In “ The Problem of Changing Food Habits”, anthropologist Margaret Mead addressed the problems that the United States had to cope by making the most of its food supplies in the face of impending war and the solutions to tackle these problems. The Committee on Food Habits determined where laid the weaknesses of the national dietary through determining the food pattern of population groups with different racial background. These problems involved social, scientific and cultural problems.
In the social aspect, the important characteristics of the American food pattern included the emphasis upon appearance of food rather than taste. Moreover, the effects of methods of food preparation in families on vitamin loss also directed the relationship between nutrition and the pattern of family life.
In the scientific aspect, the new knowledge of nutrition without any alterations in their diets might cause nutritional problems. For example, the studies of soil agronomy raised the question if “ eating locally grown food is or not the most nutritionally valuable behavior”, which caused people to change their food habits.
In the cultural aspect, the interactions between the “ culturated individual and his environment” also contributed to he change of food habits. For example, the alterations of meal patterns by immigrants from Eastern Europe to America could lead to severe nutritional dislocations. Increased shopping by people of high school age also changed the family food habits. Thus, the cultural differences in food habits provided the necessity for Committee to resolve the dietary pattern.
To solve the above problems, the Committee considered the types of meals served to families and individuals and made maximum allowances in nutritional values and cultural differences in food habits in case of emergency feeding. The Committee also believed that a dietary change would be effected more readily when a group decided to do so rather than aiming “ at the reform of identified individuals”. Examples included contacting preexisting organizations than forming new alignments. Clinical studies could also be used to threats of food shortage. In conclusion, the efforts of improving eating habits required the integration of cultural equilibrium and scientific techniques.
In “The Problem of Changing Food Habits”, anthropologist Margaret Mead addressed the problems that the United States had to cope by making the most of its food supplies by using pure and applied science. Mead first determined where laid the weaknesses of the national dietary through mentioning the food pattern of people with different racial background. These problems involved social, scientific and cultural problems.
ReplyDeleteMead argued the changes of the food patterns included cultural diversity and science problems. For example, Americans emphasized upon the appearance of food rather than taste. The influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe also led to severe nutritional dislocations as they skipped breakfasts. The advancement in science led to the new knowledge of nutrition but without any alterations in their diets. All these different food habits provided the necessity for the Committee on Food Habits to resolve the dietary pattern.
To solve the above dietary pattern, Mead addressed possible clinical solutions and applied science. She considered the types of meals served to families and individuals. She also believed that a dietary change would be effected more readily when a group decided to do so rather than aiming “ at the reform of identified individuals”. Examples included contacting preexisting organizations than forming new alignments. Clinical studies could also be used to threats of food shortage. In conclusion, the efforts of improving eating habits required the integration of cultural equilibrium and scientific techniques.