FACTORS INFLUENCING NUTRITIONAL PRACTICE 1

Factors Influencing Nutritional Practice

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Factors Influencing Nutritional Practice

Dietary practices have significant adverse effects on the health and wellbeing of the

population. Reedy et al. (2018) described that healthy diets are associated with better health

outcomes while unhealthy dietary practices are key risk factors for chronic health issues.

Therefore, improving the nutritional practices of a population is essential in meeting the

nutritional and health needs of the population. Multiple factors influence dietary practices.

Some of these factors which affect food choices are difficult to modify, including household

income and inherent tastes and preferences for specific foods.

However, other factors can be influenced to improve the eating habits of a population.

Cultural and social norms significantly influence when, what, where, and how much food an

individual eats. Knowledge and beliefs about food choices are other factors that can be

modified and directly influences an individual's eating habits. Minimal knowledge on healthy

foods and undesired beliefs increase the risk of an individual's poor dietary practices.

Availability of health-promoting foods is another factor that affects food choices (CDC,

2021). Focusing on health education related to healthy dietary practices, the government,

through the healthcare system, can effectively influence people's eating behaviors by

changing their perceptions and beliefs of what foods are good for them at any given time.

Patient education enhances the population's knowledge about the implications of poor dietary

practices and how these can be changed to improve their wellbeing. Further, the government

can work with community agencies to ensure that people have access to healthy foods and
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specific foods are regulated in their sales to limit their usage, thereby improving reliance on

healthy foods. Having stores offering nutritional foods at proximity will enhance a

population's purchase and consumption of such foods

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References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Poor nutrition. National Center for

Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).

https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/nutrition.htm

Reedy, J., Subar, A. F., George, S. M., & Krebs-Smith, S. M. (2018). Extending methods in

dietary patterns research. Nutrients, 10(5), 571. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10050571