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Objectives• To list socio-cultural and demographic

influences on food choices.• To summarize the influence of health

consciousness and health status on food choices.

• To outline various food production methods available to the consumer.

• To identify food resources and their impact on food choices.

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Main MenuSocio-Cultural Impact on Food Choices

Demographic Influences on Food Choices

Health Consciousness & Status Factors

Food Supply & Resources

Eating Patterns Over Time

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Socio-Cultural Factors• Are composed of the social and cultural

characteristics of a person’s life• Include:

– ethnicity– geographic region – religion– personal environment– social environment

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Ethnicity• Is the state of belonging to a social group

with a common national or cultural tradition

• Is one of the strongest influences on food choices

• Can be thought of as a person’s cultural heritage

• Is passed from one generation to another• Plays a role in day-to-day food patterns

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Geographic Region• Refers to the continent, country or area of

the world in which a person resides• Impacts ingredients available for food

preparation, as well as common foods and food combinations

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Geographic Regions of the United States

• Are known for various types of cuisine• Include:

– coastal regions– south– midwest– southwest

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Coastal Region Food• Includes greater amounts of seafood• Tends to be very diverse due to diversity of

the population• Examples:

– Maine• lobster

– Gulf Coast• shrimp

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Southern Food• Is normally associated with:

– fried foods– types of gravy and sauce– grits

• Examples:– fried chicken– “soul food”

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Midwestern Food• Includes items such as:

– casseroles– meat– corn– potatoes

• Examples:– Nebraska

• beef• corn

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Southwest Food• Has Native American, Spanish and

Mexican influences• Tends to be spicier in nature than foods

from other areas of the U.S.• Examples:

– New Mexico• green chile

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Religion• Is the term used to describe a set of

beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe

• May influence or direct a follower’s food choices– Hinduism– Judaism– Islam

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Hindu Dietary Laws• Forbid eating meat, fish, poultry and eggs

– although some Hindus may occasionally eat meat, almost all avoid beef

• Prohibit consuming garlic, onions, some types of mushrooms, alcohol and tea or coffee containing caffeine

• Promote vegetarianism for respect of life

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Jewish Dietary Laws• Are known as the Kashrut• Outlines rules, such as:

– certain animals may not be consumed– animals for consumption must be slaughtered

according with Jewish law– meat cannot be eaten with dairy– all foods labeled kosher must be prepared

under the supervision of a rabbi

Kosher: Hebrew word meaning fit or allowed for consumption

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Islamic Dietary Laws• Forbid the consumption of certain foods,

including:– pork– blood– alcohol

• Dictate how animals must be slaughtered, halal

• Require fasting during the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year

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Personal Environment• Refers to a person’s home or private living

space• Sets the stage for various day-to-day

choices, such as:– food consumption habits– family mealtimes– lifestyle behaviors

• Is affected by other people living within the home

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Food Consumption Habits• Are established at infancy through parents

in most cases• Cause people to eat certain foods as a

routine– eating cereal for breakfast every day

• When developed properly:– promote superior growth and development– decrease the chance for obesity and diet-

related diseases– establish a healthy well-being

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Benefits of Family Mealtimes• Include:

– practice life skills (e.g., table etiquette and interpersonal skills)

– practice fine motor and coordination skills (e.g., pouring, scooping, serving)

– foster family traditions– teach healthy food choices and regular

portion sizes

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Social Environment• Is a combination of cultural identity and the

people and institutions a person interacts with

• May alter an individual’s typical behavior patterns due to peer pressure

• May require people to accept food or drink offered in some situations

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Assessment

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Assessment1. Which of the following is NOT a socio-cultural factor?

A. EthnicityB. Geographic regionC. GenderD. Religion

2. Which term best describes one’s state of belonging to a social group with a common national or cultural tradition?

A. EthnicityB. ReligionC. Personal environmentD. American

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Assessment3. Which socio-economic factor can impact ingredients available

for food preparation?A. EthnicityB. Geographic regionC. ReligionD. Personal environment

4. Which of the following foods could be commonly served in Alabama?

A. Lobster bisqueB. GritsC. Ham and potato casseroleD. Fajitas

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Assessment5. Which religion follows the Kashrut as a guide for food

choices?A. HinduismB. JudaismC. IslamD. Christianity

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Demographics• Is a system used to group people based

on various characteristics, including:– age– gender– education level– household composition– income level

• Provide information about select populations at any given time

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Age• Classifies people based on life stage or

chronological age• May be divided into categories such as:

– children– teenagers– young adults– adults– middle-age adults– senior citizens

• Impacts food choices due to varying nutritional needs and food preferences– example:

• an adult might choose to eat a salad instead of a French fries due to concerns about body weight

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Gender• Classifies people as male or female• Impacts food choices due to varying

nutritional needs and desired outcomes of diet– example:

• women tend to be more concerned with body weight when choosing the foods they consume

Education Level• Classifies people based on their highest

level of schooling• Can influence food choice through the

awareness of more nutritious alternatives

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Household Composition• Classifies people based on the number of

people living in one residence and the relationships between individuals

• Can impact food choices due the number of people in the residence, nutritional needs of household and food preferences

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Income Level• Classifies people based on the amount of

money earned annually• Impacts food choices based on amount of

money a person has to spend on food– example:

• a person might choose to purchase a generic brand over a name brand due to price

Assessment

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Assessment1. Which of the following is NOT a demographic factor?

A. AgeB. Education levelC. ReligionD. Income level

2. Which of the following demographic factors classifies people based on life-stage?

A. AgeB. Education levelC. ReligionD. Income level

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Assessment3. Which of the following demographic factors classifies people

based on highest level of schooling?A. AgeB. Education levelC. ReligionD. Income level

4. Which of the following demographic factors classifies people based on the number of people living in one residence?

A. AgeB. Education levelC. Household compositionD. Income level

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Assessment5. Which of the following demographic factors classifies people

based on money earned annually?A. AgeB. Education levelC. ReligionD. Income level

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Health Consciousness• Is the concern about and actions taken to

address a person’s health status• Is associated with characteristics such as:

– preventative health measures– effort to improve overall health– interest in seeking new health information and

findings

Health Status: measure of how healthy or unhealthy a person is

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Preventative Health Measures• Are actions taken to keep the body as

healthy as possible• Can decrease risk of developing chronic

illness• Include behaviors such as:

– consumption of nutrient dense foods– regular exercise– maintenance of healthy body weight– abstaining from tobacco and heavy alcohol use– annual physical exams

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Nutrient Dense Foods• Are high in nutrients and low in calories• Include foods such as:

– fruits and vegetables– whole grains– lean protein– low-fat dairy

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Regular Exercise• Promotes a healthy cardiovascular system • Helps regulate hormone levels• Aids in the maintenance of a healthy body

weight• Improves mood and self-esteem

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A Healthy Body Weight• Decreases the risk of developing chronic

illness• Is associated with having a body mass

index (BMI) of 18.5 to 24.9

Body Mass Index (BMI): ratio of weight to height, used as an indicator of obesity or being underweight

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Abstaining from Tobacco & Heavy Alcohol Use

• Reduces the risk of developing numerous chronic illnesses, including:– cancer– heart disease– hypertension or high blood pressure– osteoporosis

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Annual Physical Exams• Provide a track record of a person’s

health• Enable a physician to diagnose a chronic

illness in the early stages– some illnesses can be managed through diet

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Therapeutic Diets• Are used to control various conditions,

such as:– food allergies– diabetes– hypertension

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Food Allergies• Are caused by an autoimmune response

triggered by a specific protein in a food• Can be deadly• Can be confirmed by blood or skin tests• Are mainly treated by avoiding the food• Example:

– peanut allergy

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Diabetes• Is a condition in which the body cannot

properly utilize the hormone insulin– causes high blood sugar levels– damages the body over time

• Requires a person to adopt a food consumption pattern which regulates blood sugar levels

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Hypertension• Is the medically correct term for chronic

high blood pressure• Can be controlled by a healthy diet,

keeping sodium levels low and abstaining from smoking and alcohol consumption

Assessment

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Assessment1. Which of the following is NOT a behavior of a health conscious

person? A. Consuming nutrient dense foodsB. Refusing to change habitsC. Exercising regularlyD. Having regular physical exams

2. Which term best describes foods which are high in nutrients and low in calories?

A. Nutrient denseB. Figure friendlyC. FreshD. Processed

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Assessment3. What is the normal BMI range?

A. 13.4-16.8B. 16.6-20.1C. 18.5-24.9D. 26.9-32.9

4. Which food component is responsible for food allergies?A. CarbohydratesB. ProteinC. FatD. Water

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Assessment5. Which of the following is the medically correct term for high

blood pressure? A. Cardiopulmonary diseaseB. HypertensionC. HypotensionD. Heart disease

5252

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The United States Food Supply• Is created by farmers and ranchers as well

any imported foods• Feeds its citizens as well as people all

over the world• Provides the American consumer with

options beyond the traditional production system:– natural– organic

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Natural Agricultural Products

• Do not have a definition under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Usually do not contain artificial preservatives

• Can be grown using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides

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Organic Agricultural Products• Are regulated and defined by the USDA• Are produced without synthetic fertilizers

and pesticides with sustainable practices and strict guidelines

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Food Resources• Are resources available for obtaining,

preparing and consuming foods• Include:

– time– money– access to food

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Time• Plays a role in determining the types of

foods one will eat, for example:– if ample time is available, a homemade meal

can be prepared– if time is limited, convenience foods may need

to be prepared

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Money• Plays a role in determining

the amount, variety and quality of foods one is able to purchase, for example:– if ample money is available,

various types of foods can be purchased

– if money is limited, inexpensive foods in small quantities may need to be purchased

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Access to Food• Plays a role in determining the options

available to the consumer, for example:– living in a large city provides many shopping

options– living in a rural area may limit food shopping

venues

Assessment

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Assessment1. Which two professions are responsible for providing food to

the American consumer? A. Attorneys and accountantsB. Politicians and lobbyistsC. Farmers and ranchersD. Teachers and coaches

2. What is the definition of a natural agricultural product?A. Any product grown naturally on a farmB. Meat and poultry raised in an environment free of

cagesC. Any product which does not enter a processing plantD. There is no USDA definition for this term

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Assessment3. Which type of agricultural products are produced without

synthetic fertilizers and pesticides using sustainable practices and following strict guidelines?

A. Organic productsB. Natural productsC. Free-range productsD. Hormone-free products

4. Which of the following is NOT a resource for obtaining, preparing or consuming food?

A. TimeB. MoneyC. Access to foodD. Cooking technique

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Assessment5. Which of the following is responsible in determining the

amount, variety and quality of foods one is able to purchase?A. Access to foodB. MoneyC. TimeD. Lifestyle

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16th Century Europeans• Did not value taste – appreciated food for

its appearance, symbolic value or rarity– a prized cook was one who could make a fish

look like a piece of venison instead of making it taste good

• Valued bread as the fundamental food– some lower class members ate nothing else– only upper class could afford meat regularly

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Early American Colonists• Copied the diets of the Indians• Survived mostly on fish and animals

indigenous to the settled region• Feasted on poisonous snakes, bad-

smelling musk turtles and horses during periods of starvation

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The Birth of the 20th Century

• Made Americans optimistic for the century ahead– preferred eating rich, hearty, meat-filled

meals; stylish restaurants offered elk, caribou, bear and moose

• Introduced the American Sweet-Tooth – by 1909, the average person consumed 65

pounds of sugar per year

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20th Century: 1910-1919• Found immigration at an all-time high

which brought in many new food variations• Was the beginning of the processed foods

industry – revolutionized self-service market– instead of handing a list of goods to a clerk,

people could shop for their own items– A&P offered buyers up to 1,000 items to

choose from

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The 20s• Enacted Prohibition

– speakeasies became places to drink and listen to jazz

• when hungry, owners offered finger foods; finger foods became popular and people carried the idea home, thus the birth of the cocktail party

• Considered salads effeminate and French, making them unpopular

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The Great Depression• Caused food rationing

– meat used sparingly; therefore, people ate vegetables and beans as fillers

• Made dishes such as meat loaf, chili and many kinds of casseroles popular

• Introduced Ritz® crackers and Spam®

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The 40s• Increased food rationing due to World War

II– government limited people to 28 oz. of meat a

week– limited amounts of sugar, butter, milk, cheese,

eggs and coffee• Encouraged people to plant “Victory

Gardens”– more people began eating vegetables they

had grown in their backyards

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The 50s

• Are considered by experts to be the worst decade in 20th century American cuisine

• Showed an increase in popularity of restaurant chains along the highways due to construction of the national highway system

• Valued time efficiency making dinners from a can, tray, package or pouch popular

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The 60s• Made dining luxuries “en vogue” again

– large section of middle class could now afford food luxuries once only available to the upper class (e.g., expensive French food)

• Brought French dining to many Americans through Julia Child’s show, The French Chef

• Abandoned prepackaged foods and advocated making products from scratch

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The 70s• Encouraged the widespread ability to eat a

wide-range of foods– in a week, a person could eat:

• McDonald’s® cheeseburger • fettuccine alfredo• tofu and black bean salad• homemade crock-pot chili

• Brought millions of Asians and their unique cultural cuisines to the U.S. through The Immigration Act of 1965

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The 80s• Made Nouvelle Cuisine, a form of French

cuisine using reduced sauces and fresh ingredients, popular– people paid high prices for small amounts of

food on large plates– considered a status symbol

• Made many types of cuisine popular– Ethiopian cuisine– Spanish tapas– Tex-Mex

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The 90s• Led to people trying to shed pounds due to

the excessive eating of the 80s• Saw an increase in low-fat, low-calorie and

low-sodium foods from food manufacturers• Increased popularity of the movement for

simplicity and using natural ingredients

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The 21st Century

• Introduced MyPlate: The New Food Guide– replaced MyPyramid and other food guides of

the past and emphasized physical activity– shaped like a plate to help consumers

visualize healthy portions of food groups on a plate in relation to each other

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Assessment

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Assessment1. The new food guide introduced in the 21st century is known as

which of the following?A. MyBowlB. The New Food PlateC. MyPlateD. The Pyramid

2. Which aspect of food did 16th century Europeans NOT value?A. TasteB. TextureC. AppearanceD. Smell

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Assessment3. The 1990s saw an increase in what kinds of foods from food

manufacturers?A. Fat free foodsB. Foods with “low” in the nameC. Organic foodsD. Fried foods

4. Whose television show brought French foods to the homes of many Americans in the 60s?

E. Martha StewardF. Ina GartenG. Giada De LaurentiisH. Julia Child

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Assessment5. Which decade is considered to be the worst decade in

American cuisine?A. The Great DepressionB. The 50sC. The 70sD. The 90s

Final Assessment82

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Final Assessment1. Which region of the United States are casseroles commonly

found?A. CoastalB. SouthC. MidwestD. Southwest

2. Which religion promotes vegetarianism?A. HinduismB. JudaismC. IslamD. Christianity

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Final Assessment3. Which food should be avoided by one following the Kashrut?

A. CheeseburgerB. MilkC. SpinachD. Bread

4. Which of the following foods is forbidden under Islamic dietary laws?

A. PorkB. BeefC. ChickenD. Fish

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Final Assessment5. Joe is typically a healthy eater, but when he is around friends

he tends to consume large amounts of junk food. Which socio-cultural factor is at play?

A. EthnicityB. ReligionC. Personal environmentD. Social environment

6. Which term best describes a system used to group people based on various characteristics, including age, sex, education level, household composition and income level?

A. DemographicsB. SociologyC. Social groupingsD. Individual preferences

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Final Assessment7. Which of the following is NOT an outcome of regular

exercise?A. Improved hormone regulationB. Maintained body weightC. Improved moodD. Weakened bones

8. During World War II, people grew what kind of gardens?A. Rose gardensB. Victory gardensC. Rationed gardensD. Lettuce gardens

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Final Assessment9. Jenna is in a hurry to get to work. She goes through a fast

food restaurant for breakfast on her way to work. Which food resource does she need more of?

A. TimeB. MoneyC. Access to foodD. Clothing

10. Which of the following requires a therapeutic diet?A. Eczema B. DiabetesC. CroupD. Influenza

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Resources• Anonymous. (2004). Welcome. Retrieved from

http://www.religionfacts.com/ • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, March

05). Alcohol & public health. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/

• American Academy of Family Physicians. (2008). Food allergies just the facts. Retrieved from http://www.mdconsult.com/das/patient/body/329504868-3/1295574158/10062/15409.html

• ExitCare, LLC. (2004, December 20). Diabetes, frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://www.mdconsult.com/das/patient/body/329504868-4/1295575627/10089/59591.html

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AcknowledgementsCollaborator

Candice “Nikki” Howell

P.A.-C. Mayo Clinic Transplant Center

Executive ProducerGordon W. Davis, Ph.D.

Production CoordinatorAmanda Jordan

Brand ManagerMegan O’Quinn

Graphic DesignerMelody RowellDaniel Johnson

Technical WriterJessica Odom

V.P. of Brand ManagementClayton Franklin

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