Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect
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...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AIMS Press
2016-04-01
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| Series: | Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2016020 |
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| author | Anarina L. Murillo Muntaser Safan Carlos Castillo-Chavez Elizabeth D. Capaldi Phillips Devina Wadhera |
| author_facet | Anarina L. Murillo Muntaser Safan Carlos Castillo-Chavez Elizabeth D. Capaldi Phillips Devina Wadhera |
| author_sort | Anarina L. Murillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e81f297f82f04bd0b11cda2c4bc71b65 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1551-0018 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-04-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-e81f297f82f04bd0b11cda2c4bc71b652025-01-24T02:36:34ZengAIMS PressMathematical Biosciences and Engineering1551-00182016-04-0113484185510.3934/mbe.2016020Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effectAnarina L. Murillo0Muntaser Safan1Carlos Castillo-Chavez2Elizabeth D. Capaldi Phillips3Devina Wadhera4Simon A Levin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZMathematics Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, MansouraSimon A Levin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZConditioned Feeding Lab, Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZConditioned Feeding Lab, Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZEating 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.https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2016020eating behaviorschool nutrition educationdeterministic model. |
| spellingShingle | Anarina L. Murillo Muntaser Safan Carlos Castillo-Chavez Elizabeth D. Capaldi Phillips Devina Wadhera Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering eating behavior school nutrition education deterministic model. |
| title | Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect |
| title_full | Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect |
| title_fullStr | Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect |
| title_short | Modeling eating behaviors: The role of environment and positive food association learning via a Ratatouille effect |
| title_sort | modeling eating behaviors the role of environment and positive food association learning via a ratatouille effect |
| topic | eating behavior school nutrition education deterministic model. |
| url | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2016020 |
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