Essay on DRIs: Different Uses, Purposes & Factors Influencing Food Choices

Dietary reference intakes (DRIS) constitute of variety of nutrient-related reference entities in which each of them has its different uses and purposes. A requirement is considered the lowest continuing intake stage of a nutrient that maintains a certain level of the diet of an individual. The procedure used on each individual differs from one another.

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Several factors influence food choices. Some may say hunger is a crucial driver towards eating but what one chooses to eat is not wholly determined by the specific nutrition needs of an individual. The choice of food also varies with the stage and power of an individual or from one group to another. Some of the factors that influence food choice include biological determinants, economic determinants, physical determinants, social and psychological determinants (Luna et al., 2012).

Under this category of factors are hunger and satiety. An individual's physiological requirements and needs give the fundamental determinants of the choice of food. Human beings require energy and nutrients to survive and respond to feelings of hunger and need for satisfaction of appetite that is the state of no hunger feelings between two eating events (Aranceta & Perez-Rodrigo, 2012). The body through the nervous system controls the balance between hunger feelings, appetite stimulation and intake of food.

The density of energy of diets has been depicted to bring about potential effects on satiety. Foods with low energy generate greater satiety than those with high energy density. The high energy density of high fat and sugar foods may also lead to passive overconsumption, whereby excess energy is taken into the body unintentionally and without the consumption of additional food (Luna et al., 2012). A significant indicator of satiety may be the amount of food consumed by an individual.

Most individuals are not informed on what food proportions and amounts comprise hence end up taking in excess energy amount into their body. A sensory aspect such as taste is the sum of all the sensory stimulation that is produced when food is taken in (Whitney & Rolfes, 2018). However. A major influence on behavior towards food. It comes alongside the smell, texture and appearance of food. At an early age of an individual the taste and how familiar the individual is to food influences the choice and behavior towards it. Certain human traits such as a likeness for sweetness and a dislike for bitterness are present from birth (Aranceta & Perez-Rodrigo, 2012).

The cost of food is a key determinant in the choice of food. It is dependent on an individual's income and social-economic status. Low-income individuals tend to consume unbalanced diets particularly low intakes in vegetables and fruits. High-income groups, on the other hand, do not automatically equate to quality diets but increase the range to which one should choose from (Whitney & Rolfes, 2018).

Accessibility to stalls and shops to get food is also a significant physical factor influencing an individual's food choice. It is dependent on resources ranging from transport and location. Places such as towns tend to be the center of healthy and expensive food compared to shops and supermarkets on the outskirts (Luna et al., 2012). However, the ease of access to towns and centers does not increase the purchase of additional food substances such as fruits and vegetables.

Education and knowledge of an individual also influence the dietary behavior during one's adulthood. However, the experience and education level are not relatively related to good dietary behavior. The action is because the knowledge of health does not lead to direct action when people are sure how to apply their skills and expertise (Aranceta & Perez-Rodrigo, 2012).

Cultural influence leads to the variation in the behavior and consumption of certain foods and the methods of preparation. In extreme cases, Cultural influence can lead to restriction of a particular food such as consumption of milk or meat (Luna et al., 2012).

The social setting of food is an environmental factor influencing food choice. The majority of the food is consumed at home, but an increasingly large proportion is taken outside the house, such as in schools, workplaces, hotels and restaurants. The venue and setting where food is taken can be a factor. The efficiency of bringing healthy food at home and away from home increases food consumption. However, the availability of food is limited to the environment (Whitney & Rolfes, 2018).

Stress is a common psychological factor that is in modern life. The influence of food choice is complicated due to the various types and levels of stress an individual can experience. Its influence on food depends on the circumstances behind the cause of stress.

The mood of an individual is a psychological factor that is interestingly related in part to attitude towards certain food. They want to enjoy food and the conscious of weight gain is a struggle that most people experience (Whitney & Rolfes, 2018). Most females report guilty of restricting themselves from eating what they desire. Also, the attempts to restrict consumption of certain foods can push the desire for particular foods leading to cravings. There are many influences on the choice of food that provide a variety of ways to improve peoples' food choices. In the same way, there are some barriers to dietary change that vary depending on the levels of individuals (Luna et al., 2012).

References

Aranceta, J., & Perez-Rodrigo, C. (2012). Recommended dietary reference intakes, nutritional goals, and dietary guidelines for fat and fatty acids: a systematic review. British Journal of Nutrition, 107(S2), S8-S22. Doi: 10.1017/S0007114512001444

Luna, R. C., do Nascimento, C. C., Asciutti, L. S., do CC Franceschini, S., Filizola, R. G., Diniz, A. D. S., ... & Costa, M. J. (2012). The relation between glucose levels, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), body mass index (BMI) and serum and dietary retinol in the elderly in a population-based study. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 54(3), 462-468. Doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2011.06.005

Whitney, E. N., & Rolfes, S. R. (2018). Understanding nutrition. Cengage Learning. ISBN: 978-1-337-39269-3