Table 2 Theme 1: ways of knowing about nutrition

Healthy Eating-Meanings

Mexican: “[Healthy eating is] not eating too many fats, eating a balanced meal. […] Balance is probably the key.”

Cambodian: “For me, I think healthy food is something that grows on trees or is from the soil.”

Cambodian: “Eating healthy means making sure that things are cooked well. Raw food is not healthy.”

Mexican: “[Eating healthy means] not eating a lot.”

Mexican: “Over-processed foods are like fake food or junk food.”

Somali: “It is very good if a person eats healthy foods. His body will get the nutrients it needs.”

Sudanese: “Anything you see in the store probably isn’t fresh […] It’s not healthy, it’s not real.”

Cambodian: “Food is medicine, it is vitamins.”

Somali: “It is better to cook your own healthy food because if you get it from […] stores, it has a lot of oil.”

Somali: “Eating a non-healthy diet makes you lazy. […] Tired all the time, sleep through the day, not active at all.”

Somali: “You feel lazier if you eat fattening foods.”

Sudanese: “Let’s say you eat a donut, you will get lazier after that [than when] eating healthy stuff.”

Healthy Eating-Motivations

Somali: “When we got here, we noticed that we could get many diseases from eating that type of [junk] food.”

Cambodian: “ [Healthy eating is] good for your heart. […] You live longer. […] You don’t look fat”.

Somali: “You lose weight and you lose fat. […] [Healthy eating], it’s good for the brain. You are able to do everything and remember everything but when you eat something unhealthy, you […] are always tired.”

Cambodian: “You live longer, healthier. […] You stay young. […] You have more energy.”

Mexican: “Keeps you nice and strong.”

Somali: Eating a healthy diet prevents overweight and obesity. […] Eating healthy can help you focus during school, work, it can help you stay active.”

Somali: ““When you eat something unhealthy, you become […] always tired. […] The fat is in your body and fills your heart and clogs your blood vessels.”

Healthy Eating-Knowledge sources

Mexican: “I get a lot of information from television. […] They are saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so [for her kids] she makes them a really hearty breakfast.”

Mexican: “I talked to one of my teachers and she told me she had a heart attack because of pop.”

Cambodian: “I learned about food from science class and from my parents, too.”

Sudanese: “Every woman is expected to know how to cook.”

Sudanese: “I watched the movie Supersize Me and I stopped eating McDonalds.”