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American food reflects the diversity of its population, and is continually evolving as its demographics change, too. Globalization has also allowed American eaters to acquire specialty items from around the world, from fresh produce to prepared and packaged goods, enabling immigrants to continue eating the foods from their native or ancestral lands. Many American families come from a Mediterranean background, and it is relatively easy to locate Mediterranean foods and consume products like olive oil. The health benefits of olive oil have also made the product popular among the general public. Furthermore, foods that originated in the Mediterranean like pizza have become part of the American diet.
Food is an important emblem of culture and ethnicity, which is one of the reasons why immigrants perpetuate their food and eating customs. Moreover, food brings together family and friends within immigrant communities and thereby strengthens social ties. Superstitions and religious beliefs may create specific dietary prohibitions or food-related taboos, which distinguish one culture from another. Personal preferences like taste may affect the choices one makes, but often taste is influenced by parental or cultural influences.
Immigrant health can therefore be related to culture of origin,...
Economic factors can be indirectly related to one’s culture of origin, affecting food choices and health, too. Immigration can have either a positive or a negative impact on health. For example, newly arrived immigrants that had been practicing some unhealthy eating habits such as cooking with refined oils or eating a lot of processed foods might move to a community with a large contingency of vegans and people who favor a diet consisting of whole and organic foods. The norms of the new culture would then change how the new generation of immigrants eats, as they fuse their parents’ eating habits with those of the United States. Culture impacts not just what people eat, but how: some cultures preferring larger family meals, versus several smaller meals consumed at leisure. Family and upbringing have a tremendous impact on eating and dietary habits.
Finally, culture is not the only determinant of what one eats. Even though ethnicity, religion, and culture can be influential factors, as Dindval & Dindval (2003) point out, there are a range of other intervening variables like occupation, age, presence of allergies, health status, and ethics or values. Marketing also…
References
“The Determinants of Food Choice.” http://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/the-determinants-of-food-choice
Dindyal, S. & Dindyal, S. (2003). How Personal Factors, Including Culture And Ethnicity, Affect The Choices And Selection Of Food We Make. The Internet Journal of Third World Medicine 1(2): http://ispub.com/IJTWM/1/2/11779
Culture Food History of North America Cuisine What is the geographical location of North America and why it would have an effect on the North America cuisine? (i.e., what is the weather condition in North America and does that play an affect as to why they eat the foods they eat and what foods do they eat mostly). North America is a vast area that has many different geographical areas and so, they
Introduction Assimilation recounts the social, political, and cultural integration of the minority into a substantial, dominant society and culture. Assimilation is used in most cases to refer to the ethnic groups and immigrants coming to settle in new territories. These immigrants often acquire new attitudes and traditions through communication and contact with their host society. Either way, they also introduce some of their cultural practices to their host society(Penninx, 2005). The
A sociological perspective places food and eating into a broader context, taking into account historical, cultural, political, and economic variables. Although there are some crossovers between the sociology of food and the anthropology of food, the sociological perspective is unique. In particular, sociology remains concerned with issues like race, class, gender, and power in societies. The sociology of food in part demonstrates how food and eating can reflect existing social
Culture and Health Disparities - Filipinos PERSONAL SOCIAL STATUS: In researching this project, I found a study prepared by the Canadian Nurses Association (2005). It reviewed the social determinants of health and how one's social status impacts their or their family health outcomes. The focus of this piece was on issues such as poverty, economic inequality, social isolation and social support systems and their impact on the health of minorities, many
Culture and Globalization Revised Human Culture has rapidly changed over the centuries. This change occurred primarily through the mixing of different cultures over time . As new ideas and ways of improving life are adopted into the lifestyles of different people groups. In early civilizations agriculture was based on groups working together to locate and distribute food based on the natural skill sets of members of the groups. Some being natural
(Hall, C.C. 1995). This fact is proven by studies of Asian women outside the United States. For instance, studies in Korea and China point out that a high rate of eating disorder cases are being recorded in these countries as a direct result of economic change and the influence of Western culture. (Park, E. 2000) in Japan as many as 1 in 500 women have shown signs of an eating