Running head: DIVERSITY OF FOOD CHOICES 1

Diversity of Food Choices

Charlie Baca

Kaplan University
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Diversity of Food Choices

Diet is a very important part of all of our lives. Not just how it is related to our health, but

our cultural back rounds. The food dishes that we eat can say a lot about us. Where we are from,

our social class and how healthy we may or may not be. Even with how easy it has become to

acquirer foods from all over the world, this is still the case.

In this paper, I will show how important our diets are and what it is that they say about

us.

Chapter 1

Defining Diet and Nutrition- A diet is described as a: food and drink considered in terms of its

qualities, composition, and its effects on health (Dictionary.com, 2015). In order for individuals

to understand the main elements of diet and nutrition, one needs to be educated on the practical

application of diet. This needs to come from us. We need to be able to clearly get these key

points of the importance of diet and nutrition across to our clients. Not only is it our job, it is our

responsible to pass on this important knowledge to others.

The Role of Diet and Nutrition- Nutrition needs to be thought of more than just consuming in

order to survive. This is the big issue in our time and age. Because of this, the obesity rate has

skyrocketed. Food needs to be assessed and consumed based on its qualities. Our food choices

will have a big impact on our lives. Socially, physically, and mentally. Bad diet, bad health.

Basic Food Groups- Our foods can be broken down into four groups. Milk; vegetables and

fruits; eggs, meat, poultry, or fish (sometimes dried beans or peas); and a fourth category that

included bread, cereal, cookies, and cakes (Nestle/Marion, 2013). The purpose of these

categories is to help individuals to eat better. Every rounded diet requires you to eat so much
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from each of these groups. These groups can help individuals to identify where their groups fall

in order to for them to eat what is suggested from each category.

Online Tools- Here are a few websites that will help with achieving nutritional and diet goals:

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute- This site is a great source for anything health

related. How to stay healthy, how to treat common illnesses, and how to find health

professionals. The link I will be sharing from this site will teach you about portion control. It will

also show food portions through the years to help you gain a better understanding of our health

throughout the years.

Link: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/distortion.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - This site is very similar to the site I have

shared above. It is great reference tool for anything health related. The site is updated constantly

in order to help you keep up with the current health trends and disease and control prevention

around the world. I will be sharing a link to this site that gives information about obesity in

adults and children. This link will help to give a brief history of obesity and how to prevent it.

Link: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/

Chapter 2

Food Choices- We all have the ability to choose. We all have the ability to choose something

that may be bad for us, or to choose something that is good for us. We are the ones that have to

live with whatever the outcome is. Whether it may be good or bad. The same thing is applied

when it comes to our food choices. Bad food choices over a period of time will eventually catch

up with us. It can create a countless number of health problems. Our food choices also heavily

depend on the price or the part of the world that we live in.
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Food Habits- Our food habits will also heavily rely on price and where we are from. These

habits are formed after consistently having the same foods to choose from. Another reason for

these habits to form, is through trial and error. We will consume foods that are easy to grow,

readily available, reasons pertaining to our individual health, and that are the least expensive.

Agriculture and Farming Practices- Agricultural and farming practices do not have as big of

an impact on our food choices and habits has they once had. With todays markets and easy

ability to travel, our food choices have greatly increased. What we cannot grow in our own

countries can be imported from others. The only thing that seems some of us from these

countless food options is price. Good, healthy, quality food is expensive.

Online Tools- Here are some websites with more information on healthy food choices and

habits:

Growing a Nation- This is an educational site that will give you the history of Americas

agriculture through the years. I believe in order for us to make healthy food choices, we first

need to know where the food came from and how it was grown.

Link: http://www.agclassroom.org/gan/index.htm

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) The purpose of this site is to give

science based information on health, nutrition and food safety for the public good (IFIC, 2015).

This site is also a good source or information on food labeling and ingredients.

Link: http://www.foodinsight.org/

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) The purpose of this site is to inform the

American people about food health, safety and regulations. This site also gives information on

food storage and preparation.

Link: http://www.usda.gov
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Chapter 3

Economics of Food- Food is a big business. The idea is to have low food cost in order to make

sales, but not low enough to not make money. Because of the overabundance of food in America,

we are able to have lower food costs as compared to other parts of the world.

Societal Influences- Even with the lower food costs that we have in America, healthy and better

quality foods are expensive. Not only for the consumers, but for the growers. For this reason, fast

food chains have been able to target lower income families with their less healthy food.

Causes of Hunger and Malnutrition- Even in America this is a problem. There is not a

shortage of food. The reasoning for these issues is the high cost of healthy foods, and the fast

food industries targeting lower income families with their products. We do not have enough food

programs that can help eliminate these problems from getting even worse.

Online Tools- Here are a few sites that can provide more information on food economics,

societal influences and causes of hunger and malnutrition.

Investopedia- This site can help to provide you with more information on supply and demand in

the food industry.

Link: http://www.investopedia.com

Oregon State University (OSU) On this site, you will find an article entitled: Eat Well for

Less. This article is great source of information on how it eat well while on a budget.

Link: http://orgenstate.edu

EurActiv.com- This is a health site that covers many different topics pertaining to health. The

article Malnutrition costs more than obesity, cover the issue of malnutrition that is becoming

an issue all over the world.

Link: http://www.euractiv.com
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Chapter 4

Food Poising and Infection- Food poisoning is a common, yet distressing and sometimes life-

threatening problem for millions of people in the U.S. and throughout the world (WebMD,

2014). It is important that you know where you are getting your food from and to read the labels

on prepackaged foods. Prepacked foods may last longer than fresh foods, but they will not last

forever. It is important to look for expiration dates and know how to properly store foods. This

two simple things can help to prevent food poising and infection.

Forms of Transmission- Contamination of food can happen at any point during its production:

growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping or preparing (Mayo Clinic, 2014). There are

many different ways for transmission. A few are: person to person, unsanitary processing

conditions, improper storage of foods, and improper handling of foods. That is just to name a

few. It is always important that you prepare, handle and store foods properly.

Prevention Practices- A few ways to help prevent food poisoning are: keeping hands and

utensils clean, keep raw foods from coming into contact with already prepared foods, prepare

foods to a safe temperature, freeze or refrigerate foods in a timely manner, and throw out any

foods that you may have second thoughts about (Mayo Clinic, 2014).

Online Tools- Here are a few helpful links with more information on food contamination and

prevention.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - This site will give you more information about the

EPA which is responsible for the regulation of pesticides and water quality.

Link: http://www.epa.gov/
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) This site will provide you with

information on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of food borne illnesses.

Link: http://www.cdc.gov/

Chapter 5

Genetically Engineered Food- Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from

organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur

naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism (WHO, 2015).

Benefits of Genetically Engineered Food- A few benefits of genetically engineered food are:

plants that are resistant to weeds and illness, bigger yields, foods that required less pesticides,

increased size of foods, better taste, longer shelf life, and a more sustainable way to feed the

world.

Possible negative impact of Genetically Engineered Food- Animal toxicity studies with

certain GM foods have shown that they may toxically affect several organs and systems (Dona,

2009). I personally think some of the negative side effects of GM foods have been ignored

because of all the benefits. The main concern of most people is the long term side effects of this

process. Studies have not been conducted long enough in order to see if some of the current

health issues are caused by these foods. Testing in animals has shown these negative side effects.

If animals are being harmed because of these foods, why wouldnt we have the same issues?

Online Tools- Here are a few sites that will give further information on GM foods. With these

sites, you can choose for yourself if you are for or against GM foods.

BIONET- This is an interactive site that provides further information on GM foods. Gives

thoughts on reasons to support GM foods and reasons to oppose them.

Link: http://www.bionetonline.org/
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Biotechnology Industry Organization (Bio) These site will provide with information from

both sides. Gives you the option to choose for yourself if you are for or against GM foods.

Link: https://www.bio.org

Sanofi- This site provides you with information about the positive outcomes of GM foods and

how they are being used in the field of medicine.

Link: http://www.sanofi.co.uk/

Chapter 6

What is Organic Food?- Simply stated, organic produce and other ingredients are grown

without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified

organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do

not take antibiotics or growth hormones (Organic.org, 2015).

Benefits of Organic Foods- Here are a few of the benefits of eating organic foods: contains

fewer pesticides, organic food is often fresher, organic farming is better for the environment,

organic foods are GMO free, and organically raised animals are free from antibiotics and growth

hormones.

Can organic foods be detrimental? - There are some that could say that eating organic may be

harmful to you. Why would we modify our foods or put chemical on them if there were going to

purposely harm us? Without treating our foods, we are subjecting ourselves harmful pests and

illnesses that can be carried in our foods. People are at odds with organic foods just as much as

they are with GM foods. I will help to provide you with information so you can decide on your

own.
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Online Tools- Here are a few sites that will provide you with more in-depth information on

foods are handled and raised.

Organic Consumers Association- This site will give you a comparison of organically raised

food and GM raised foods.

Link: https://www.organicconsumers.org

Soil Association- This site will give you information on how organic foods are raised and

handled in Europe.

Link: http://www.soilassociation.org/

Slate- This site will provide you with information about the possible detrimental effects of

organic foods.

Link: http://www.slate.com/

Chapter 7

What is Globalization? Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the

people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade

and investment and aided by information technology (Globalization 101, 2015).

World Food Markets and Impacts of Globalization- The current issues with the world food

markets are the high costs of foods and the financial crisis that most countries are currently in.

Most of us do not want (or just cannot afford), to spend a large amount of money on food. These

healthy high quality foods are expensive. If most of the people within the country cannot afford

to buy certain foods, there is no need to ship or trade them. It is a losing battle for all involved.

Global Food Sales- There are several reasons for the fall of global foods sales. The biggest issue

is the high cost of good quality food. Most people just cannot afford them. Even here in America.

It is expensive to eat well. Prices on these foods have increased with this current health trend that
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is moving across our nation. Fast food industries are also feeling the issue. The current health

trend is cutting their sales down globally. Fast food chains are closing their doors around the

world.

Online Tools- Here are a few links that can help provide you with information on the current

world food market.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) This site will provide you

with information on the FAOs perspective of the current world food markets.

Link: http://www.fao.org/

World Trade Organization- This site will give you information on the current trade in the

world food market.

Link: https://www.wto.or

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs- This site will provide you with

global information on several different subjects that are affecting global populations and

interests.

Link: https://www.un.org

Chapter 8

The World of Weight Loss- With the current health trend sweeping the world, weight loss has

become very popular. Almost to the point that it may be harming some of us. There is no

problem with eating healthy and staying active. The issue comes on how people decide to do it.

The individual that chooses these harmful ways to lose weight cannot be totally to blame. There

are several companies out there that are pushing products that can be more harmful than good.

Weight loss programs- There are many different weight loss programs out there. So many that

it is hard to choose. Everyone reacts to these diet changes differently. What may work for one,
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may not work for another. Some may be able to diet without exercise and others may not.

Something else to keep in mind is there are programs out there that will make outrageous claims

about their programs. The best thing to do is speak to your doctor or a healthcare professional

before going out and exploring these options on your own.

Alternative Weight Loss Options- During your weight loss journey, you may find that you

want to stay away from the current perspective of health and weight loss. You might want to do

something that has a more natural approach to weight management. People were trying to

manage their weight way before all of these programs and supplements were created. There are

many different herbal supplements that you may find have the same results as these protein

powders and weight loss pills have, without all of the harmful effects. I would also suggest

speaking to your doctor or a healthcare professional before going and exploring these options on

your own.

Online Tools- Here are a list of sites that may help assist you when looking into weight loss

options.

Medline Plus- This site will help to give you answers about health, weight loss and information

about the current obesity epidemic.

Link: https://www.nlm.nih.gov

WebMD- This site will help to answer any questions that you have related to health as well as

weight loss programs.

Link: http://www.webmd.com/

Better Health- This site will provide with information how different countries like Australia

deal the issues pertaining to health, weight loss and obesity.

Link: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/
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Chapter 9

Nutrition in a Multicultural Environment- Everyone one of us comes from a different back

round. Everyone one of us has a different perspective about health even though we may be from

the same country. There are some things we will agree on or not agree on when it comes to

health. What may work for some of us, will not work for others. In order for us to help

individuals form different cultures and back rounds, we need to understand where they come

from in order for us to properly assess how to assist them in their journey of health.

Diversity in Food Choices- Depending on where we are from, our ethnic background, or what

food choices are available to us, will be a determining factor on what we eat. I personal believe

ones cultural background will have a lot do with if they eat healthy or not. Before it was so easy

to have access to as much of the world as we do now, people had to eat whatever they could

grow or find. This is still the case in some countries. Whether it is good or bad does not matter.

Filling their bellies is the main issue.

Online Tools: Here is a list of sites that will give you more information on the diversity of food

choices and cultures.

Ohio State University- This universities site will give you information on a countless amount of

subjects. The link to this site I will be sharing will give you information on health food choices

that will benefit your health.

Link: http://ohioline.osu.edu/

Ask the Dietitian- This site will give you answers about nutrition related questions, training and

careers in the health field.

Link: http://www.dietitian.com/
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Appendix A:

Food Choices
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How does your diet compare to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines?

The most notable difference between my diet and the guidelines would be that I do not

monitor my diet. I do not track how many calories that I am consuming and I do not track the

individual food groups for each of my meals. The dietary guidelines explain how important that

this is to do. I think that this is important depending on what your health goals are. My goal is to

be as muscular and as lean as I can be. That is why I do not track my calories. I try to pack in as

many healthy calories that I can into one day. Some days it is a lot, and some days it is not.

What were the major influences on your food choices and your physical activity? For

example, were you influenced by family, the media, health reasons, etc.?

The biggest influence on my physical activity would have to be the time I spent in the

military. It was very important to be as physically healthy as possible. You wanted to make sure

that you were physically prepared for any situation.

My food choices seem to be influenced by my current studies here at Kaplan University

and probably my own personal study. I like to do my own research and try things out to see if

they work. Everyone processes diets and supplements differently. I think everyone should

conduct their own study and find what diets and supplements may or may not work for them.

What improvements could be made in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines to help consumers

overcome barriers to choosing healthy foods and engaging in regular physical activity?

I think that the charts and graphs need to be explained a bit more. I can see people

becoming confused with them. There are a lot of percentages thrown around. I think that it would

be a bit easier if examples were given. Instead of having a graph saying that so many percent of

your diet should be of a particular vitamin or food source, give examples of certain foods that

contain them and how much can be consumed of them in one day.
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I also think examples of exercise can be given. There is no examples of exercise or workouts. I

feel that this would help individuals that were just starting out in living a healthy lifestyle.

Appendix B:

Dietary habits in the Mexican/American Culture: Data from the National Health and

Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2002 indicate that prevalence of overweight and obesity

continues to rise among Mexican Americans (Carrera, 2007). A typical Mexican diet will

usually of complex carbohydrates such as corn and corn products, beans, rice, and bread. Protein

in this type of diet will be provided by: beans, eggs, fish and poultry. Most individuals from this

type of background typically stick with this type of diet. Because of this diet of mostly high

intakes of legumes and fibers, result in high cholesterol. Because of these dietary habits, it has

been found that Mexican/Americans have a higher BMI and waist circumference values.
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References:

4 examples of genetically modified crops. (2002). Retrieved from

http://www.bionetonline.org/english/content/ff_cont3.htm

Are Organic Foods Right for You? Understanding the Benefits of Organic Food and the Risks of

GMOs and Pesticides. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-

eating/organic-foods.htm

Conventional Versus Organic Re: Pesticide Residues. (2002). Retrieved from

https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/Organic/orgbetter050902.php

Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illnesses --- A Primer for Physicians and Other Health

Care Professionals. (2004). Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5304a1.htm

Eating Organic may be Harmful---The Truth Behind Organic Produce. ~ Doug Smith | elephant

journal. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/03/eating-organic-

may-be-harmful-the-truth-behind-organic-produce-doug-smith/

Economics Basics: Supply and Demand | Investopedia. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.investopedia.com/university/economics/economics3.asp

Food & Agriculture | BIO. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.bio.org/category/40

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.fao.org/home/en/

Food poisoning Causes - Mayo Clinic. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-poisoning/basics/causes/con-

20031705
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Food Poisoning: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Recovery. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/food-poisoning

Food poisoning Prevention - Mayo Clinic. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-poisoning/basics/prevention/con-

20031705

GMO - Benefits. (2005). Retrieved from

https://classes.soe.ucsc.edu/cmpe080e/Spring05/projects/gmo/benefits.htm

Growing a Nation. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.agclassroom.org/gan/index.htm

Health, 1st Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from

http://kaplan.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780520955066/

Health risks of genetically modified foods. - PubMed - NCBI. (2009). Retrieved from

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18989835

IFIC Foundation - Your Nutrition and Food Safety Resource. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.foodinsight.org/

'Malnutrition costs more than obesity' | EurActiv. (2006). Retrieved from

http://www.euractiv.com/health/malnutrition-costs-obesity/article-159951

MedlinePlus: About MedlinePlus. (2015). Retrieved from

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aboutmedlineplus.html

Nestle, Marion. (05/2013). Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and

Overweight & Obesity | DNPAO | CDC. (2015). Retrieved from

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Organic.org - Organic FAQ. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.organic.org/home/faq

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Sanofi - Sanofi Group in the United Kingdom. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.sanofi.co.uk/l/gb/en/index.jsp

Serving Sizes and Portions, Eat Right, NHLBI, NIH. (2013). Retrieved from

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/distortion.htm

The dark secrets of Whole Foods. (2006). Retrieved from

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2006/03/is_whole_foods_wholesome.html

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome

US Environmental Protection Agency. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/

UN DESA | United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2015). Retrieved from

https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/

WebMD - Better information. Better health. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.webmd.com/

Home | Better Health Channel. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/

WHO | Food, Genetically modified. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.who.int/topics/food_genetically_modified/en/

WTO | GATT and the Goods Council - gateway. (2015). Retrieved from

https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/gatt_e/gatt_e.htm
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