Why We Eat What We Eat

Shifts in the “Food Marketplace” have greatly affected our food choices and habits in the last 40-50 years. As one woman stated in the film The Weight of the Nation, “It’s so hard to combat with what the tv is telling you to feed your kids”. Advertising has come to a whole new level in our generation; you can’t turn on the television without seeing an advertisement for fast food or something equally as unhealthy. As another woman put it, “you are taught that you can eat anywhere, anytime of day, and that eating is a glorious thing”. Another shift that has occurred is an economic one. If you go into a poor neighborhood corner store like they did in the film, you would see chips, sugar, sweets, etc. All of these unhealthy foods are cheap, incredibly cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables. Obesity rates in these poor areas are much higher than in areas with a higher average income. Culturally, our country is changing to one that is always moving; we don’t have time to prepare a meal for the whole family. It’s much quicker to buy unhealthy fast food that you know your family will enjoy than to prepare a healthy meal that they will grudgingly consume. The film mentioned that our bodies were originally built for scarcity. We are wired to react to things that are sweet and contain a lot of fat because when an animal was killed we had to be able to eat as much of it as possible. The signals telling us to stop eating had to be overridden. Now, we consume so much fat and sugar not

The processes of eating and drinking are natural human instincts. These processes allow us to acquire the energy required to function throughout the day. However, with the abundance of choices that surround eating and drinking, others may eat and drink for enjoyment of diverse tastes. This leads to the basis of the idea of gluttony, where people over consume the necessary amount of food and drink needed for survival. Nonetheless, if gluttony is defined as just the act of eating, or perhaps even overeating, it should not be considered a moral failing. Although gluttony could be seen as a selfish act that harms others, eating is also a natural instinct, unable to be controlled by individuals. Since the definition of gluttony and its consequences

This essay is going to describe how the society has an influence on food choice. Food is very important to the human body since it has the right nutrients for a balanced diet in order to enable good health and growth. However people depend on food, as people need food throughout, for the body to constantly work. However this essay is going to explore how food choice has influenced the internal and external factors that may actually have a little to do with the food itself, and in order to give a clear concept this essay will therefore explore the social factors of what one has to eat.

For most Americans, the word poverty means insufficient access to to housing, clothing and nutritious food that meet their needs for a healthy life. A consequence of poverty is a low socioeconomic status that leads to being exposed to poor nutrition. Since food and dietary choices are influenced by income, poverty and nutrition go hand in hand. There are many important factors that threaten the nutritional status of poor people. The number one factor is not having enough money to buy food of good quality and quantity. Not having enough money can have a profound impact on the diets of low-income people. Limited financial resources may force low income people to make difficult decisions about what kind and how much food to buy. Limited

There are many different reasons why people eat the food that they do. Food is what gives people the energy they need to function and can also provide comfort for some. The reasons why people eat differ from person to person, but some of the main reasons of focus will be the religious, social, economic, cultural, and media. Food has a big influence on our lives more than people may realize.

Eating is a fundamental human activity, an activity that is both necessary for survival and inextricably connected with social function. Eating habits and rituals, the choice of dining companions, and the reasons behind these behaviors are fundamental to fostering an understanding of human society. Food not only distinguishes and represents a culture, but can also reflect one's personality, lifestyle, and socio-economic status. Food is used in different circumstances in life. In the movie my big fat Greek wedding there are three reasons for eating, which are physical needs, social need, and food symbolism.

the body in numerous forms. Most of the time, people eat according to their customs and

The dollar menu section of this documentary focused on how processed foods and fast food are typically less expensive than healthier foods. The documentary shows one family having the dilemma at the grocery store: a family is aware that the father who has diabetes needs a healthier diet with more fresh, but they are forced to buy foods they can afford. As the film implies people with lower incomes are more likely to eat processed, cheaper, foods, leading to a higher rate of diabetes, obesity and other health problems. The federal government spends billions each year subsidizing commodity crops. Over time, prices of certain crops, like soybeans and corn, were lowered due to these subsidies causing overproduction which made them a lot cheaper than other crops. Since these crops were so cheap, meat and food producers started using them for a variety of purposes, such as, high-fructose corn syrup, animal feed and hydrogenated oils. The lowest-priced options at the grocery are processed foods made from subsidized ingredients that have refined grains with added fats and sugars. This cheap food has had the greatest impact on low-income families. Because are on a tight budget, the price difference between fresh healthy foods and food with subsidized

But the real question is, now that we’ve read it, will we make better, healthier, food choices? The Omnivore’s Dilemma is a very interesting, informative book. In the following paragraphs I will explain how pure evidence alone won’t make much of a difference for most people. I will write about how family and media can influence your food choices, our society today and how people might think I’m wrong.

In this case, socioeconomic factors, especially education and income, are key contributors to poor nutrition and lifestyle behaviors. Greg Critser points out studies which show that the effects of socioeconomic status on disparities are stronger than those of race and ethnicity . Regardless of which characteristic might be a stronger contributor to diet-related disparities, the significance of socioeconomic factors cannot be exaggerated. For example, level of education impacts knowledge of dietary recommendations and skills to make healthy food choices , while income influences whether a person have access to healthier foods at a price they can afford. When people move from middle to low socioeconomic status food choices shift toward cheaper, but more energy-dense foods. Low socioeconomic status leads to consuming high calorie food and avoiding physical

The changes in social behaviors are for the worst. The technology has impacted the world and the enviornment around us. The new phones, tv's, tablets, and video game systems have grown over time and has almost fully taken over the world and its people. When you sit outside and look around you what do you see? Almost evryone around you has a phone in their hand, on their cheek, or on around them.

Eating food is essential for all of us, it keep us alive and also gives us enjoyment at the same time. Food can be defined as any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue. (ilearn) In ancient time, when people feel hungry, they eat. However, as human history keep developing and evolving, we have a higher standard on choosing food that we like to eat nowadays. In this paper, we are going to evaluate factors that are influencing our food habits and food culture. Those factors can be divided into two main categories, internal factors (individual preference and values) and external factors (geographical, religion, social, economic and political).

Last but not least, technology makes us lazy. Children do not want to read books anymore when they can just run to a computer and get the summary of the book. People are becoming obese because they are not getting out of their homes anymore to exercise because they are glued to Farmville on Facebook. We rather do something easy than actually take the time to do it the long way around. Technology has made the people of the world couch potatoes. We can do everything at a push of a button, and we don’t have to put forth much effort to do the things that we once use to do manually.

The way we eat food has changed drastically in the past few decades. When I think of the process of how our food is made and produced, I typically think of a farm with animals laying around, eating grass, content with everything. Also, I picture ripe red tomatoes, apples, and sweet smelling fruit being pick right when it is ripened so it can get to our grocery stores. This is typically how most people picture our food coming from a farm. It is how they want us to picture it, because it is a happy image: but, it is far from the reality of how things are.

Another negative effect that is contributing to food related diseases is the fact that our society consumes large portions of food in one sitting. When someone looks at their plate piled high and wide, they will most likely eat the whole thing. So many people today do not understand how to control their portion sizes and that is why they overeat. Just as home cooked meals can be better for you, in that you can personally monitor it, the same goes for portion sizes (Elliot). One way to do this is by purchasing single portions of snacks or ordering half or smaller sizes of meals, versus a full or “biggie” size. Also, attempt to snack on more fruits and vegetables, as this will decrease your chances of developing a food-related disease (Living smart). When dining out, portion sizes are predetermined, and most people choose to eat it all rather than waste it or take it home. Research has shown that people unintentionally consume more calories when faced with larger portions (CDC). Compared to years ago, the portion sizes have increased dramatically, and with increased portions come an increase in waist sizes (CDC). Good tips to try when ordering is: don’t be afraid to take home what you can’t eat in one sitting. You can always make a second meal out of it versus overstuffing yourself; or only order what you can eat in one sitting. Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your mouth!