Minds On
Personal and external influences
Our environment can often play a role in our food selections.
Examine the list of things that might influence eating habits on a regular basis at home, at school, or in the community. Categorize each influence as either a personal factor or an external factor (e.g., consider how different environments can affect our food choices as you sort).
| Potential Influences on Eating Habits | |
|---|---|
|
Likes and dislikes |
Busy schedules |
|
Health conditions |
Type of food available at home/school/in the community |
|
Cost of foods |
Family or household budget |
|
Personal values |
Food allergies or sensitivities |
|
Access to clean drinking water |
Cultural practices or teachings |
Complete the Potential Influence on Eating Habits in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. You can also use another method of your choice to record your ideas.
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Potential Influence on Eating Habits.
Press ‘Review’ to check your ideas.
Answers of which are personal, and which are external:
Personal: likes and dislikes, basic food skills, busy schedules, food allergies or sensitivities, health conditions, personal values, cultural practices, or teachings.
External: family or household budget, cost of foods, access to clean drinking water, type of food available at home, at school, or in the community.
Action
Advice corner
According to the updated Canada Food Guide recommendations, healthy eating is about more than just someone’s diet (food and drink regularly consumed by an individual).
It is also about when, where, why, and how a person eats.
Check out the following recommendations that people can include within their daily life.
Choose three of the of the recommendations. For each of your choices, explain why this recommendation might be easy, moderate or difficult for someone to achieve due to personal and/or external factors that affect people’s eating habits.
Record your answers using a method of your choice.
Press ‘Example’ to reveal a possible answer.
Recommendation: make it a habit to eat a variety of healthy foods each day
Choice: difficult – this recommendation could be difficult for someone who lives in a rural area with only one or two small local grocery stores.
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Recommendations for Eating Healthy.
Body image and healthy food choices
A preoccupation with body image, body weight, or athletic performance can lead to unhealthy diet choices. One common unhealthy choice is to limit or cut out carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide energy needed in daily routines. By limiting the intake of carbohydrates, several problems can arise. The body and brain will not get what they need, and the person can start to feel sluggish, have trouble concentrating, and feel moody or irritable.
Another risk of being preoccupied with body image is that a person becomes rigid about what they eat. This can lead to being just as rigid in other areas of their lives, which can cause them to feel more anxious and more socially isolated, possibly leading to the development of an eating disorder. If a person finds themselves feeling very preoccupied with their body image, they should reach out and talk to a trusted adult in their lives.
Good calories vs. bad calories
Good calories are those that provide lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs from fresh whole foods and quality meal replacements and supplements. Bad calories are those that don’t provide your body with good nutrition.
Case studies
Explore each of the following case studies. How could the characters improve their self-perception of their body image through healthier eating habits?
What advice would you give them?
Press ‘Hint’ to access a tip that can help you get started.
Refer back to the Personal and External Factors chart and the Canada Food Guide recommendations to enhance your response.
Record your thinking using a method of your choice.
Press the following tabs to access each case study.
There is a Grade 7 student who excels in school and has recently become a competitive swimmer at their local swim club. They also enjoy playing video games and spend most of their free time either online gaming or texting friends. Their mom works night shifts, so it is not uncommon for them to prepare meals for most nights. Processed and packaged foods such as cookies, chips, take-out, and frozen pizzas have become a regular part of their diet. After a few months, they have noticed a weight gain as a result of their eating and lifestyle choices. They are beginning to feel more self-conscious about their appearance and are extremely concerned about showing off their body at the upcoming swim meet. As a result of their recent insecurity about body image, they are seriously considering skipping the meet all together.
Questions to consider
- What personal and external factors could be affecting their choices?
- What advice might you give them?
A 13-year-old enjoys looking through their social media accounts and the magazines at a local convenience store, because they think that all the models in the photos look much more attractive than they could ever aspire to be. They decide that in order to improve their appearance, they need to lose weight. They begin a vigorous physical activity routine consisting of workouts before school, during lunch hour and after school, seven days a week. They begin to regularly skip breakfast, have a yogurt and a few crackers for lunch, and eat a very small portion of the dinner prepared for them each night. After a few weeks, they feel proud that they have lost 10 pounds. As a result, they are always tired and dizzy, and have lost touch with several of their closest friends.
Questions to consider
- What personal and external factors could be affecting their choices?
- What advice might you give them?
Consolidation
Calorie information: agree or disagree?
Explore the following video and provide your opinion on whether restaurant menus should identify the number of calories in all food options they serve.
Based on the information about personal and external factors that affect food choices, and information about a preoccupation with body image, how might this information influence a person’s eating habits?
Express your position. Do you agree or disagree?
Record your thoughts using a method of your choice.
Positive body image
Being preoccupied with body image can contribute to harmful beliefs about ourselves. Comparing our bodies to those of our peers, or to those portrayed in the media can lead to negative body image.
Use the information shared in this learning activity to create a positive message that promotes a healthy lifestyle and a positive body image.
Your message can be in the format of your choice – a video message, an oral message, or a visual message.
Be sure to include the following information.
Promoting a healthy lifestyle and positive body image
Checklist
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.