Food Choice
Food choice involves the processes by which people consider, select, prepare, distribute,
and consume foods and beverages. Food choice behaviors are integral to social and
economic expression of identities, preferences, and cultural meanings and ultimately
influence nutrient intake and health. Drivers of food choice include interconnected
biological, psychological, economic, social, cultural, environmental, and political
factors. Influencing food choice involves efforts to promote and facilitate the purchase,
provision, and consumption of healthier foods of individuals, families and communities
and includes emphasis on food environments.
Current Novel Research Efforts
Drivers of food choice among the poor in countries that are among those with the greatest
burden of undernutrition, primarily in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Food-choice decisions for children by mothers and alternative caregivers related to
later chronic diseases.
Influence of Children on Parent’s Food Shopping for Children’s Consumption in South
Carolina.
Policies and programs to improve feeding and nutrition of mothers, children, and adolescents.
Role of food environment in shaping food choice behaviors and dietary intake.
Associated Affiliate Scholars
Armstead, Cheryl A., Ph.D.
Blake, Christine, Ph.D., RD
Campbell, Jeffery, Ph.D., MBA
Frongillo, Edward, Ph.D. Kaczynski, Andrew T., Ph.D.
Liese, Angela, Ph.D.
Ozturk, Orgul, Ph.D.
Thrasher, Jim, Ph.D.
Wilcox, Sara, Ph.D.
Wilson-King, Dawn, Ph.D. Younginer, Nicholas, Ph.D.
Zarrett, Nicole, Ph.D.
Expand all Affiliate Publications
Blake CE, Frongillo EA, Warren AM, Constantinides SV, Rampalli K, Bhandari S. Elaborating the science of food choice for rapidly changing food systems in low-and
middle-income countries. Global Food Security . 28:100503, 2021. doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100503.
Constantinides SV, Turner C, Frongillo EA, Bhandari S, Reyes LI, Blake CE. Using a global food environment framework to understand relationships with food choice
in diverse low- and middle-income countries . Global Food Security, 2021, 100511.
Freedman DA, Bell BA , Clark J, et al. Small Improvements in an Urban Food Environment Resulted in No Changes in Diet Among
Residents. Journal of Community Health. 2020. doi:10.1007/s10900-020-00805-z.
Hallum SH, Hughey SM, Wende ME, Stowe EW, Kaczynski AT . Healthy and unhealthy food environments are linked with neighbourhood socio-economic
disadvantage: an innovative geospatial approach to understanding food access inequities. Public Health Nutrition . 2020:1-7. doi:10.1017/s1368980020002104
Jayne JM, Blake CE, Frongillo EA, Liese AD , Cai B, Nelson DA, Kurina LM, Funderburk L. Stressful Life Changes and Their Relationship to Nutrition-Related Health Outcomes
Among US Army Soldiers. The Journal of Primary Prevention. 2020;41(2):171-189. doi:10.1007/s10935-020-00583-3.
Monterrosa EC, Frongillo EA , Drewnowski A, de Pee S, Vandevijvere S. Sociocultural influences on food choices and implications for sustainable healthy
diets. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 41(2S):S59-S73, 2020.
Nguyen PH, Frongillo EA , Kim SS, Zongrone AA, Jilani A, Tran LM, Sanghvi T, Menon P. Information diffusion and social norms are associated with infant and young child
feeding practices in Bangladesh. Journal of Nutrition doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz167, 2019.
Rosemond TN , Blake CE , Shapiro CJ , Burke MP, Bernal J, Adams EJ, Frongillo EA . Disrupted relationships, chaos, and altered family meals in food-insecure households:
Experiences of caregivers and children. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2019.05.005,
2019.
Sharpe PA, Bell BA, Liese AD, Wilcox S, Stucker J, Hutto BE. Effects of a food hub initiative in a disadvantaged community: A quasi-experimental
evaluation. Health & Place . 2020;63:102341. doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102341.
Tinago CB, Annang Ingram L, Frongillo EA , Simmons D, Blake CE , Engelsmann B. Understanding the social environmental influences on pregnancy and planning for pregnancy
for young women in Harare, Zimbabwe. Maternal and Child Health Journal doi.org/10.1007/s10995-019-02814-4, 2019.
Warren AM, Constantinides SV, Blake CE, Frongillo EA . Advancing knowledge about stakeholder engagement in multisectoral nutrition research . Global Food Security 29:100521 2021. doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100521
Wende ME, Kaczynski AT, Bernhart JA, Dunn CG, Wilcox S. Objective Church Environment Audits and Attendee Perceptions of Healthy Eating and
Physical Activity Supports within the Church Setting. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . 2020;17(10):3598. doi:10.3390/ijerph17103598.
Wende ME, Stowe EW , Eberth JM, McLain AC, Liese AD , Breneman CB, Josey MJ, Kaczynski AT . Spatial clustering patterns and regional variations for food and physical activity
environments across the United States. International Journal of Environmental Health Research. 2020:1-15. doi:10.1080/09603123.2020.1713304.
Wilcox S, Saunders RP , Jake-Schoffman D, Hutto B. The Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) Dissemination and Implementation Study: 24-Month
Organizational Maintenance in a Countywide Initiative. Frontiers in Public Health . 2020;8. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00171.
Research Labs & Centers