1. Note

2. Lecture Feb
SOCIOLOGY OF NUTRITION

3. SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF FOOD

4. Food is much more than for biological purposes:
-life cycle and rites of passage – they have been hypothesised to signify changes in socioeconomic relationships and responsibilities
-eg weddings, births, deaths, graduations, first communions

5. Food is much more than for biological purposes:
-food usages frequently symbolise social relationships –represented by displays, exchanges and consumption of foods.
-if food symbolises social relationships then food sharing attitudes and practices are indicative of social structure

6. Food is much more than for biological purposes:
  Food distribution and consumption
-food is distributed to areas where it is consumed (market forces i.e. economics)
-food is distributed to and consumed by those in need (sociology)
-food is distributed as an indication of welcome and compassion
-Sept 11-Gander, Halifax, Moncton
-consumption by those on aircraft- comfort in time of stress
-food distributed to immediate family only (concept of nuclear family)

7. Specific social functions of food
-prestige and status
-status and food behaviour
-food and fashion
-status and food ownership
-food friendship and communication
-peer acceptance
-food as reward and punishment
-food gifts and sharing
-potluck
-feasts and festivals

8. Specific social functions of food -prestige and status
-status and food behavior
-meats for example-significance of food type in terms of status
-impact on adequacy, balance,variety, moderation, nutrient density, energy control
-waiting until head of house starts
-waiting until all are present
-executive dining rooms

9. Specific social functions of food
-prestige and status
-status and food behaviour
-freedom to choose rare and costly items to impress others
-freedom to select expensive restaurants for personal gratification

10. Specific social functions of food
-prestige and status
-status and food behaviour
-freedom to prepare difficult and time consuming dishes
-such freedoms are highly prized- if one has a large array of choices then one has high status
-the ability to choose is based on financial resources-choice = good nutrition ?

11. Specific social functions of food -prestige and status
-status and food behaviour
-in hospitals and institutions there are complaints- complaints frequently arise from lack of choice
-lack of choice (eg social assistance) may lead to purchasing eg alcohol- this is an escape mechanism impact on nutrition

12. Specific social functions of food
-prestige and status
-food and fashion
-what characteristics does the food have
-brown sugar
-white bread
-1930s and 1940s- bottle feeding the rage- breast feeding low class
2015-breast feeding feeding the rage

13. Specific social functions of food
-prestige and status
-status and food ownership
-the more food one has the better off one is perceived to be
-social agencies’ inspections

14. Food, friendship and communication
-eating together is an indication of compatibility and /or acceptance
-offering to share food is an offer to share a bit of oneself

15. Food, friendship and communication -peer acceptance
-adolescents- junk food
-strong willed youth who, at least with junk food peers, will not consume milk and salad
-such food is usually consumed socially within a youth environment of music, noise and company
-parents may not allow such trappings in structured meals at home

16. Food, friendship and communication
-food as reward and punishment
-acceptance or refusal to eat with someone
-food as reward and punishment for children
-consequences of this approach?

17. -Food gifts and sharing
-potluck- a sign of friendship
-abundance of food leads to persons more willing to share
-is this always the case?
-expression of concern, sympathy or gratitude
-homemade foods have a particular value over bought foods

18. Food gifts and sharing
-generalised reciprocity
-no expectation of return
-no attempt to assess value of goods
-no balancing out
-examples

19. Food gifts and sharing
-balanced reciprocity
-occurs usually among social equals who have some sort of relationship
-expectation of return
-takes into account value of gift
-examples

20. Food gifts and sharing
-negative reciprocity
-immediate exchange and strict accounting of value
eg commercial transactions-eg grocery shopping

21. Feasts and festivals
-choosing which feasts and festivals to attend will dictate one’s food choices
-celebrate religious event- e.g. Christmas
-celebrate a harvest- e.g. Oktoberfest,
Thanksgiving