THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF FOOD AND EATING Flashcards
What factors determine the choices we make about eating?
affordability, availability, what someone feeds you, habit and custom, time, emotional needs, appetite, what is expected of someone like you, if you get the option to eat with others
what is food for?
nutrients
social interaction
family
identity
what is biographical disruption? give an example
The experience of chronic illness and the way in which a life-threatening illness breaks an individual’s social and cultural experience by threatening his or her self-identity.
e.g. when your child goes onto a gastro-tube for feeding so your role as a parent to prepare food goes and the ritual of eating altogether also goes
what is the problem of nutrition science for public health?
the popular idea that there are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ categories of nutrients
its also led to confusion and mistrust amongst practitioners and the public
what is UPF?
ultra-processed foods e.g. squeezy cheese
what are the risks with eating lots of UPF?
weight gain cardiometabolic risks obesity CVD cerebrovascular diseases depression mortality
so why do companies produce UPF?
because there’s not much money to be made in selling wholefoods and companies look to add value
food stabilisers and additives can prevent perishing and enhance the taste
what is food insecurity?
a limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable way.
who’s most at risk of food insecurity in the UK?
younger people, single parents, social renters, ethnic minorities and people in poor health
what are food banks?
charity and community organisations that provide basic food for those in need.
what are the 3 main reasons for a person using the foodbank?
income is insufficient
challenging life experiences
lack of support
what are obesogenic environments?
neighbourhoods without access to healthy food or opportunities to exercise
what is a food desert?
areas in the UK with poor public transport and lack of fresh fruit/veg
what is a food swamp?
an area with an abundance of fast food
which factors are associated with obesity in the UK?
deprivation
Low SES
poor food availability
