Factors Affecting Nutritional Intake

Module 01 Content

1.  

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Healthcare professionals would be thrilled if individuals made decisions about what to eat based on a solid knowledge of what constitutes a "healthy diet." Unfortunately, that is not typically the case. Many people do not know what constitutes a healthy diet. There are also those who do know but make less healthy choices for several reasons.

The food choices that people make are influenced by a variety of factors. Factor-categories include, but are not limited to, environmental cues, socioeconomic realities, cultural/religious beliefs, and the availability of foods in the community.

In a 3-page paper, written in APA format using proper spelling/grammar, address the following:

1. Explain what nutrition is and why it is important.

2. Describe the characteristics of a healthy diet and provide supporting examples.

3. Identify at least two (2) factors (other than culture) that can impact a person's food choices and provide a specific example for each.

4. Research a culture (e.g., ethnic, religious, dietary) where specific food restrictions are dictated and address the following:

(a)Describe the restrictions.

(b)Explain how the restrictions could make it difficult for an individual to achieve a healthy diet.

(c)What dietary alternatives could be incorporated to overcome the dietary restrictions?

5. Cite at least 3 credible references and present the resources in APA format on the References page.

6. For information about researching a topic and assessing the credibility of resources, consult the resources below.

o Writing Guide: Research Papers - Researching 

o How do I know if a source is credible?