| Popis: |
This chapter examines how culture influences what people eat, and how food practices function to enculturate the next generation. We examine four case studies of two food items (sugars and animal proteins) in countries ranging from developing to developed economies, and Western, Eastern, and African cultures. The first three case studies focus on sugar (Australia, Japan, and Thailand) with Australia providing a case study from a Western developed country, Japan providing an example from an Eastern developed country, and Thailand providing an example from a new industrialized country. These three countries have seen changes in sugar consumption paralleling increases in non-communicable diseases. Although global concern for malnutrition is increasingly focused on overconsumption and obesity, it is important to remember that much of the world’s population still struggles with undernutrition. The fourth case study of the Yoruba in southern Nigeria serves to remind us of the importance of cross-cultural comparisons and diversity, as we see that many Yoruba children experience stunting and hunger. For them overconsumption of processed food and sugars is not the primary problem; rather, it is underconsumption of protein, particularly given their infectious disease load. Around the world, culture influences food preferences, and at the same time foods often are used to convey cultural values—such as convenience and modernity, urban lifestyle, hospitality, socialization, and moral education for children. Together these factors have implications for public health interventions and policies, yet collectively require a locally nuanced understanding of culture. |
