OUR HUNGRY PLANET What we eat and why we eat it

Why We Eat what we eat Resources Psychological Physiological/ Biological Social Traditions Religion Cultural Taboos Food Availability Advertising Organoleptic (The senses)

RESOURCES Time Energy Money Facilities

Dual Income Families Busy lifestyle of children – no more “family dinners” Use of convenience food Eating out more often Poor or no attention to nutrition More reliance on snack foods More stress

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS Behavior Mood Attitudes toward eating Associated effects (status, roles, occasion)

Food is one of our primal instincts (Maslow, Freud) Food gives comfort and emotional contact Food means “I love you”, “Get well soon”, “We are sorry about your loss (grief)” Food relieves tension and boredom Food promotes friendship Food is for sharing Food is associated with shared experiences and memories

PHYSIOLOGICAL/BIOLOGICAL NEEDS Energy and Nutrient requirements Health needs Life cycle adaptations Medicinal Foods Diet Fads

Hunger is a basic function, body craves food to satisfy the appetite Regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain When blood sugar is low, body craves sweet things Body systems are fueled by CALORIES and are influenced by the METABOLIC RATE or METABOLISM Nutritional needs change over the lifespan – ex: calcium requirements for babies, toddlers, adolescents, women over 50, etc. Chinese medicine and Atharvedic medicines of India rely on foods, herbs and spices The US is obsessed with “diets” and current “health foods”. Ex. Coconut Oil

SOCIAL Parent’s food choices Holidays and Celebrations Social status – economic vs. cultural capital Regional variations

Food used at most gatherings to foster togetherness and group identity – who brings the snack for preschool, girl scouts. Food used as fund raisers ex: booster clubs Food is important in business relationships – company dinners, “boss for dinner”, “power lunch” Food as communication

RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Food and religion Christianity Hinduism Buddhism Judaism Moslem Societies differ in what they define as edible and inedible Social grouping defines what food you may eat and where you eat it

Religious habits – ex: Jewish holidays, hindu and buddhism = vegetarianism, fasting Traditions – Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Passover, Eid Ethnic group – areas of the world associated with different types of foods – PA German, Chinese, Hispanic, Indian Integration – as culture becomes assimilated foods pass into general population

FOOD AVAILABILITY Climate Geography Agriculture – advanced/subsistent Global domination and exploration Economic – First vs. Third World Transportation Food Preservation

Geography – soil, agricultural techniques, climate People used to eat what was locally grown – what has changed this? Transportation – Food costs closely track energy costs. Bringing food to market from all over the world is becoming increasingly expensive. Economics – Developed (richer) nations contain 30% of the world’s population and produce 60% of the world’s food supply. USA has one of the highest STANDARDS OF LIVING, but also some of the most nutrition related health care issues, such as DIABETES, OBESITY, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

ADVERTISING “Big Food” advertising $$$$ Children’s Television Consumer confusion vs. advocacy Product Placement

TV messages (overt and obvious) encourage people to eat more snack/empty calorie/expensive foods Advertisers use unreliable, biased and misleading information Food manufacturers encourage young people to eat convenience foods, fast foods and high calorie fizzy drinks

THE SENSES Taste – sweet, salt, bitter, sour, spicy, “umami” Smell Texture Appearance Sound Raw vs. cooked

FUTURE FOOD TRENDS International travel continues to introduce new food ideas and trends, often risking a safe food supply The future of agribusiness Sustainability – using locally grown food, in season from small growers. Ensuring a safe food supply Returning to old traditions Return third world farming traditions so that countries can provide enough to feed themselves

RESOURCES Bernstein, W.J. A Spendid Exchange: How trade shaped the world. Atlantic Monthly Press, McGee, H. On Food and Cooking, Scribner, NY, 1984 Menzel, P. & D’Aluisio F. Hungry Planet: What the world eats Material World Books and Ten Speed Press, Napa CA. 2005