Nutrition and Food Frequency Questionnaire Essay

Submitted By Jeciline-Milligan
Words: 1734
Pages: 7

1. Questions 1 & 2 in the Food and Diet Questionnaire ask about shopping for food and cooking meals. How would your diet change if your answer to these questions changed? Please explain. (150 words, 10 marks)

I live with my husband and two kids. My husband does most of the shopping because he has a flexible job. We get most of our food from Aldi, but for staple like tissues, cleaning products, paper towels and cooking oil we get from Costco. Wholesale supermarkets attract shoppers with the idea of saving money (Park et al, 1994). We always walk out with more than we need. I am not a brilliant cook, but I enjoy creating meals for the family. We have home cooked dinner every night. I like meals that are easy to prepare, easy to cook and with lots of flavour. What’s for dinner is dictated by what’s in the fridge. We include vegetables or a salad with our meals. My favorite meals to cook are those that can be cooked in one pot.

2. If you had twice as much money to spend on food each week, how would this affect the foods you eat? Please explain. (100 words, 6 marks)

With twice the money to spend on my food shopping, I would eat more of a Mediterranean diet. The main part of each meal would be a starchy food e.g. rice, pasta, potatoes or couscous. Incorporating foods like braised fennel, roasted capsicum, roasted eggplant, seafood, legumes e.g. lentils or kidney beans, nuts, pine nuts, olives, capers and seed such as sesame and sunflower. Use olive oil in salads, pasta sauces and dips. This diet has a positive effect on health, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and prevents of several types of cancer (Ortega, 2006) The variety in this diet makes the principle both simple to apply and delicious.

3. Question 7 asks you to rate the importance of many food and eating related behaviours. Pick two of the behaviours and explain why you answered the way you did. Select behaviours you rate as either ‘very important’ or ‘not important’. You should use references to show whether your belief was correct or not.
I chose to substitute white meat (poultry) for red meat as the behaviour that l rate as 'not important'. Incorporating both in my diet is essential to ensure a balanced diet. The heart foundation recommends we eat lean meat including game and also endorses eating skinless poultry that has no visible fat (Heart foundation). The behaviour that l consider being very important is ‘eating 5 serves of vegetables each day’. Vegetables contain essential nutrients and vitamins that the body needs to function e.g. green leafy vegetables are high in antioxidant, leek, shallots and onions can assist in the reduction of blood clots. Capsicum is a good source of vitamin A and C (Go for 2 and 5). Vegetables are low in fat but high in fiber and can have protective qualities against illness. Eating a healthy diet is essential for optimal health.

4. Explain (with references) reasons why people may choose a gluten free diet. (150 words, 10 marks)

People that have a digestive system that reacts badly to gluten present in wheat, barley, rye, and oats suffer from Coeliac disease. Tiny hairs in the small intestine are destroyed when patients eat gluten. Symptoms are bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. Doctors recommend a gluten free diet (Coeliac Australia).
Some people suffer from non-Coeliac gluten sensitivity. This condition is now common among millions of people. Followers of this diet have noticed increased energy and no severe abdominal discomfort just by avoiding gluten. Some even go to the extent of avoiding oats because they fear the oats may be processed in a factor that handles other grains.
Another reason for following a gluten free diet is to lose weight. Starchy foods such as bread, pasta and other grain products are avoided. The diet is low in carbohydrate and results in weight lose.

5. Question 9 asks you to rate the importance of various factors in deciding your choice of food when shopping. Pick two of the factors