Food Production And Eating Habits From Around The World

This book brings together a selection of studies written by specialists from universities and/or research institutions from every continent. The processes of change in systems of production, commercialisation, and consumption of food, as well as the problems and nutritional habits analysed here, develop within the framework of the technological and socio-productive transformations experienced in many parts of the world as a consequence of the transition from traditional rural societies to the predominantly urban and industrial societies of our time. Many of these societies are affected by the fluctuations, questions, or socio-economic uncertainties caused principally by what is named globalisation. The authors involved in this volume are from a variety of backgrounds and their theoretical-analytical focuses regarding eating habits are quite diverse. However, independent of their different perspectives and scientific disciplines (Anthropology, Communication, Economy, Marketing, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology and Sociology), all of these authors are united in their concerns regarding similar food processes and problems, such as the industrialisation of food production, junk food, fast food, eating disorders, overeating, obesity, the impacts of ideal body images on eating behaviours, lifestyles and feeding, anorexia, bulimia, organic foods, healthy foods, functional foods, and so on. Moreover, in a time shaped by a worldwide standardisation of eating habits, the search for identity, specificity, or distinction through the acquisition and consumption of foods is commonplace in many chapters of the book. Likewise, these chapters show a generalised interest on the negative effects of the advertising and communications media that often drive patterns of food consumption and provoke desires for ideals of beauty and body forms prejudicial to health. As the editor states in the preface, all this occurs in an ever more modernised and globalised world in which artificial procedures of the production of industrial foods that are quite opaque to the general public become increasingly widespread. In such a world, while people's concerns over the healthiness of foods increase, we are witnessing a non-stop expansion of markets for organic food, as well as the repeated manipulation of growing consumers' preferences for certain foodstuffs that they believe are healthy or have specific natural qualities. This manipulation frequently takes place through a variety of advertisements that announce a series of industrial foods as supposedly possessing these qualities. Obviously, a priority objective of these and other advertising strategies is to increase sales in the agro-alimentary sector in a context of obvious over-production and over-supply, which in turn is translated into the stimulation of food consumption. This would help explain such developments in the current consumer society, which is explored in further detail in many chapters of this book.

As someone who was trained in the clinical sdentific tradition it took me several years to start to appreciate that food was more than a collection of nutrients, and that most people did not make their choices of what to eat on the biologically rational basis of nutritional composition. This realiza tion helped tobring me to an understanding of why people didn't always eat what (I believed) was good for them, and why the patients I had seen in hospital as often as not had failed to follow the dietary advice I had so confidently given. When I entered the field of health education I quickly discovered the farnaus World Health Organization definition of health as being a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease. Health was a triangle -and I had been guilty of virtu ally ignoring two sides of that triangle. As I became involved in practical nutrition education initiatives the deficiencies of an approach based on giving information about nutrition and physical health became more and more apparent. The children whom I saw in schools knew exactly what to say when asked to describe a nutritious diet: they could recite the food guide and list rich sources of vitamins and minerals; but none of this intellectual knowledge was reflected in their own actual eating habits.

A deeply human-centered perspective on the origins of America's food Where Am I Eating? bridges the gap between global food producers and the American consumer, providing an insightful look at how our eating habits affect farmers and fishermen around the world. Follow the author on his global quest to meet the workers that nurture, harvest, and hunt our food, as he works alongside them—loading lobster diving boats in Nicaragua, harvesting bananas in Costa Rica, lugging cocoa beans in Ivory Coast with a modern-day slave, picking coffee beans in Colombia and hauling tomatoes in Indiana. This new edition includes a study guide, a deeper explanation of the "glocal" concept, and advice for students looking to become engaged as both local and global citizens. Arguing neither for nor against globalization, this book simply explores the lives of those who feed us. Imports account for eighty-six percent of America's seafood, fifty percent of its fresh fruit, and eighteen percent of its fresh vegetables. Where Am I Eating? examines the effects of this reliance on those who supply the global food economy. Learn more about the global producers that feed our nation, and learn from their worldviews intensely connected to people and planet Discover how food preferences and trends affect the lives of farmers and fishermen Catch a boots-on-the-ground glimpse of the daily lives of food producers on four continents Meet a modern-day slave and explore the blurred line between exploitation and opportunity Observe how the poorest producers fare in the global food economy This book takes a human-centered approach to food, investigating the lives of the people at the other end of the global food economy, observing the hope and opportunity—or lack thereof—that results from our reliance on imports. Where Am I Eating? is a touching, insightful, informative look at the origins of our food.

Globalization of the food supply has created conditions favorable for the emergence, reemergence, and spread of food-borne pathogens-compounding the challenge of anticipating, detecting, and effectively responding to food-borne threats to health. In the United States, food-borne agents affect 1 out of 6 individuals and cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year. This figure likely represents just the tip of the iceberg, because it fails to account for the broad array of food-borne illnesses or for their wide-ranging repercussions for consumers, government, and the food industry-both domestically and internationally. A One Health approach to food safety may hold the promise of harnessing and integrating the expertise and resources from across the spectrum of multiple health domains including the human and veterinary medical and plant pathology communities with those of the wildlife and aquatic health and ecology communities. The IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop on December 13 and 14, 2011 that examined issues critical to the protection of the nation's food supply. The workshop explored existing knowledge and unanswered questions on the nature and extent of food-borne threats to health. Participants discussed the globalization of the U.S. food supply and the burden of illness associated with foodborne threats to health; considered the spectrum of food-borne threats as well as illustrative case studies; reviewed existing research, policies, and practices to prevent and mitigate foodborne threats; and, identified opportunities to reduce future threats to the nation's food supply through the use of a "One Health" approach to food safety. Improving Food Safety Through a One Health Approach: Workshop Summary covers the events of the workshop and explains the recommendations for future related workshops.

Who can deny the significance of food? It has a central role in our health and pleasure as well as in our economy, politics and culture. Food in Society provides a social science perspective on food systems and demonstrates the rich variety of disciplinary and theoretical contexts of food studies. While hunger and malnutrition remain a reality in many countries, for some food has become an experience rather than a sustenance. This book addresses the different worldwide understandings of food through thematic chapters and a wide range of material including: description of the political economy of the food chain, from production to the point of sale; analysis of global issues of supply and demand; critical debate of environmental and health aspects of food, including GM food, the role of habits, taboos, age and gender in food consumption. Each chapter contains a guide to further reading and to websites of relevance to food. Extensively illustrated, this book is essential reading for students of food studies in the social sciences and humanities.

People were once restricted to food native to their region and produced locally. Today, however, food from any place in the world is available, or can be made available, anywhere else. Often there is no or very little information about the nutritional and health aspects of these foods. Nutrition and Health of Western European Foods: Traditional and Ethnic Diets is part of series that will cover the entire globe and is aimed at filling the knowledge gap from traditional and scientific points of view. This volume provides an analysis of traditional and ethnic foods from Western Europe, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany. It also addresses the history of use, composition, preparation, ingredient origin, nutritional aspects, and health effects of various foods and food products in each of these countries. Nutrition and Health of Western European Foods: Traditional and Ethnic Diets ultimately presents both local and international regulations, providing suggestions to harmonize these regulations and promote global availability of these foods. Analyzes nutritional and health claims related to western European foods Includes traditional and ethnic foods from Ireland, the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany Explores both scientific and anecdotal diet-based health claims Examines if foods meet regulatory requirements, and how to remedy noncompliance Reviews the influence of historical eating habits on today’s diets

This volume tells the story of the South Americans and their history through a survey of their food culture. Food in the various countries differs in some ways because of cultural heritage, cooking techniques, and geography, here divided into four zones. The traditions of the primary groups—Indians, Europeans, and Africans—and their five centuries of mixing have still resulted in a stable food culture. The foods of the Indians before European contact still play an important role, along with other foods brought by successive immigrant groups. Europeans tried to establish their staples, wheat and wine, with little success. Many dishes, cooking methods, and food habits have survived with little modification since time immemorial. Students and other readers will learn much about the South American foodways in daily life today, with special attention paid to historical perspective and any rural and urban differences. For example, in all the major cultural groups, food preparation and cooking have always been women's work, with the exception of the meat roast (asado) by llaneros and gauchos. The rise of the cooking profession is discussed as well. A fascinating look at the daily meal schedule includes insight in to how the European conquerors imposed their eating habits and encouraged overeating, with the abundance found in the New World. Modern life is shown to affect where people eat, as buying meals, often from street vendors, during the workday has become more of a necessity. The survey includes a discussion of special occasions, including agricultural celebrations and Catholic feasts with indigenous elements. The overview is completed by a chapter on diet and health, covering such topics as botanical knowledge and science and an assessment of the nutritional value of the South American staples. Classic recipes from many of the countries and illustrations complement the narrative.

Poor nutrition, foodborne disease and lack of secure access to good food make an important contribution to the burden of disease and mortality in the WHO European Region. Better diets, food safety and food security will not only reduce or prevent suffering to individuals and societies but also help cut costs to health care systems and bring social and economic benefits to countries. People's chances for a healthy diet depend less on individual choices than on what food is available and whether it is affordable. Policies to benefit health through good food and nutrition must extend beyond the health sector to include sectors ranging from agriculture and food processing, manufacturing and trade to transport, retailing, catering and advertising. Food and nutrition policies should be coordinated so that public health is given due priority in the making of food policies by non-health sectors. This publication discusses in depth the components of food and nutrition policies and the evicence of supporting them. It higlights the urgent need for integrated, multisectoral food and nutrition policies to encourage the sustainable production of food, its safety and the provision of food of high nutritional quality for all. [Editor]