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Social Factors Affecting Food Selection

CULTURE AND TRADITIONS:

Many traditions (family or social and cultural) can often revolve around food.

For e.g. Easter

Chinese New Year

Anzac Day

LIFESTYLE:

Education:

  • Food Technology education allows students a better understanding of what food does in the body- e.g. interrelationships between nutrients.

  • Watching TV programs, reading internet and books about nutrition.

LIFESTYLE:

Employment:

  • The demands of your job, construction worker may eat more carbs as more energy is required.

  • Snacking through the day- office worker (sedentary)

  • Social occasions- eating out at lunch meetings with clients.

  • Long hours- less time to prepare foods.

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LIFESTYLE:

Household structures and roles:

  • The makeup of the family unit determines the meal- young children, sensitive tastebuds,, older people more heavily flavoured foods.

  • Personal likes and dislikes.

  • Food intolerances.

  • Family members commitment to work/leisure- reheating meals.

  • Mothers role in the family- if she works pre-prepared meals may be used or other family members may pitch in- can mean less nutritious meals are selected.

LIFESTYLE:

Climate and Geographical Location:

  • The staple food of a country can often be used in a variety of ways as it is cheaper and more plentiful. Locally grown food is cheaper and fresher.

  • In developing countries yield can be low and they have limited sources of food.

  • Climate may affect foods grown and also foods enjoyed. Summer brings joys of salads and fruit, whereas in winter warmer foods are desired.

 

LIFESTYLE:

Travel and other interests:

  • The internet has allowed us to purchase foods from faraway places.

  • When we travel we experience a wide range of foods that may be bought from the internet when we arrive home.

  • Personal interests may desire different foods e.g. culinary aware or environmentally friendly foods- free range chickens, rain forest alliance chocolate

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SOCIAL INTERACTION:

    Food has long been a symbol of friendship and hospitality. Alcohol can be involved as can unhealthy food choices e.g. friend orders cake, your order cake. Also you may feel as if you want to order a salad if your friends are.

SOCIAL INTERACTION:

The Media:

  • In Australia and other affluent countries advertising plays a large role. Promotion is often by well-known celebrities who are good looking or skinny or well-liked.

  • Food manufacturers do not specifically claim that their product help people achieve this body image but it is subconsciously implied.

Aussie athletes promoting

fast food companies

SOCIAL INTERACTION:

Peer group:

  • By interacting with a peer group and family a person develops their own food-related beliefs, attitudes and habits.

  • The influence of the peer group is stronger in adolescence. Peer pressure can encourage fad dieting.

 

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SOCIAL INTERACTION:

Hospitality at home:

  • Welcoming people into the home for a visit and a drink or meal is called family hospitality.

  • Family entertaining in the home environment is becoming more informal and less frequent as people’s lives are busier. It’s often easier to have a restaurant meal or takeaway.

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