Food Studies Unit 3 AOS 2

Key Knowledge: the patterns of eating in Australia, including recent developments, changes and trends in food purchasing and consumption behaviors

current trends in food choices:

changing priorities: Australians perceive food as becoming more expensive, but also healthier and more varied. consumers now place higher value on health, food quality and choice.

information access: awareness of healthy eating has increased due to media, advertising, and social media.

food origin: there is a growing interest in where food is from and how its produced.

global influence: exposure to new cultures means foods once considered ‘‘exotic’’ are now common.

influencing factors: food choices are driven by cost, health awareness, media exposure and cultural diversity.

women, work and convinience foods:

• more women in work force in the 1960s-70s increased demand for convivence foods.

• higher incomes, busy lifestyles led to more eating our and processed foods

specific emerging influences:

• bush tucker: traditional ingredients used decades ago returning to modern restaurants e.g. kangaroo and emu

• plant based options:

food citizenship: consumers are more concerned with how food consumption impacts their health and environment.

vegan: vegetables and fruits are now seen as the main component of meals.

Key Knowledge: the ways in which social factors across Australia, including education, income, location, accommodation, available time and cultural norms, influence responses to food information, food accessibility, food choices and healthy eating.

SOCIAL FACTORS:

education

• helps people make informed decisions rather than, relying on habits, marketing, or peer pressure.

• increases awareness of how to read labels, cook balanced meals.

sources of food education:

schools: students learn about healthy eating through subjects and programs.

family: families pass on food habits and traditions, through information may sometimes be outdated.

government: health stars, adgs and aghe

other sources: media influence

income

• amount of money people have affects amounts and types of food they can buy

• people with a secure, high income usually have more variety and easier access to healthy foods while those with lower or unstable incomes may have fewer choices and less access to healthy options.

location

metropolitan areas:

• high abundance of big chain supermarkets, specially stores, wholesale markets makes it easier to buy fresh whole food ingredients daily.

• high competition between stores leads to lower and more competitive prices

remote and rural areas:

• families have troubles accessing fresh, quality ingredient as the closer supermarket may be far.

• products more expensive due to high cots of transportation and distribution.

accomodation:

apartment vs home: apartments have limited space leading to more convince foods houses have full kitchens more storage and more control over ingredients.

onsite vans vs homelessness: vans have basic cooking facilities but limited storage so more reliance on pre made foods. homelessness means no cooking or storage facilities, so food options are very limited and often immediate consumption is needed.

available time

impact of busy lives:

• work school runs and responsibilities reduce time for meal prep

• people spend less time cooking at home

time saving techniques:

• takeaway or eating out

• ready made / convivence foods

• food delivery

save time and effort but contain more sugar salts and fat.

cultural norms

multiculturism: australia’s multicultural society increases food diversity and different cuisines.

religion: specific food rules or restrictions

family traditions of preferences: family and habits like vegan diets, allergies and diabetes affect whole families meals.

Key Knowledge: the social and emotional roles of food in shaping and expressing individual identity and connectedness, including its sharing and celebratory role within families, peer groups and communities

sharing food with friends and family:

why is it important:

• food is used to show care and hospitality

• sharing meals helps people socialize and feel comfortable

• strengthens friendships and relationships

life lessons from food: it teaches cooking and budgeting skills sharing and compromise and cultural understanding and respect.

social contexts of food: family dinners, cooking together, sharing food.

sense of connectedness: sharing meals help families communicate and bond. food traditions create belonging and connection.

food and emotional response

comfort eating:

eating influenced by emotions , memories and social experience rather than hunger

positive role:

• happiness, comfort, nostalgia and social connection

negative role:

• can create a cycle of: temporary relief, guilt or shame, unhealthy eating habits

health consequences of comfort eating

frequent overconsumption can increase the risk of:

• obesity. type 2 diabetes, some cancers

indigenous Australians views on food and identity:

connection to food and culture: food is strongly connected to identity, culture and community

food connections people to: dreamtime stories, traditions, and kinship, ancestral lands.

e.g. kangaroo stew: used in ceremonies and community gatherings.

barriers to accessing traditional foods:

• loss of traditional lands

• environmental damage and climate change

• legal restrictions on hunting / gathering

• high costs and limited availability

key knowledge: the role of the media in shaping food information, beliefs, choices and values and how this can elicit emotional and psychological responses to food, including behaviors and consequences relating to body image, restrictive dieting and comfort eating

role of media on food, beliefs and behavior

positive role:

• increases awareness of healthy eating and nutrition information

• promotes positive behaviour and healthy social norms

• encourages healthier food choices

• cooking shows/media can influence cooking skills and confidence

negative role:

• information may be exaggerated, inaccurate or infulenced by marketing

• promotes unrealistic body standards

• labels foods as good or bad

media effects on body image:

may cause restrictive eating: severely limiting food intake, increased risk of disordered eating

may cause comfort eating: eating to cope with emotions/stress, often followed by guilt and shame.

Key Knowledge: the political influences on the food systems including the manufacturing industry, the advertising industry and consumer activism, and how these impact on food choices and food sovereignty

marketing and advertising tactic used by media

marketing

refers to the activities of business related to buying and selling a product of service

marketing strategy

involves finding out what consumers want and determining if its possible to produce it at the right price

what is advertising

apart of the marketing process used to promote products or services to consumers

purpose: persuade and inform consumers about the products

pop culture

uses trends, music , celebrities and social media to make products more appealing

e.g. viral trends and celebrity ads

celebrity endorsement

a famous person promotes a product works as people admire and trust celebrities

e.g. athletes promoting drinks

sponsorship

companies support events to increase brand awareness brands become associated with the event rather than direct advertising

e.g. food festivals, logos at events

use of characters:

uses mascots or movie characters

e.g. cereal mascots and happy meals

giveaways

are free items used to attract consumers and promote products

e.g. happy meal toys

advergames

are video games used to advertise a brand or product

use of color

advertising often uses color to attract different target markets

use of image

uses bold and attractive images to influence food choices

Key Knowledge: the relationships between current food systems and personal and social behaviors, with a focus on patterns that may encourage overconsumption of food and sedentary behavior

food system

food system includes everything involved in getting food from the farm to the plate.

overconsumption of food

eating more energy (kilojoules) than the body needs

sedentary behavior:

sitting of lying down with very low energy use

super sizing and portion distortion:

supersizing: increasing portion sizes to encourage higher consumption

portion distortion: large serves become the normal leading to overeating

packing and visual merchandising

large packing and bigger plates encourage higher food intake

Key Knowledge: the political influences on the food systems including the manufacturing industry, the advertising industry and consumer activism, and how these impact on food choices and food sovereignty

food sovereignty

right of individuals and communities to have control over their food choices and food systems, rather than large corporations controlling them.

manufacturing industry

government regulations controlling how food is produced, processed, labelled, sold

impact on food choices:

• helps consumers make informed choices

• improves food safety

• influences what foods can be sold

• encourages healthier products

advertising industry

advertising regulations are government rules that control how food products can be promoted to the public, particularly to children.

impact on food choices:

• reduces exposure to unhealthy food ads

• encourages healthier marketing

• influences consumer preferences

consumer activism:

individuals/groups pushing for changes to food policies and practices

impact:

• influences government policies

• pressures companies to charge

• increases consumer awareness

interactions with the food systems that can impact health and wellbeing

Key Knowledge: the role of key behavioral principles for the establishment of healthy diets in children and nutritious meal patterns within the home: exposure, modelling, and repetition

exposure, modelling, repetition

exposure

children develop food preferences through repeated exposure to foods.

role modelling: children copy the eating behaviors of adults and peers

marking food fun: fun presentation can encourage trying new foods

eating with others: peers and shared eating environments encourage children to try foods

modelling

children develop eating habits early in life

• they cope the food behaviors and attitudes of adults and caregivers

mealtime modelling: parents modelling healthy habits influences children food choices

shopping and meal preparations: giving children responsibility encourages positive food choices

talking about food: helps build long term understanding of healthy eating

repetition

children may need many exposures (up to 15) before accepting a food

• repetition can mean serving the same ingredient in different forms

• helps increase familiarity and acceptance over time.