Even though we know what is healthy to eat, why do we choose unhealthy foods and how can we solve this problem?

We receive a lot of information and have a wide range of understanding about what kind of diet we should have to maintain our health and reduce the risk of disease. However, knowledge does not necessarily lead to healthy eating habits, and Nina Van Dijk, a researcher in education and public health at Victoria University in Australia, explains the current situation and ideas on how to solve this problem based on the results of a survey.

“We know what we should be eating, but we don't always do that.” How and why people eat the way they do: a qualitative study with rural australians
(PDF file)

https://theconversation.com/we-know-what-to-eat-to-stay-healthy-so-why-is-it-so-hard-to-make-the-right-choices-231489

Dyke's Mitchell Institute at Victoria University, which analyses data from national statistics agencies and longitudinal surveys to develop and promote evidence-based policy, conducted a qualitative study of a 2010 food behaviour survey to explore how people make food choices and why they make them.

In addition, group sessions were held with a total of 17 people, including young women aged 18-24 living in regional cities in Victoria, Australia, women aged 35-45 with children, and men aged 35-50 who live with their partners and have grown children. In regards to the age of the participants and whether they have children, the researchers chose to target ages and life stages where changes in eating habits are likely to occur, based on past survey results that showed that 'young women tend to care more about appearance than healthy eating,' 'women with children often shift their focus to supporting their families,' and 'men tend to be less interested in what they eat.'

Results show that while decisions about what to eat are determined in part by taste preferences and health considerations, they are also heavily influenced by many other factors outside of an individual's control, including the food preferences of other household members, family activities, workplace and time constraints, convenience, and price.

One reason why people understand healthy eating but find it difficult to choose it is the common perception that 'healthy meals are more expensive than unhealthy meals.' However, a survey of meals recommended in the Australian Dietary Guidelines (PDF file) showed that 'for a family of two adults and two children, a healthy meal is 12 to 15 percent cheaper than an unhealthy meal.'

A healthy diet in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines is cheaper than an unhealthy diet.

🍎 As @DrEmilyBurch (@SCUonline) + @ProfLaurenBall ( @UQ_News ) write, switching diets could save $160 off a family of four's fortnightly shopping bill. https://t.co/TcgQUZeUSB

— The Conversation - Australia + New Zealand (@ConversationEDU) December 9, 2023

According to Dyke, one thing that stood out in particular in the group sessions was 'time constraints. ' A paper on 'food autonomy' published in 2020 by researchers at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health indicates that frequent meal preparation and health awareness require an understanding of food, confidence in cooking, and ample time. In fact, in the group sessions conducted by Dyke and his colleagues, participants expressed the view that it is difficult to prepare ideal healthy meals due to time constraints and family preferences, saying, 'I would love the opportunity to actually get a recipe, gather all the ingredients, and make it properly, but that opportunity is rare. Most of the time, I end up making things that I can make quickly with what I have on hand, and things that everyone will eat.'

Based on the results of the survey and analysis, Dyke offers five tips to help families make healthy cooking choices:

・1: If there are days of the week when you are particularly busy and it is difficult to prepare food, cook in bulk on a day when you have more time and store the food so that it can be cooked and eaten immediately.

2. Keep healthy snacks within reach during the day when you're pressed for time.

3. Spend time as a family to discuss food preferences and plan healthy meals that everyone will enjoy. Offer younger children small amounts of new foods along with familiar foods they already like.

4. If you rely heavily on takeout or delivery services, make a list of healthy restaurants and menus in advance.

5. Know what fruits and vegetables are in season, as they often taste better and are cheaper. Also, make use of frozen and canned vegetables, which are healthy and convenient alternatives.