I have chosen a poor diet as a lifestyle that directly affects my health. An unhealthy diet is defined as consuming “high levels of energy-dense foods, such as processed foods high in fat and sugar” and salt. (WHO, 2018). An unhealthy diet is positively associated with cardiovascular disease, obesity, high blood pressure, stomach and colorectal cancer. (WHO, 2018) In this essay, I will use the factors from the Dahlgren-Whitehead socio-ecological framework to better understand and analyze how the factors were attributed to my unhealthy diet. Age and sexBiological characteristics such as sex and age can influence diets. A study conducted revealed that women crave more sweet foods such as chocolates and desserts. (Hallam et al., 2016)Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Biologically, women experience hormonal changes every month during their menstrual cycle. One study found that 74.3% of women reported cravings for foods high in sugar and/or salt, seven days before their period. (Dye et al., 1995) Women are also more likely to respond to high-calorie foods during their different menstrual phases. (Hallam et al., 2016) Age is also an important factor contributing to an unhealthy diet. Young adults are able to eat a wider range of foods such as fast foods, snacks and sugary drinks because they have better immune systems than children and the elderly. Being a woman and a young adult, I have experienced cravings for both sweet and salty foods. food before menstruation and gave in to it very often. In addition, compared to my childhood, I consume more sugar/salt but less fruits and vegetables because I am less susceptible to diseases. However, biological traits and genetic dispositions are insufficient to fully understand and explain this phenomenon, and have been proven to have limited influence on behaviors, choices, and preferences. Although age and gender may affect my unhealthy diet, social factors beyond biology are paramount. Individual Lifestyle Factors The first level of the SE model illustrates how the individual's lifestyle choices and lifestyle can promote or harm health (Soderback and Uden, 2009). The type of food an individual chooses to consume is largely influenced and determined by their preferences and motivation to want to eat healthily. (Brug, 2008) Personally, the two main reasons for my unhealthy diet are due to my preference for tasty foods and my lack of motivation to eat healthily. Firstly, I have a preference for savory foods, foods rich in flavor, like curries which are generally high in salt, sugar and fat. I would be more inclined to choose them over fruits and vegetables which generally seem bland in comparison. If I had to eat vegetables, I would only eat them if they were dipped in sauce. Second, I'm not motivated to eat foods high in fiber and vitamins because I don't have any apparent major health issues at the moment. Although I am aware of the detrimental health effects of an unhealthy diet in the long term, I am not actively doing anything to change it because my daily bodily functions are normal and I do not feel any discomfort. Therefore, the combination of preferences and lack of motivation to change my diet manifests itself in my habits and myunhealthy food choices. Both factors lead to a passive attitude towards healthy eating and I would choose to give in to my desires and preferences. Social and Community Networks The second layer of SE models indicates that support or lack of support from social and community networks can positively or negatively affect individuals' health. Eating behavior and food choices are heavily influenced by social contexts and food choices tend to shape those with whom we have close social ties. I live on campus and eat out every day. I rarely eat homemade food and prefer not to because it tastes bland. Plus, my family loves snacks and ice cream, so there's always plenty of that. My parents would buy my favorite items and encourage me to eat them when I'm home. So, my family network supports me in eating unhealthy. My social network is made up of people who also eat unhealthy diets. Most of my friends and I have similar food preferences. We consume fast food and snacks almost every day and it has become a routine for us. As such, since my friends share the same tastes and preferences as me, it provides me with the support and opportunity that further encourages and promotes unhealthy eating. Certain dietary norms are produced and reproduced in social groups and we tend to eat more in groups. (Higgs & Thomas, 2016) If a member of a group deviates from norms, this can result in informal sanctions such as disapproval and exclusion from the group, which deters the individual from deviating. (Thomas & Bishop, 1984) For me, there is no network to support healthy eating, especially when I live on a campus where peer pressure is prevalent. There is a strong dinner culture due to extracurricular activities that end very late or eating dinner as a form of socialization. Despite the awareness that eating late at night is unhealthy and can increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases (Kinsey and Ormsbee, 2015), and despite having the autonomy to decide whether or not to eat, I often struggle to reject dinner requests. For me, dinner has a symbolic meaning of group inclusion, all the more important as we live together. So, I eat dinner even if I'm not hungry for fear of exclusion. So these social stressors also contribute to my unhealthy diet. My usual food choices are fried rice, roti prata, nasi lemak from supper near NUS or instant and processed foods from 7-1, which brings me to the third layer of Model SE where my physical and health conditions life affect my food choices. Physical Environment Unhealthy food choices are readily available and accessible on campus. Studies have shown that college students who live away from their parents exhibited changes in their diet and consumed more instant processed foods. Which concerns me. I often buy food from 7am to 11am as it is only a 3 minute walk from my venue, making it a convenient place to dine. My options there are instant and processed foods, which contain preservatives and are high in salt, which can increase the risks of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Recently, NUS has also increased the number of food and drink vending machines, including in the Central Library and Utown. As I study there very often, I have easy access to it and I consume it regularly. Maybe the vending machines.