What Are Eating Habits?

The experience of food consumption is something shared amongst all humans across the world; however it is also something that can separate or differentiate us from one another. Food is greatly intertwined with identity in that is our food choices can say a lot about our personality,

When it comes to things that are needed to sustain life, often times, these things are just part of the daily routine and have no positive, emotional stimulation. Food, on the other hand, is also required in order to survive, but for many it is one of the best parts of the day. Even though eating food is one of the most repetitive things we do as humans, it never gets old and is always exciting. Eating is almost always something that individuals look forward to and gives them a sense of joy. Each culture has a different approach on food eating habits and ways in which food is prepared, enjoyed, and consumed. Often times food practices by humans are determined by values, attitudes, beliefs, and environmental and religious circumstances; all of which are the products of tradition, culture, and contacts (Onuorah and Ayo, 2003). These unique variations in food consumption and food preparation make food habits absolutely fascinating and culturally distinct.

There are many influences that increase the risk of obesity in our society. Many of these influences are related to society, culture, and personal beliefs. In America, snacking has become a huge mode of calorie intake (Miller, 2015). According to Miller (2015), 56% of Americans snack three or more times a day and even skip main meals to snack. Majority of these snacks are processed food, low in nutritional content and high in fats and sugars (Miller, 2015). This meal skipping is due to a lack of planning and an increase in impulsivity (Bilge Burcak, 2010). An increase in impulsivity has led to an increase in binge eating and an interest in high calories foods (Bilge Burcak, 2010). This social norm has had a huge influence on increasing caloric intake and increasing the obesity epidemic.

People’s ability to assess certain courses of action brings about two distinct paths: it either hinders the person’s ability to gauge their surroundings or it enables them to see and act based on a completely new perspective. It is our seemingly competent nature, as generalists, that has led to the rise of the phenomenon known as the “national eating disorder.” Skewing food culture and trend patterns, we have come to trust in our natural aptitude for survival as a way to pave our way through sustaining nourishment while coming into terms with the opportunity costs that accompany all of our decisions. There is something about food that grabs people; it is the individual tastes and textures, the unique stories of each and every ingredient that is used to make food, and the smell of spices that brings familiarity that

The food we eat and how it impacts our day is a substantial part of being a human being. Food is very effective in a vast majority of ways and can impact a person variously in negative and positive ways. The food we eat is definitely linked to the healthiness and lifestyle that we acquire. In “Escape from the Western Diet”, by Michael Pollan and “Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating” by Mary Maxfield, to the very interesting point of views are sought out, and I am firmly behind one of them. One author believes that the food we eat is an extreme determining factor in how our lives are lived, and the other believes the food we consume has no actual impact on the well being of human lives.

The article titled Obesity and Learned Eating Behavior: A Review of First Bite: How We Learn to Eat by Bee Wilson depicts the social aspects of how eating habits are learned. The article breaks down how certain social factors play a role when it comes to a person eating habits in conjunction with what they were taught when they were first being raised as infants. Additionally, the author even discusses how cultural nuances aid in what some would consider a healthy diet in regards to processed foods versus eating all natural farm fresh items. Furthermore, such cultural differences have aided in the increase of obesity throughout the use improper dieting.

There is an evident difference in a variety of cultures and traditions throughout the world. According to Dr. Lucy Long, food culture “refers to the practices, attitudes, and beliefs as well as the networks and institutions surrounding the production, distribution, and consumption of food. It encompasses the concepts of foodways, cuisine, and food system and includes the fundamental understandings a group has about food, historical and current conditions shaping that group’s relationship to food, and the ways in which the group uses food to express identity, community, values, status, power, artistry, and creativity.” (Dr. Lucy Long, lexiconoffood.com). Four cultures and foods related to heath and obesity that are very different are the Chinese,

Food, has a specific meaning to all of us; for some it is a form of nourishment, for others it is a cultural act,

Food is a substance that humans eat in order to perform basic everyday functions. Accord to the author of Fat is a family affair, Judi Hollis;” America’s “drug” of choice is food” (25). The sugar from a soda pop or the crunches from potato chips drive anyone to drink or eat it. After a while our wants for a soda pop or chips develop into needs on a daily basis. The six needs to recovering from an obsessive eating is appreciation, approaching the new, relaxation, habit, sexuality, competition, and coping. Judi Hollis expresses appreciate as an important need for recovery.

On average, Americans eat 2,000 pounds of food every year, each. The question posed by the scientists of the study I read about was: “Why Americans Eat What They Do: Taste, Nutrition, Cost, Convenience, and Weight Control Concerns as Influences on Food Consumption?” I chose this study because I was/am interested in why Americans eat what they do. Unfortunately, I could not find a popular account linked to this scientific study, so this is purely based off of the study.

When thinking about food, is it possible that food can dictate our daily lives? Alan Ackerman, a theater scholar, discusses that people “act out” in public areas. Alan is explaining that people in different scenarios will act differently to certain things. This principle can also be used with food as well. When going through our days people have to eat food, but there has to be a reason behind what we eat. People have different lifestyles that involve eating only certain foods whether it be medically or personal preference. However, each individual meal has a different mindset for the outcome. For example, when I am going to class for a couple of hours and know I will not be able to eat for a few hours, I will eat a larger meal to keep

For many decades there have been major debates on people's eating habits in the United States. Rather it's okay to eat whatever citizens want, or letting the government interfere by putting regulations. In the reading section of “What Should We Eat” from the They Say I Say book, Authors express their opinions and evidence upon what is right as well wrong in the way people eat and the way they do. Michael Pollan, writer of Escape From the Western Diet, Michael Pollan emphasizes on having to stop eating the way we do in order to escape the western diet. Secondly, Mary Maxfield author of Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating focuses on her argument of food is food and people or culture shouldn't tell you what to

The decisions we make greatly influences our way of living, how we move in our environment, and how other people see us. The same goes for eating.

According to Delaney (2004) suggests that food is not biological, it is cultural. The food that is consumed shapes culture and culture shapes food and intern shapes our identity (Delaney, 2004). Counihan (1999) agrees and suggests that food is a “product and mirror of the organisation of society…it is connected to behaviours and meanings” (p. 6). The way in which food is produced, distributed and consumed illustrates power relations, gender and sex within societies (Counihan, 1999). She explains that each society has a distinct food way which structures the community, personalities and families within the society (Counihan, 1999).

Eating behaviour is a complex behaviour that involves a vast array of factors which has a great impact on the way we choose our meals. Food choice, like an other behaviour, is influenced by several interrelated factors. While hunger seems to drive our ways of food consumption, there are things outside of our own bodies that influence our food choices and the way in which we eat. The way we eat is controlled by and is a reflection of our society and cultures. I explore this idea through a food diary I created over a few weeks and the observations made by several anthropologists that I have studied.