Module 7 - Sociocultural Factor in Nutrition

What are the factors that influence food choice?

1. culture

2. Nutrition knowledge and beliefs

3. Food preferences

4. Practical considerations

Culture factor includes:

1. Defining acceptable and unacceptable foods 

2. Customs 

3. Food symbolism and meaning 

4. Religious beliefs

Nutritional knowledge and beliefs factor includes:

1. Health concerns

2. Attitudes toward diet and wellness

3. Education

Food preferences factor includes:

1. Taste, smell, colour, texture, temperature 

2. Heredity (genetic preference)

3. Familiarity (exposure from childhood)

Food prefrences is primarily — by people

learned

Practical considerations factor includes:

1. Food availability and cost

2. Hunger

3. Convenience and access 

4. Health status (allergies, disease restriction) 

which food choice factor is the most important determinant for what people eat?

Why?

Practical considerations

As food cost and food availability determine what people can eat 

What is culture?

A system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours, artifacts that people of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are passed down from generation to generation through learning

All cultures are — developed, so none is better, more advanced, or more — than others

equally

primitive/superior

— is a major part of culture

Food

Culture is learned throughout life, thus not —

innate (born with)

how does culture influence dietary habits?

1. How food is acquired and stored

2. Which foods are selected for consumption

3. How foods are prepared

4. Meal patterns 

5. Attitudes towards food 

What is acculturation?

This results in —

This is the learning of the surrounding culture’s behaviour patterns

Changes in food choices, clothing, language

What is ethnocentrism?

This causes —

This is the belief that one’s culture (value system and lifestyle) is most appropriate/superior

One to judge other cultures by the values and standards of one’s own culture

Ethnocentrism can be expressed  by encountering a lifestyle/values that are different from ours and respond with —

disapproval, disgust, disbelief, anger, amusement

What is cultural relativism?

This is where beliefs, values, customs, behaviours, ethnics are relative to social context, so it’s the belief that there are no right or wrong cultures, and that cultures are just different

Cultural relativism encourages —

Not to judge another culture 

In terms of Jews, their dietary rules are based on scholarly interpretations of the —

— means what is acceptable to eat

Torah

Kosher

In temrs of muslims, their dietary rules are based on whats — and — to eat

halal

haram

Throughout the world, — diets are being replaced with — diets

traditional

modern

What does a traditional diet consist of?

• Lean protein

• High fiber

• Complex carbbs

• Vegs

• Fruits

Traditional diet allows body functions to work at its—

best

What does a modern diet consist of?

• Simple sugars

• High fat

• Sodium

• Processed food

Modern diet allows body functions to work at its —

worst

What is the foundation for modern dietary habits?

1. Agricultural revolution 

• Human culture moved away from hunter-gatherer and towards agriculture and settlement 

2. Industrial revolution

• This is changes in agriculture and industry, and moving towards mechanization and mass production

Industrial revolution introduced:

1. Refining whole grains, where fiber and vitamins are removed to increase storage 

2. Refining sugar, where sugar cane or sugar beet is processed 

3. Pasteurization 

4. Refrigeration 

5. Hydrogenation 

6. Canned foods

Industrialization increased food processing and consumption of —

processed foods

What is social determinants of health (SDoH)

This is the conditions in which people are bone, grow, live, work in, which is shaped by distribution of money, power, resources

SDoH is most responsible for —

health inequities

SDoH key determinants include:

1. Race

2. Gender

3. Culture

4. Education

5. Employment and working conditions

6. Income

7. Enviroment