Challenges of Healthy Eating Habits in Rural Communities

Godwin-Charles Ogbeide*, Jennifer Henk, Dylan C. Martinez and Mary Bassett

Challenges of Healthy Eating Habits in Rural Communities.

The findings suggested that healthy eating habits required a conscientious effort on the part of the parents and/or guardians in urging the children to eat healthy. Parents and/ or guardians also needed to show good examples of healthy eating behaviors at home. In addition, community leaders should be thinking of some modalities to enhance the food choices or provide healthier choices in their community events and support underprivileged families to help secure healthy food choices. This study also highlighted the importance of food corps and health coalition group in the curtailment of overweight and obese children in rural communities.

Having balanced nutritional habits early in life has shown to be exponentially beneficial to health later in one’s life. Encouraging healthy eating habits at an early age has also shown to aid in preventing the onset of diet-related diseases and complications in the future. Healthy eating has been defined as consumption patterns, practices, and behaviors that are consistent with improving, maintaining, and/or enhancing health. Research has shown that children who start trying new foods and have plentiful options to choose from at an early age appear to have healthier diets throughout childhood. Exposure to new foods at an early age as well as positive reinforcement from a parental figure or valued opinion has shown to aid in children and adolescents to be more involved in healthy eating behaviors.
This case study suggested that healthy eating habits in children was not as easy as simply telling children to eat healthy. It required a conscientious effort on the part of the parents and/
or guardians in urging the children to eat healthy.

Obes Res Open J. 2015; 2(3): 89-97. doi: 10.17140/OROJ-2-114

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