A Discussion of the Considerable Importance of Food

Food can be defined as any product, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, intended to be ingested by the humans whether of nutritional value or not. Food is the main source of energy and of nutrition for an individual, and is usually of plant or animal origin. Adequate nutritional intake plays a significant role in the maintenance of health. Appropriate food choice is an essential factor in maintaining body functioning and health.

The selection of foods by human groups is influenced by a numerous of factors. The question as to why one eats, or what one eats, is certainly a complex one. There are many determinants that affect the food choice of an individual. Physiological factors as well as cultural factors, media, socioeconomic factors affects the food choice and consumption and may adversely affect the nutritional well being. Culture however appears to be the major determinant of what we eat.

The concept of food consumption is much more complex, the food that we eat is at the basis of our culture society and our existence. Culture plays one of the most influential roles in the choices and the subsequent selection of foods consumed in certain societies. As culture comes from ones history and tradition, along with the culture comes the set of rules and practices of food choice, which we acquire as we grow up, called cuisine. A culture group provides guidelines regarding acceptable foods, food combinations, eating habits and patterns. People eat according to the learned behaviors regarding etiquette, meal and snack pattern, acceptable food, food combination, and portion sizes. (www.geocities.com/nvaladi/food.html)

Culture has a value system which comes into prominence through traditional values. Dominant values influence all aspects of food related activity as well as the way specific foods are viewed. The substance accepted as food by culture some are labeled as good and some as bad. Traditional influence leads to the difference in the habitual consumption of certain foods and into the rich heritage of preparation, and in certain cases can lead to restrictions such as exclusion of meat and milk from the diet. Many different cultures encourage or discourage consumption of different food at different stages of life. This can be because of benefits and hazard of consuming these foods at certain times of life. For example the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is not approved in most of the cultures.

However another most important determinant of food choice is media. Media is an important aspect of life in our daily food consumption. The media seeks to inform us, persuade us, and entertain us. The media has an enormous influence on the food selection. Things like television, newspaper, magazines and Internet are being used extensively today. The role of media in shaping food habits is a controversial one. As an impersonal communication channel is more effective in conveying information than in active persuasion some claim that mass media impact is limited simply to making people aware of what is available. This implies that advertising only affects those who are already inclined to buy the product. Advertising therefore influence choice of brands or specific commodity within an already desired category of item. Hence if someone intends to buy a can of soup then adverts may push particular brands in the minds of the person, so that when actual purchases are made then these brands are selected. However if the person have no desire to eat canned soups then the advertising is not going to persuade him to buy that product. (Fieldhouse Paul, Food and Nutrition, Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2002). This indicates that media has a strong influence on individuals eating habits. However it has been able to persuade the individual to buy a particular commodity only if the person has a desire to buy one. Brand loyalties are formed in this way.

The media can positively influence the food choice by promoting health education and awareness through healthier food choices. Broadcast and written media can be a source of valuable on health and well being. In addition, awareness of eating disorders, through magazines, newspapers, television programmers may educate people about the danger of abusing food, and may help to make sufferers aware that they have a problem and that they are not alone. However there is some concern and worry that media exposure such as some television commercials may contribute to the higher fat and high energy food choices. It is a well known fact that 75% of food commercials are of high fat food like chips, burgers, pizza's biscuits and soft drinks.

Moreover the commercial promotion of food product does not, on the whole, focus on the nutritional value of a product. Rather advertising utilizes powerful symbolic meaning of foods, so that what is being sold is not just a product, but a lifestyle, a dream, a source of emotional fulfillment. Marketing creates a desire for many less nutritious foods. For example Maggie Noodles are not marketed for their nutritional value, but for their fun and taste. However such foods often replace more nutritious foods in children's diets which is a growing cause of concern for mothers, pediatricians and nutritionists. Media also caters to the busy lifestyles. Grocery store shelves are crowded with the pre-cooked foods, soups and ready to eat prepackaged Indian gravies. These foods usually do not contain fresh fruits and vegetables and are often high in fat, salt and preservatives. Therefore these are certainly not considered as healthy meal options. However it is the influence of media which provokes people into buying them.

Mass media advertising also plays a great role in the formation of children's food habit. Many advertisements are specifically targeted at children and feature confectionery, soft drink and snacks. Media often target children by using tie-ups with the movies, fast food restaurants and toys. Children then pressure their parents to visit certain restaurants and buy food for them based not on their nutritional value but whether they can obtain a desired toy. However it is obvious that children are exposed to large amount of food advertising, that the products advertised are mostly low nutrient foods, and that this have an impact on children's food preference and behaviors. For example Mc Donald's gives advertisements on television which are mainly targeted towards the children's (like if one buys a Happy Meal he/she will get a toy free with it.).

Foods habits are acquired early in life and once established are likely to be long lasting and resistance to change. Therefore socialization is another factor that greatly influences the food choice of an individual. Socialization describes the process by which culturally valued norms of behavior are passed on from generation to generation. It is a life long process; natural functions such as eating become socialized as the growing child is conditioned by customs and traditions. (Fieldhouse Paul, Food and Nutrition, Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2002).

Social influence on food intake refers to the impact that one or more people have on the eating behaviors of others, either direct or indirect, either conscious or subconscious. Even when eating alone, food choice is influenced by the social factors because attitudes and habits develop through the interactions with others. Members of social group depend on each other, share a common culture, and influence each other's behaviors and values. A person's membership in particular peer, work or community groups impact food behaviors. For example, a person at a hockey game may eat certain food when accompanied by friends and may eat other foods when accompanied by his or her parent or teacher.

Primary socialization occurs early in life mainly through the influence agency of ones immediate family. The infant and young child are dependent on adults for what they get to eat and food is one of the basic medium through which adult attitudes and sentiments are communicated. Children have to learn to like what is prescribed by the culinary culture in which they are raised; they have little choice other than through the refusal to eat at all. For example in Hindu religion Dal and Rice are the first diet which the children learn to eat ad never forgets during their life time. One of the specific ways in which children learned what is approved of and acceptable as food is through a system of reward and punishment. Rewards and punishments may be explicit or implicit and are often accompanied with other reinforcing messages. The child who performs well in his studies is rewarded with his or her favorite food, and the ill behaved child is forced to eat whatever is served to him. (Fieldhouse Paul, Food and Nutrition, Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2002). This shows that socialization strongly influences ones eating habits. Children pick up food habits from their parents which they never forget in their lifetime.

Social support can have a beneficial effect on food choice and healthful dietary change. Social support from within the household can improve the consumption of fruits and vegetables and can also improve the eating habits respectively. Social support may enhance the health promotions through developing the sense of group belonging and helping people to be more helpful and self- effective. Family is widely recognized as being significant in food decisions. This is because family and friends can be a source of encouragement in making and sustaining dietary change which may benefit the individual whilst also having an effect on the eating habits. Thus it can be said that good and healthy eating habits like balanced diet, inclusion of fruits and vegetables in the daily meals exclusion of junk food are a major influence of the family which is the base of one's socialization.

As the children grow older they are exposed to diverse experiences and view points to multiple influences. Socializing agencies may compliment or conflict with one another. For example food habits which have been informally learned at home are either reinforced or contradicted in the more formal setting of the school. Thus it leads to the re socialization which refers to the change in the daily routines and practices and replaces them with the new ones. Re socialization may some times create drastic changes in food habits. A very obvious example of re socialization is when a teenager leaves home and starts living on college campus. Healthy eating habits now give way to fad foods, junk food consumption and unreasonable meal timing.

To corroborate the above fact the following point is worth mentioning .Although majority of food is eaten at home, an increasing proportion is eaten outside the home for example in schools, at work place, and at restaurants. The venue in which food is eaten can affect the food choice, particular on terms of what foods are on offer. The availability of healthy food at home and away from home increases the consumption of such food. However, access to healthy food is limited in many work and school environments. This is particularly true for those with irregular hours or with particular requirements, example vegetarian. (www.eufic.org/gb/heal/heal13.htm)

Therefore it can be evaluated that socialization plays a major role in influencing the food choice of an individual. Socialization is the main source through which an individual acquires food habits and behaviors.

Technology has contributed to the convenience and comfort of the society. The influence of technology is indeed reflective. Every culture has set value upon technological developments that have allowed changes to take place in the production, distribution preparation and consumption of food. The effects of technology upon food consumption have always has a great influence upon the society that consumes the food as well as upon the food habits themselves. The links between technology and food have precipitated the significant developments in society.

The continuous series of technological advancement has affected the food habits and behavior of an individual. Technology has allowed the distribution of food from different areas; internal and external trade brought tremendous ranges of food into the hands of ordinary people. For example the exploration of new world in 16 century brought tomatoes, potatoes, turkey, corn into the British diets.

Technology has also helped in preserving food for surplus which has also affected the eating behavior. For example the development of tin canning, corned beef, tined fruits, carrots etc has helped to provide cheap food to the poor. The reliability of tin food was ensured only after Louis Pasteur work on bacteriology in 1860. Refrigeration and freezing brought about significant changes in the purchasing behavior leading to the move to long term customer purchase and storage.

Due to the technological advancement people are becoming aware of different products in the market. This is mainly because of technical advancement in media industry.

The emergence of fast food outlets everywhere has been made possible by rapid technological changes. The arrival of car as an affordable family good has made transportation relatively easy to go out for a meal, with a fast food restaurant within a 3 minute drive. Now a day's many fast food restaurants also provide with a drive through service.

There have been numerous advances in food technology which have revolutionized the nature of food supply and which have had direct and indirect effects on food habits. Preservation techniques such as drying and freezing, cooking methods such as microwaving, equipments which monitors and controls temperatures, dicing and shaping of raw ingredients etc all have contributed to the revolution.

The advent of sophisticated computer technology has also contributed to the operations of restaurant. Computers can control cooking operations to an almost infinite degree, eliminating the human error, and deviations from absolute consistency. (Fieldhouse Paul, Food and Nutrition, Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2002). For example the coming up of credit card system in hotels and restaurants has encouraged the individuals to spend more on eating.

Technological developments, therefore, have had an enormous influence upon all aspects of food production and consumption. They can determine the ways by which the environment is adapted and modified for crop choice and agricultural practices; they influence storage and preservation techniques, modes of manufacturing outside and inside the home; trade and distribution links; as well as modes of eating. Moreover, these influences often have wider implications for the other types of cultural activity that become taken for granted aspects of every society's everyday life and practice.

There are many influences on food choice which provides a whole set of means to intervene and improves people food choice. Food choice is affected by many interrelated factors. The key driver for eating is of course hunger and satiety, but what we choose to eat is not determined solely by physiological or nutritional needs. Other factors which influence our food choice are culture, social factors, technological factors, and media.

The interrelationships of food habits with culture emphasizes the futility of treating the food choices as being intellectual decisions made on rationale nutritional ground only. Food usages are signposts to understanding different cultures. The patterns of food preparation, distribution and consumption reflect the type of social relationships in the society.

This essay has been designed to examine the different ways by which the media, socialization, and technology influences food choices and habits. Socialization is the first determinant of individual's food choice. The community to which person belongs, his family, colleagues greatly influences his food choice. Social support can enhance health promotions by creating a sense of group belonging and helping people to become more helpful and self effective. Media being the second determinant has both positive and negative aspects. Although it creates awareness among people regarding health care but it is also responsible for soiling the eating habits of individuals and children's. The last one of the important determinant of individual's food choice is technology. The technological advancement has affected the food choice of individual. Due to technological developments changes have taken place in production, distribution, preparation and in the consumption of food. Society, media and technology have a cultural base, thus linking culture, food and hospitality to each other.