Abstract
Eating behaviors among a large population of children are studied as a dynamic process driven by nonlinear interactions in the sociocultural school environment. The impact of food association learning on diet dynamics, inspired by a pilot study conducted among Arizona children in Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grades, is used to build simple population-level learning models. Qualitatively, mathematical studies are used to highlight the possible ramifications of instruction, learning in nutrition, and health at the community level. Model results suggest that nutrition education programs at the population-level have minimal impact on improving eating behaviors, findings that agree with prior field studies. Hence, the incorporation of food association learning may be a better strategy for creating resilient communities of healthy and non-healthy eaters. A Ratatouille effect can be observed when food association learners become food preference learners, a potential sustainable behavioral change, which in turn, may impact the overall distribution of healthy eaters. In short, this work evaluates the effectiveness of population-level intervention strategies and the importance of institutionalizing nutrition programs that factor in economical, social, cultural, and environmental elements that mesh well with the norms and values in the community.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 841-855 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- Deterministic model
- Eating behavior
- School nutrition education
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Mathematics
- Modeling and Simulation
- Computational Mathematics
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Modeling eating behaviors : The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect. / Murillo, Anarina L.; Safan, Muntaser; Castillo-Chavez, Carlos; Phillips, Elizabeth D Capaldi; Wadhera, Devina.
In: Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, Vol. 13, No. 4, 01.08.2016, p. 841-855.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Modeling eating behaviors
T2 - The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect
AU - Murillo, Anarina L.
AU - Safan, Muntaser
AU - Castillo-Chavez, Carlos
AU - Phillips, Elizabeth D Capaldi
AU - Wadhera, Devina
PY - 2016/8/1
Y1 - 2016/8/1
N2 - Eating behaviors among a large population of children are studied as a dynamic process driven by nonlinear interactions in the sociocultural school environment. The impact of food association learning on diet dynamics, inspired by a pilot study conducted among Arizona children in Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grades, is used to build simple population-level learning models. Qualitatively, mathematical studies are used to highlight the possible ramifications of instruction, learning in nutrition, and health at the community level. Model results suggest that nutrition education programs at the population-level have minimal impact on improving eating behaviors, findings that agree with prior field studies. Hence, the incorporation of food association learning may be a better strategy for creating resilient communities of healthy and non-healthy eaters. A Ratatouille effect can be observed when food association learners become food preference learners, a potential sustainable behavioral change, which in turn, may impact the overall distribution of healthy eaters. In short, this work evaluates the effectiveness of population-level intervention strategies and the importance of institutionalizing nutrition programs that factor in economical, social, cultural, and environmental elements that mesh well with the norms and values in the community.
AB - Eating behaviors among a large population of children are studied as a dynamic process driven by nonlinear interactions in the sociocultural school environment. The impact of food association learning on diet dynamics, inspired by a pilot study conducted among Arizona children in Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grades, is used to build simple population-level learning models. Qualitatively, mathematical studies are used to highlight the possible ramifications of instruction, learning in nutrition, and health at the community level. Model results suggest that nutrition education programs at the population-level have minimal impact on improving eating behaviors, findings that agree with prior field studies. Hence, the incorporation of food association learning may be a better strategy for creating resilient communities of healthy and non-healthy eaters. A Ratatouille effect can be observed when food association learners become food preference learners, a potential sustainable behavioral change, which in turn, may impact the overall distribution of healthy eaters. In short, this work evaluates the effectiveness of population-level intervention strategies and the importance of institutionalizing nutrition programs that factor in economical, social, cultural, and environmental elements that mesh well with the norms and values in the community.
KW - Deterministic model
KW - Eating behavior
KW - School nutrition education
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U2 - 10.3934/mbe.2016020
DO - 10.3934/mbe.2016020
M3 - Article
VL - 13
SP - 841
EP - 855
JO - Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering
JF - Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering
SN - 1547-1063
IS - 4
ER -