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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
© MMXIVCEV Multimedia, Ltd.
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