A cultural group's guidelines on acceptable foods and eating behaviors create a sense of identity and belonging, as religious reasons also affect food choices through prohibitions like pork in Judaism and Islam. Our eating habits are influenced from childhood by our parents' food preparation and nutrition knowledge, as well as our personal preferences, education, health conditions, lifestyle, economics, and local environment.

2. A cultural group provides guidelines
regarding acceptable foods and eating
behaviors. Following these guidelines
creates a sense of identity and
belonging to the group.

3. Religious reasons will affect a follower's
food choices and behaviors. For
example, in some religions specific
foods are prohibited, such as pork in
the Jewish and Muslim religion.

4. Our food preferences begin when we
are children.
The way our parents prepared that
food, and how much they knew about
nutrition and health, affects our eating
habits when we grow up.

5. Our food choices are also controlled by
our personal preferences on flavor and
texture.
Our lifestyle and of course the
economic factor are also important.

6. Another factor affecting our eating
habits is education. Typically, the more
people know about nutrition, the more
careful they are about what they eat.

7. Our eating habits are also determined
by our health. People with diabetes, for
example, cannot eat sweets, whereas
people with heart problems need to
avoid salt.

8. Finally environment is very important,
too. Foods that are commonly and
easily grown within a specific region
frequently become a part of the local
cuisine.