Table 3 American students’ (n = 57) descriptions of a healthy diet and exemplifying quotations
Description of a healthy diet (Number of T-units coded/Number of unique essays with this code) | Explanation of code | Exemplifying quotationsa |
|---|---|---|
Guidelines (93/40) | Writer refers to or cites the food pyramid or other official guidelines for healthy eating or concepts from those guidelines; this may include balance, variety, or moderation (either naming a concept or providing an example of the concept) | “A healthy diet to me is one that is balanced. When a girl needs to lose those five extra points they find themselves reading Cosmo magazine looking for a new ‘juice-only’ diet. Although starving oneself might get rid of the weight, it is not healthy nor balanced.” “A healthy diet not only refers to eating well but also takes into consideration of exercising and getting adequate sleep. Those that get more exercise can allow more room to eat more and to then get a variety of food necessary for a healthy lifestyle.” |
Non-food practices (58/27) | Writer mentions lifestyle, exercise, sleep as part of healthy diet | “In order to have a healthy way of living it is not just what you put into the body it is what is pushed to get out of it as well. That includes toxins which can be minimized by a combination of exercise and flushing the body using liquids.” |
Food components (40/26) | Writer names macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals), fiber, or water | “Instead of eating too much sugar or fat we might want to choose foods that are “less sugar” or “reduced fat.” “A healthy diet means a consummation of essential nutrients and minerals.” “The best kinds of food may be high in fiber opposed to white flour or apple instead of a cupcake.” |
Benefits of healthy eating (33/23) | Writer describes positive outcomes related to healthy eating (psychosocial wellbeing, energy, appearance, detox) | “…Eating only fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins is unrealistic. It is more important to eat that and incorporate those things into everyday eating instead of cutting out ‘bad stuff’ entirely. Becoming obsessive over cutting certain foods out isn’t mentally healthy, so a balanced diet is a healthy diet for both your body and mind.” “To me, healthy means that you are satisfying the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of health.” |