Question

ADOLESCENCE/COLLEGE

1. What are three factors that influence food choice (for all ages)?

2. What are two suggestions to give to adolescents/college age students about how to make nutrient-dense choices (at home, eating out, snacks, beverages, etc.)?

OLDER ADULTS

3. What are two challenges that may affect food and beverage intake for older adults?

4. There are some specific nutrient concerns (low intakes) for older adults. What are two recommendations to improve intakes of those nutrients?

Answer 1

1) Food is one of the basic needs human requires. Sigmund Freud proposed stages of psychosexual development in which oral stage comes first. In the oral stage, the child is sexually attracted to food. The only thing he requires at that stage is food. So, food has been the most important thing in our lives from birth to death. From the first breast feed by mother till the last few days of life when the person gets attracted again to the food. His mouth gets water in the name of tasty food. Moreover, we all do work for our stomach, to have our meals and to feed our family. So, what I want to say is that food is the most important thing we all crave for throughout our journey of life. Thus, concerning our eating habits, I want to highlight three factors that influence our food choice. The first one is Cost : The cost of the food matters because the money matters. People belonging to economically backward cannot afford what an elite group affords. So, he/she will have to change their food choices. Taking a global example and concerning beggars I want to ask you all , have you seen beggars eating cheesy pizza? No, you won't see that unless someone would provide them with that. Simple thing is that beggars can't afford pizza to celebrate their good days(which doesn't occurs oftenly). So, they rely on the left overs of others for their livelihood. So, be it any age group of people, the most important thing which makes a person choosing food type is the cost. The division of class economically decides what food the person can afford. The second factor that influence food choice is the culture. The person, be him of any age, entirely depends on the food which is made in his home. The variety of food he has been intaking since birth. When the child is grown up and moves to one country to another, the food habits change gradually. So, why this happens ? The person who has been adapted to X culture starts blending in Y culture because the food becomes the main factor which attracts him towards Y culture.One of the main factors is the environment in which someone spends most of his/her time, for instance your home or workplace. People from different places eat different cuisine, and people prefer to eat food they are familiar with, the kind of food they grew up eating. When it comes to children, they are most likely to prefer eating food they usually have at home with their parents and/or what they often eat at a daycare with their friends. Thus, culture influences food choices. The third factor can be biological determinants such as hunger, appetite, and taste. It varies from person to person. The determinants such as hunger and appetite which is completely biological is an factor which affect food choices. There are people who just hate eating bitter gourd whereas there is a good population who loves eating bitter guord. Thus, it is entirely biological.

2) For an  adolescents/college age students it is very important to keep an eye on what they are intaking. This age group is prone to snacks and beverages and all the unhealthy types of food one can say. But, they should keep in mind that this stage of life is the most important time to uplift and grow. So, they should also maintain a healthy eating habit to stay fit and be productive each day. I would like to say the students to maintain their weight. Unhealthy food habit can make them obese which can result in deadly disease. Instead of eating fried foods and snacks, just go for veggies. And another thing which I would like to say to the people of that age group is maintain a scedule for everything. There must be a specific time to have your meals because meals at time can make your body aware of food intake and makes your body healthy. I can also suggest them to find out and learn the benefits of eating different food items which are healthy to stay motivated and go for a healthy meal.

3) Two challenges that may affect food and beverage intake for older adults are:

a) Health: As the person grows old , he starts having a lot of health issues for example,including slower gastric emptying, altered hormonal responses, decreased basal metabolic rate, and altered taste and smell and loose gums, somehow restricts them to have the food of their choces. This, health becomes the major challenge that affect food and beverage intake in older adults.

b) Finance: Most of the older adults have no source of income of their own. They either live on pension or depends entirely on someone else. Wanting to eat anything at anytime is not possible fo them. So, they eat whatever they are provided with.

4)  ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE :- It is a brain disorder and can be prevented by consumption of omega 3 fatty acids and DHA from fish oil has found to decrease alzheimer disease by 60% if consumed twice a week.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE :It is inadequate intake of foods containing micronutrient such as vitamin E and C, and beta carotene,intake of fruits and vegetables are affected against heart disease, DHA and EDA in fish oil are essential fatty acids and helps in lowering bad cholesterol.