Healthy-eating guidelines have generally been derived solely on an epidemiological basis with little or no account being taken of consumer attitudes and perceptions. These guidelines have been used in health promotion program to try to alter the population’s eating habits. However, they have met with limited success. Studies in the UK (MAFF, 1994) and the Netherlands (Hulshof et al. 1993) found that less than 1% of the population was achieving all the guidelines. Such guidelines, while they may be ideal, appear to be unattainable to a large proportion of the population. If some account was taken of consumer attitudes and perceptions about healthy-eating messages as well as the cultural context in which the healthy-eating messages are derived,
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Healthy eating was most frequently described in terms of foods that were central to healthy eating using either summary statement by naming specific foods or food groups. Fruits and vegetables were the most commonly mentioned healthy foods. Other foods considered healthy were salad; carbohydrate-rich foods; lean meats; and tofu. Also mentioned were natural foods; specific vegetables, such as home-grown vegetables, greens, corn, and celery; juice; peanut butter; fluids; and …show more content…
Additional behaviors discussed included taking vitamins, eating breakfast, dieting, and eating less fast food. Whereas many discussed specific behaviors to describe healthy eating, some participants used more global terms such. Of interest, rarely was following the Food Guide Pyramid included in a description of healthy eating. The idea of balance in relation to eating was discussed in terms of eating behaviors. To some, healthy eating was summed up as a balanced, varied diet and eating foods in moderation. Some respondents discussed the idea of balancing unhealthy foods with healthy foods. This idea of balancing foods allowed them to include all types of foods, while still maintaining what they considered a healthy eating
Healthy eating was most frequently described in terms of foods that were central to healthy eating using either summary statement by naming specific foods or food groups. Fruits and vegetables were the most commonly mentioned healthy foods. Other foods considered healthy were salad; carbohydrate-rich foods; lean meats; and tofu. Also mentioned were natural foods; specific vegetables, such as home-grown vegetables, greens, corn, and celery; juice; peanut butter; fluids; and …show more content…
Additional behaviors discussed included taking vitamins, eating breakfast, dieting, and eating less fast food. Whereas many discussed specific behaviors to describe healthy eating, some participants used more global terms such. Of interest, rarely was following the Food Guide Pyramid included in a description of healthy eating. The idea of balance in relation to eating was discussed in terms of eating behaviors. To some, healthy eating was summed up as a balanced, varied diet and eating foods in moderation. Some respondents discussed the idea of balancing unhealthy foods with healthy foods. This idea of balancing foods allowed them to include all types of foods, while still maintaining what they considered a healthy eating