NUTR 175NHealthy Food for All: Factors that Influence What we Eat in the US

3 credits · Nutrition · Penn State

This course explores factors that influence food intake, how individuals make food choices within their communities, and how these choices impact health and wellness. Topics include an overview of what Americans tend to eat, factors that influence food intake (e.g., economics, food environment, advertising/marketing), and the impact of poverty on food security, hunger, and health outcomes including obesity. This course also discusses how nutrition-policy influences food intake and health and food assistance programs. Students will be encouraged to examine their beliefs and understanding of how ethnic status, race, and socio-economic status, etc., affects individuals and their family's access to low-cost, healthy food. Students will enhance their understanding of the nature of social justice and equity by examining whether access to healthy food through federally funded programs is a right or a privilege and how a country capable of feeding the world has hungry citizens. This course includes hands-on interactive learning activities in the foods laboratory that teach food budgeting skills across income levels that provide perspective to eating healthy on a budget.