What and how much to eat: taking measures to face the obesogenic societies

https://doi.org/10.18294/sc.2009.240

Published 4 December 2009 Open Access


Mabel Gracia Arnaiz Doctora en Antropología Social. Profesora Titular, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departamento de Antropología, Filosofia y Trabajo Social, Tarragona, España



Abstract views
803
Metrics Loading ...

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Keywords:

Obesity, Cultural Factors, Life Styles, Food and Nutrition Education

Abstract


Nutrition health-related problems are frequently explained by socio-cultural reasons. This article states the need to reconsider such reasons in the diagnosis of the worsening of eating habits since some agents have been typified from fast-food to sluggishness, from family collapse to the fast speed of living, from generalization of heating or mechanized transpotation to the insufficiency of sport equipment, from eating publicity to lack of educational nutrition. Although these causes seem to have a simple explanation, it is difficult to prove them. In Spain, all these factors are present, but little is known whether they have influenced or not in the daily eating habits and if such influence has been necessarily negative. What we have proved is that the way of present eating habits responds mainly to social and working problems, the breach of eating learning habits, the division of domestic work and the triumph of individual preferences. This partly explains why, even knowing the nutritional recommendations, certain eating practices seem to be far away from the "perfect diet".