The Health Promotion Board has introduced many schemes and campaigns to promote healthy eating in Singapore.

But if it wants to see results, there is a need to get to the root of the problem.

People turn to unhealthy food for two reasons: cost and choice.

If you whip up a home-cooked meal, the effort and total cost would add up to more than $3 - the cost of a plate of chicken rice at a foodcourt.

Although I would put my health first and eat healthy wholesome meals, despite the cost, there are many people who would go for the cheaper option.

The variety of food choices in a foodcourt may also be an issue. Most people would not consider the nutritional value of a dish before buying a meal that satisfies their craving.

While we may not need to know exactly how many grams of fat and sugar we are consuming, we should at least be conscious of what kind of food, and how much of it, we put into our body. This is engaging in mindful eating.

Cheryl Goh Sze Pei (Ms)