WHAT CONSTITUTES HEALTHY FOODS?

A snap shot on perception and practice among visitors of selected canteens at UI Salemba campus

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Dian, Dini, Erwin, Intan, Lina, Muharni, Nur Handayani, Rutlita, Tonny, and Ursula (in alphabetical order) Master Students batch 2008 and short course participants at FKUI Kekhususan Gizi Komunitas (SEAMEO-TROPMED Regional Center for Community Nutrition) University of Indonesia

The foods and nutrition play important roles in health and wellbeing of people. Foods related behavior are complex and influenced by many factors such as physiological, socio-demographic characteristics (income, education, ethnicity, etc), as well as behavioral and life style factors, also knowledge and attitude related to health and diet.

As part of the master training program, SEAMEO-TROPMED RCCN held a course on Introduction to Nutritional Anthropology on 5-19 January 2009. On the second week of the course, the course participants conducted a mini research with the following research questions:
1. How do people perceive “healthy food”?
2. How is the habit of tea drinking with meal?
Indepth interviews and observation were the main methods employed to gain information from the visitors of the canteens surrounding the campus compound. A total of 21 visitors agreed to be interviewed. They were mainly undergraduate and post graduate students of the University of Indonesia who come from health-related and non health-related educational background. They will be further regarded as “informants”.

The top-of-mind thinking articulated by the informants about “healthy food” were balanced nutrition (4 Sehat 5 Sempurna), fresh food like vegetables and fruits, not contained preservatives and food additives, contained less fat and cholesterol, hygienic, not overly consumed, and food that can not cause disease. Furthermore, traditional market (due to the freshness of groceries sold there) and homemade food (due to ensured hygiene) were considered to be the most prominent sources to obtain healthy foods. The informants also stated that restaurants/canteens may provide healthy menus. However, the visitor must have the skill to choose healthy food in order to obtain good dietary practices.

Interestingly, this health perception was mostly reflected in the food choice observed on their plates. However, time constraint, choices in the menu list, affordability, and promo advertisement from the canteen were some reasons why health perception was not always followed by the actual practice.

Surprisingly, little knowledge was observed among informants with medical background about the negative effect of tea drinking with meal on the iron absorption. Taste of tea was considered to be the reason of choosing tea with meal as quoted by one of the informant:
“Tea will ease nausea after meal….”
(Female, 30 years, postgraduate student with medical background)
These informants have developed tea drinking habit even since childhood. The usual frequency of tea drinking is at least once a day. Those consumed tea twice a day have it once in the morning and another one during lunch. These facts reflect tea drinking as family tradition.

In addition, the healthy food choice and practice were similar between those coming from health and non health background. However, female was more concerned with body image, thus more cautious in choosing food compared to male.

This mini research provide a snap shot on what is perceived as healthy food and how this perception can be implemented in the actual dietary practices. The study finally concludes that when it comes to practice the informants were mostly constrained with limited time and choices; no matter how good their knowledge on health and diet is.

Time limitation which is regarded as internal factor may be overcome by improving individual skill development. On the other hand, a limited healthy food choice as an external factor needs more collaborative efforts and resources to be defeated.

The final quest: Can we – consumers – influence the canteen managers to provide more healthy food choices? The answer lies upon our shoulders; because it is indeed the responsibilities of ALL OF US. So, let’s make a difference!

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