Fitness Carter: Positive Attitudes Toward Healthy Eating Linked To Diet Quality

By Chioma Ihekweazu

Never underestimate the power of positive thinking, especially when it comes to your diet. In fact, having a positive attitude about healthy eating may be more important for your diet quality than where you do your grocery shopping.

A recent study found that shoppers with a positive attitude towards healthy eating had a consistently higher quality diet whether they shopped at cheaper or more expensive supermarkets.

This study was led by Anju Aggarwal, PhD, of the Center for Public Health Nutrition in the School of Public Health at the University of Washington in Seattle. The research team examined whether attitudes about healthy eating were associated with diet quality among shoppers at three types of supermarkets (low cost, medium cost and high cost).

The sample for this study included 963 participants. Data was used from the Seattle Obesity Study, which combined a telephone survey and a food frequency survey to learn about individuals' food shopping behaviors, food-related attitudes and supermarket choices.

On the food frequency survey, participants were provided with a list of foods and beverages and had to note how often in the past year each item was consumed as well as the portion size consumed.

Participants were asked the name of the store where they did most of their grocery shopping. From these responses, 13 primary supermarkets were chosen. Each supermarket was then categorized as low cost, medium cost or high cost based on what it would cost to purchase a basket of 100 commonly consumed foods.

Diet quality was measured by looking at energy density, mean adequacy ratio and fruit and vegetable intake. Energy density is a ratio of total calories consumed to the daily weight of foods and beverages consumed. Mean adequacy ratio is the average ratio of intake for 11 nutrients (e.g., vitamin A, calcium and fiber) to recommended intake.

To measure attitudes toward healthy eating, participants were presented with the statement, "It is important to me that the foods I usually eat are healthy," and had to rate their level of agreement.

The researchers took into account age, sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, household size and total calorie intake when analyzing their findings.

There were five supermarkets classified as low cost with an average basket cost of $224, four supermarkets classified as medium cost with an average basket cost of $305 and four supermarkets classified as high cost with an average basket cost of $393.

The researchers found that people who shopped at high-cost supermarkets had a higher diet quality (lower energy density, higher mean adequacy ratio and higher intake of fruits and vegetables) than those who shopped at lower cost supermarkets. However, when attitude toward healthy eating was taken into account, the association became insignificant for energy density and mean adequacy ratio.

For each supermarket type, having a positive attitude towards healthy eating was significantly associated with a higher diet quality. For example, in the lower cost supermarkets, individuals with a strongly positive attitude towards healthy eating consumed roughly twice as many fruits and vegetables per day than people with neutral or negative attitudes.

These findings suggest that what you think about healthy eating matters more for diet quality than where you shop. The study authors concluded that shoppers need to be encouraged to make healthy choices when they go to the supermarket.

This study is currently in press and will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ^[4] .

This study was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The authors reported no competing interests.

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Nuts

"Everyone always thinks of vegetables and fruits and whole grains when they think of high-fiber foods, but nuts are very impactful," says Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For example, a quarter cup of almonds has 4 grams of fiber.
 
But Crandall says she doesn't advocate one type of nut over another.
 
"Each nut yields a different nutrient profile," she explains. "Add variety rather than getting burned out on one."

Frozen Peas

"Another hidden source that many people don't [think of] is frozen peas," Ansel says, explaining that they're a great option to always have on hand.
 
"A cup of cooked peas has about 4 grams of fiber," she continues, "and it's a really easy way to get it."

Chia Seeds

"Chia seeds are a great source of fiber, because they have both soluble and insoluble fiber," says Ansel, who explains that just one tablespoon of chia seeds packs around 6 grams.
 
She recommends adding them to liquid, like iced tea and waiting half an hour for them to swell up (chia seeds absorb liquid) before enjoying.
 
Crandall also suggests sprinkling them in yogurt, oatmeal or rice dishes, or tossing a few in your next salad.
 
Another great seed option to consider? Flax seeds, Crandall says.

Onions

Ansel says that a medium onion has 2 grams of fiber, which isn't necessarily an enormous amount, but it's the type that matters.
 
"Onions have inulin, a water-soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol and promotes regularity," she explains.
 
Inulin is often added to fiber supplements, but Ansel says onions are a good natural source, as are foods like asparagus and leeks.

Bulgur

"If you are going to have grains, one of the best ones you can have is bulgur wheat, which has 8 grams per cup," says Ansel.
 
The key, she explains, is preparation: Cook up a batch over the weekend or after grocery shopping so it's ready to go throughout the week. You can then throw some bulgur into a salad, which will help keep you fuller, longer, or throw some into a soup.

Kiwis

Ansel said that people don't often think about kiwis, which have about 2 grams of fiber and are a sweet and tangy option. The great thing about this fruit, she says, is that they're both satisfying and easy: Just a few tossed into your bag for an afternoon snack can help you hit those daily fiber recommendations.
 
In the same vein (although perhaps a little bit more obvious) are berries -- particularly raspberries, thanks to their tiny seeds. Just one cup has 8 grams of fiber.

Apples

When it comes to sources of fiber, apples are basically hiding in plain sight.
 
"Anything with 3 grams of fiber is considered a good source of fiber, and an excellent source is anything with 5 grams," Crandall says. "An apple has about 4 grams of fiber."
 
Given that, eating just one a day can really help you meet your fiber goals. Have a few and you're well on your way.