Relationship of Nutrition Knowledge and Obesity in Adolescence." Feb 99-FM Pp 114-138 (n.d.): n. pag. Web.

It is important for pre-adulthood intervention because prevention of overweight and obesity in early childhood can in the long run, attenuate the high prevalence of excessive weight among older adults. (Moreno, L) With the assistance of specific health programs and initiatives schools are able to best assist, guide and support students with their dietary patterns and nutritional choices, thus addressing some of the factors effecting adolescent obesity. Two intervention programs/initiatives that can be, and have been, incorporated well into schools are:

The organization of Debatewise stated that controlling the foods that students consume is important in combating obesity, as the dieting habits that most people form originate from when they were young. This is why it’s so crucial for schools to introduce healthier options in schools. If these unhealthy habits are developed, the students are “at higher risk for having other chronic health conditions and diseases that impact physical health..”, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These conditions can affect them emotionally and physically, including depression and obesity, which are important health issues both linked with the consumption of junk foods. The selling of junk food in schools is not a small problem either, as it concludes from a study by the Institute of Medicine in 2003 that elementary schools earn approximately $442 million annually from junk food sales. The importance of changing the school lunch programs to implement healthier options is high when there is so much money being spent by the students. Although obesity is a real problem due to the selling of junk food, it can lead to other problems that leading a healthier way of living could fix. For instance, the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension states junk foods, due to processing that removes vitamins, minerals, and fiber from the product, are empty calories that are ultimately worthless to the body. This alone contributes to unneeded weight gain and provides no additional sustenances that help the body grow. The Harvard Health Publications describes this to be a serious problem, and acknowledge not only this to be a complication, but mentions the unnecessarily high amounts of sodium levels in the foods, stating that “...the average

68 percent of students say they buy food from the cafeteria every day. Proper nutrition is tied to better academic performance. This means that kids will not do their best in school if they are fed unhealthy lunches (Black). The unhealthy lunches kids are given at school are the main contribution to childhood obesity. According to scientists, children who eat too much fat, sugar, sodium or processed food and too few vitamins and minerals are likely to develop a higher risk over time for several chronic health problems (Angela). These health problems include heart disease, and diabetes. At this time, more than ever, 55 percent of Americans are obese and 20 percent of Americans are overweight (Three Facts About School Lunches). Many schools offer healthy choices, but they did not decrease the calories in them, and they typically still offer unhealthy snack items (Three Facts About School Lunches). In a school cafeteria with both healthy and unhealthy choices offered to kids, most kids are not willing to choose the healthier choices over the unhealthy ones. So where an apple is avoided and a bag of potato chips is selected as a child’s first choice for a snack

Our focus group is adolescent high school students between the ages of 12 - 18 years. The selected high schools are located in both Texas (Arlington high school) and California (Abraham Lincoln high school). The challenge with this age group is that teenagers tend to be very hungry during early adolescents due to the increasing body demands. These increasing demands can be attributed to puberty and the rapid growth spurts

Regardless of all positive findings, in my opinion, the most important finding about adolescent health risk behavior that would influence teen morbidity is the negative changes in dietary habits and physical inactivity which contributes to increase obesity among adolescents. This a subject that might not seem as serious compare to other risky behavior such as using drugs or smoking, but it can lead to many chronic and serious condition. According to this survey “nationwide 13.7% of students were obese” (Kann et. al., 2014, p.41) which shows the importance of this topic and the need for the

In Adolescents, the chapter 5 of the book, What Children Need by Jan Waldfogel, the author addresses evidence that support adolescents about healthy growth and development, transitions to adulthood, and what parents and others can provide. To begin with, he pointed out what adolescents need to know during the period when they are growing and transitioning to adulthood. For instance, he discusses the health behaviors and outcomes and social and emotional ones such as physical activity, nutrition, risky behaviors, and cognitive development. Waldfogel states, “Nutritional habits set in adolescence can lay the groundwork for a lifetime of health eating or poor nutrition and obesity (p. 158).” Another thing that he discusses is how the role of

The main leading causes of death that include adolescence are accidents, homicide, suicide, cancer, heart disease, congenital health issues, stroke, pneumonia, flu, anemia, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (Rathus, 2016). They need an increased amount of nutrition to help aid in the developmental process. The main source of increased calories should include calcium, iron, nitrogen, vitamin A, fat, sugar, and sodium (Rathus, 2016). All the previous stated nutrition, vitamins and other elements are needed for proper growth. Most teenagers prefer to eats restaurant food such as fries, burgers, sweets, etc. These things are okay in moderation. Not all teenager choose unhealthy eating habits, some of vegetarians, or eat healthier due to being involve in athletic activities.

Adolescents is a critical period of growth and development therefore good nutrition is essential. Every adolescent grows and develops at different rates and the can be a reason why unrealistic expectations develop.

Meal skipping is an unhealthy eating behavior common to the teenage population (Brown et. al., 2011). Fitting in socially, jobs and an increase in academic demands leave less time for a sit down meal (Brown et. al., 2011). Teenagers put themselves at risk for low intakes of energy and nutrient deficiencies when skipping a meal becomes repetitive (Brown et. al., 2011).

I found myself flip flopping between making food choices that to satisfy my mentally or physically benefit all the time. Maxfield recommends us to trust yourself and eat what you think it's good for you. While Pollan recommends us to eat fresh whole food because it's healthy for your body but those food typically doesn't tastes yummy. I truly believe the basic health' benefit of whole foods is healthier than processed foods so I normally take time to cook most of my food at home, but once a week, i would take my kids to a fast food restaurant or an ice cream deli for a fun satisfy time. I think each theory has its own benefit and I do not have to be strictly following one of them. I am trusting myself to make decision to choose food that it's

Different variety in foods can enhance food intake. To support this theory (Epstein, Robinson, Roemmich, Marusewski, & Roba, 2009) has led study on 35 females and 29 male children between the age group of 8-12 years to test the influence of variety of food on food intake. The study was schedule for one 30-60 min visit on a weekday between 2.30pm-5.30pm. For the study three randomized groups were made by providing same food, different food and similar food to the participants. After accepting term and conditions set for the study parents of the participants filled the demographic form while participants completed questionnaire form related to their food preferences. By using stimulus specificity habituation paradigm results were assessed which

A poor diet containing high levels of fat or sugar and few nutrients can cause kids to gain weight quickly (Sallis & Glanz, 2006, pg. 100). Fast food, candy, and soft drinks are common culprits. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 32 percent of adolescent girls and 52 percent of adolescent boys in the United States drink 24 ounces of soda — or more — per day (School Health Guidelines, 2011). Convenience foods, such as frozen dinners, salty snacks, and canned pastas, can also contribute to unhealthy weight gain (Kuhl, Clifford, Bandstra, Filigna, Yeomans-Maldonado, Rausch, & Stark, 2014, pg. 96). Children can become obese due to their parents lack of knowledge on how to properly prepare healthy foods. Other families may not be able to easily afford or access fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats (Stadler, Oettingen & Gollwitzer, 2010, pg. 276) and foods priced lower often contain more salt and sugar (O’Connor, Jones, Conner, McMillan & Ferguson, 2008, pg. 25).

As a result, the program demonstrated that parenting styles does not have an effect on eating habits; although parental influence is valuable, reinforcement at an individual level is warranted in the effort to decrease poor eating practices and morbidity in adolescents and college students. Things such as skill enhancement with regard to meal preparation, role modeling among peers, the establishment of healthier food providers like famer’s markets and the access to healthier food choices are