Barriers to Nutrition: Making Better Choices
Barriers to Nutrition: Making Better Choices
Joy Stepinski, MSN, RN-BC
March 11, 2026
Food has been well correlated with a basic human need for survival. In Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a framework describing human motivation, food is a foundational necessity, alongside water, air, and sleep. An individual must satisfy their basic physiological needs before focusing on other priorities, such as safety and security, love and belonging, and self-worth. Because food is fundamental to survival, obstacles to food-related decision-making can bear consequences, such as inadequate knowledge, decision fatigue, and poor habits.
Eating is a universal activity. For most people, food is readily accessible, with an abundance of choices and opportunities to consume. In this way, food decisions often become mundane [1], an ordinary part of daily life. For some, eating may be considered a mindless activity, simply a biological necessity that requires little thought. Others, however, may be influenced by the choices of those around them. Society, as a collective, often shapes individual behavior [2], and this social influence can significantly affect dietary decisions. As a result, mealtime is not only about nourishment but also an opportunity for social interaction with family and friends.
While eating may be commonplace, food decisions are actually complex and multifaceted. People are estimated to make over 200 food-related decisions each and every day. Not only do individuals select their desired food, but they also decide on the many aspects contributing to eating, including the location, with whom to share the meal, and the time of day. Food selection may be based on convenience, time constraints, appearance, freshness, preference, taste, texture, smell, and health [1, 3]. Related factors are culture, family values, habits, politics, advertising, and cost.
Repeated exposure to negative influences over time causes enormous implications for overall health. As we discussed last month, the average American consumes roughly one ton of food annually. Chronic diseases are overwhelming, as the United States has the worst health outcomes among prosperous, wealthy countries [4]. Improving nutrition often prevents, halts, and/or reverses disease, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Yet even when equipped with knowledge of healthful eating, which encompasses a diet rich in plant foods, barriers to food decisions may persist.
Despite knowledge of good nutrition, research suggests that poor food choices are intricately related to decision fatigue that people experience when faced with so many decisions about eating [5]. Decision fatigue, also known as choice overload, causes a lack of self-regulation that leads to “automatic, impulsive responses” with less ability for “effortful, reflective choices… particularly relevant to food selection” (p. 2). Certain populations may be more prone to decision-fatigue, such as caregivers, shift workers, low-income families, and younger adults, who may be less able to regulate themselves.
In one review [5], the authors discuss that various food decisions stem from reflective thought. Individuals may consciously weigh nutritional value with long-term health. Yet subtle cues and habits may change this awareness into selecting food without thoughtful consideration. Especially as the day progresses, deliberate choices may be less easy. People may shift to automatic choices without much thought. Impulsive behavior may be more persistent, leading to food choices that are more convenient and calorie-dense.
Decision fatigue is highly relevant to eating because of the repeated successive choices that people face. Examples include questions like “What should I cook?” “What ingredients should I use?” “How should I prepare the food?” “How much should I make?” and “When should I eat my meal?” are common. When the mind is clear without stress, individuals may be more likely to prioritize long-term health goals. Yet when mental capacity is limited, convenience, habits, and automatic responses may assume control.
While decision fatigue may be pervasive, many strategies exist promoting healthy and sustainable choices so that the body may thrive. Studies show that healthier eating is more possible when meals are cooked at home [6]. People frequently rely on the convenience of food outside the home, which is often less nutritious and calorie-dense. Research among 9,569 participants showed that people who cooked at home consumed lower kilojoules, fat, sugar, and fast food than those who ate outside the home.
Meal preparation at home encompasses a strategy that supports healthy eating. Preparing meals in advance is associated with better adherence to nutritional goals; increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, fiber, and vitamins; and lower fat intake [7]. In one study of 40,554 French participants, individuals who planned meals at home showed lower obesity rates and better diet quality. There are many ways to prepare meals that incorporate nutritious eating, including planning meals, limiting grocery purchases to only ingredients needed, and batch cooking.
Finally, habit formation is an important approach for maintaining nutritious practices. A habit is defined as a cue that automatically causes an individual to act on impulse [8]. Most often, good habits are easier to maintain when they are convenient, appealing, and rewarding. For example, if the routine is simple to perform, promotes well-being, and provides a noticeable benefit, the habit can be sustained [9]. Habit stacking is a separate approach to promote consistent behaviors. A new activity is combined with an existing behavior, such as adding leafy greens to meals.
Food is an important necessity for survival and a basic human need essential for long-term health. As we discussed, eating choices are influenced by many factors, such as social norms, convenience, habits, and the numerous decisions people make every day. Although these factors can create barriers to healthy eating, strategies can help to prioritize nutrition. Increasing knowledge about a healthy diet, cooking at home, planning meals in advance, and forming healthy habits are steps that people can take to support diet decisions to improve overall health and well-being.
References
Sobal, J., & Bisogni, C. A. (2009). Constructing food choice decisions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 38(suppl_1), s37-s46.
Delormier, T., Frohlich, K. L., & Potvin, L. (2009). Food and eating as social practice–understanding eating patterns as social phenomena and implications for public health. Sociology of Health & Illness, 31(2), 215-228.
Pollard, J., Kirk, S. L., & Cade, J. E. (2002). Factors affecting food choice in relation to fruit and vegetable intake: a review. Nutrition Research Reviews, 15(2), 373-387. https://doi.org/10.1079/NRR200244
Tanne, J. H. (2024). US has the worst healthcare outcomes while spending the most, study shows. British Medical Journal, 386. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2082
Brasington, N., Beckett, E. L., Pristijono, P., & Akanbi, T. O. (2025). The effect of decision fatigue on food choices: A narrative review. Nutrients, 17(24), 3901. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243901
Wolfson, J. A., & Bleich, S. N. (2015). Is cooking at home associated with better diet quality or weight-loss intention?. Public Health Nutrition, 18(8), 1397-1406.
Ducrot, P., Méjean, C., Aroumougame, V., Ibanez, G., Allès, B., Kesse-Guyot, E., ... & Péneau, S. (2017). Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14(1). https://doi.org10.1186/s12966-017-0461-7
Di Maio, S., Keller, J., Kwasnicka, D., Knoll, N., Sichert, L., & Fleig, L. (2022). What helps to form a healthy nutrition habit? Daily associations of intrinsic reward, anticipated regret, and self-efficacy with automaticity. Appetite, 175, 106083.
Studer, M. (2025). Practical applications in lifespan and healthspan: Leveraging the science of novel experiences, and applications in behavioral economics. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Practice, 6(1), 168.https://gexinonline.com/uploads/articles/article-jrpr-168.pdf