are you what you eat? food, culture & you
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Are You What You Eat? Food, Culture & You. Carmen D. Samuel-Hodge, PhD, MS, RD September 13, 2007. Food for Thought. “Tell me what you eat, and I’ll tell you who you are.” Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 1825. Today’s Presentation. Food & Culture – Who are You? What is ‘culture ’? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Are You What You Eat?Are You What You Eat?Food, Culture & YouFood, Culture & You
Carmen D. Samuel-Hodge, PhD, MS, RDCarmen D. Samuel-Hodge, PhD, MS, RD
September 13, 2007September 13, 2007
Food for ThoughtFood for Thought
““Tell me what Tell me what you eat, and you eat, and I’ll tell you I’ll tell you who you are.”who you are.”
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 1825Savarin, 1825
Today’s PresentationToday’s Presentation
Food & Culture – Who are You?Food & Culture – Who are You? What is What is ‘culture‘culture’?’? Diversity of cultures in AmericaDiversity of cultures in America Food in Different Cultures Food in Different Cultures
Your Food PerceptionsYour Food Perceptions How Food Perceptions Influence Our How Food Perceptions Influence Our
Work as Nutrition CounselorsWork as Nutrition Counselors
What is ‘Culture’?What is ‘Culture’?
DefinitionsDefinitions
CultureCulture – a shared, learned, symbolic – a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perceptions that shapes and influences perceptions and behaviorsand behaviors
Cultural valuesCultural values – standards people use – standards people use to evaluate themselves and others; to evaluate themselves and others; widely held beliefs about what is widely held beliefs about what is worthwhileworthwhile, , desirabledesirable, or , or importantimportant for for well-beingwell-being
More DefinitionsMore Definitions
Ethnic GroupEthnic Group – a group of people of the – a group of people of the same race or nationality who share a same race or nationality who share a common and distinctive culturecommon and distinctive culture
EthnicEthnic – pertaining to a group of people – pertaining to a group of people recognized as a class on the basis of recognized as a class on the basis of certain distinctive characteristics such as certain distinctive characteristics such as religion, language, ancestry, culture or religion, language, ancestry, culture or national origin. national origin.
Cultural DiversityCultural Diversity
America & NCAmerica & NC
Who’s Living in America?Who’s Living in America?Whites (non-Hispanic)Whites (non-Hispanic) 66.9%66.9%
BlacksBlacks 12.8%12.8%
Hispanics or LatinosHispanics or Latinos 14.4%14.4%
AsiansAsians 4.3%4.3%
American Indian & Alaska American Indian & Alaska NativesNatives
1.0%1.0%
Native Hawaiians & Pacific Native Hawaiians & Pacific IslandersIslanders
0.2%0.2%
Source: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37000.html
Who’s Living in NC?Who’s Living in NC?Whites (non-Hispanic)Whites (non-Hispanic) 68.3%68.3%
BlacksBlacks 21.8%21.8%
Hispanics or LatinosHispanics or Latinos 6.4%6.4%
AsiansAsians 1.8%1.8%
American Indian & Alaska American Indian & Alaska NativesNatives
1.3%1.3%
Native Hawaiians & Pacific Native Hawaiians & Pacific IslandersIslanders
0.1%0.1%
Source: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37000.html
How has this cultural How has this cultural diversity in American diversity in American
affected our food choices?affected our food choices?
In the last month…In the last month…
What foods have you had from each What foods have you had from each of these ethnic groups?of these ethnic groups?
Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc.)Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc.) IndianIndian Greek or MediterraneanGreek or Mediterranean ItalianItalian Cuban, Mexican or other Spanish-speaking Cuban, Mexican or other Spanish-speaking
groupgroup African or CaribbeanAfrican or Caribbean Other group?Other group?
Food & CultureFood & Culture
Trivia QuizTrivia Quiz
Food for ThoughtFood for Thought
This spice was used as a method This spice was used as a method of exchange for Roman soldiers.of exchange for Roman soldiers.
What is it?What is it?
Food for ThoughtFood for Thought
Related to the mint family, this herb’s Related to the mint family, this herb’s name is Greek for ‘name is Greek for ‘joy of the joy of the
mountainmountain’’
What is it?What is it?
Our Food ExperiencesOur Food Experiences
Eating is an important part of Eating is an important part of expressing and initiating ties of expressing and initiating ties of friendship, kinship and community.friendship, kinship and community.
Sharing foods signifies togetherness Sharing foods signifies togetherness and defines insiders as socially and defines insiders as socially similar.similar.
Are You What You Are You What You Eat?Eat?
Small Group Activity: Food for Thought
10 Factors10 Factors that Influence Our that Influence Our Food ChoicesFood Choices
1.1. Food availabilityFood availability
2.2. Cultural eating patternsCultural eating patterns and and family traditionsfamily traditions
3.3. Cultural attitudesCultural attitudes
4.4. Role of foodsRole of foods
5.5. Food and health beliefsFood and health beliefs
10 Factors10 Factors that Influence Our that Influence Our Food ChoicesFood Choices
6.6. Food preparationFood preparation
7.7. Economics (socioeconomic status)Economics (socioeconomic status)
8.8. GenderGender
9.9. Age Age
10.10.Degree of Degree of acculturationacculturation
Changing Food PatternsChanging Food Patterns
AcculturationAcculturation – process of adopting – process of adopting the beliefs, attitudes, values and the beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors of a dominant or behaviors of a dominant or mainstream culturemainstream culture
May involve changing traditional May involve changing traditional eating patternseating patterns
Non-immigrantsNon-immigrants can also go through can also go through ‘acculturation’‘acculturation’
Changing Food PatternsChanging Food Patterns Factors that influence Factors that influence
acculturationacculturation LanguageLanguage EmploymentEmployment EducationEducation AgeAge Ties with family and involvement with Ties with family and involvement with
ethnic groupethnic group Family structureFamily structure History of cultural group in the communityHistory of cultural group in the community Length of time in the communityLength of time in the community
Your Food Thoughts Your Food Thoughts
How They Shape Your Role How They Shape Your Role as a Nutrition Counseloras a Nutrition Counselor
Counseling Across CultureCounseling Across Culture
First know yourself …First know yourself … What are your cultural values and What are your cultural values and
beliefs and how do they influence beliefs and how do they influence your behaviors?your behaviors?
Then gain some understanding of Then gain some understanding of your clients’ cultural values and your clients’ cultural values and beliefsbeliefs
Cultural ValuesCultural Values
Anglo-AmericanAnglo-American Mastery over natureMastery over nature Personal Personal controlcontrol
over the environmentover the environment Doing– activityDoing– activity Time dominatesTime dominates Human equalityHuman equality Individualism/privacyIndividualism/privacy YouthYouth Self-helpSelf-help
Other Ethno-cultural Other Ethno-cultural GroupsGroups
Harmony with natureHarmony with nature FateFate BeingBeing Personal interaction Personal interaction
dominatesdominates Hierarchy/rank/statusHierarchy/rank/status Group welfareGroup welfare EldersElders Birthright inheritanceBirthright inheritance
Cultural ValuesCultural ValuesAnglo-AmericanAnglo-American
CompetitionCompetition Future orientationFuture orientation InformalityInformality Directness/Directness/
openness/ honestyopenness/ honesty Practicality/Practicality/
efficiencyefficiency Materialism Materialism
Other Ethno-cultural Other Ethno-cultural GroupsGroups
CooperationCooperation Past and present Past and present
orientationorientation FormalityFormality Indirectness/ritual/’face’Indirectness/ritual/’face’ IdealismIdealism Spiritualism/detachmentSpiritualism/detachment
Successful Cross-Cultural Successful Cross-Cultural CounselingCounseling
Build rapport by asking about food Build rapport by asking about food experiencesexperiences Ask about foods used for special occasions Ask about foods used for special occasions
and celebrationsand celebrations Keep an open mind (and a sense of humor)Keep an open mind (and a sense of humor) Tell your own food storiesTell your own food stories Find out what foods are used to promote Find out what foods are used to promote
health or as medicinehealth or as medicine Ask about favorite foods, meals, and Ask about favorite foods, meals, and
recipesrecipes
Successful Cross-Cultural Successful Cross-Cultural CounselingCounseling
Respect personal Respect personal spacespace Ask clients to sit where they feel most Ask clients to sit where they feel most
comfortablecomfortable Learn the cultural rules about Learn the cultural rules about touchingtouching
Head and hands Head and hands Establish Establish rapportrapport Ask questionsAsk questions if you don’t understand if you don’t understand
Open-ended and respectfulOpen-ended and respectful
Successful Cross-Cultural Successful Cross-Cultural CounselingCounseling
ListenListen to the answers to the answers Appreciate and use Appreciate and use silencesilence
Observe what other cultures find acceptableObserve what other cultures find acceptable Notice Notice eye contacteye contact
Some cultures find it impolite to look directly at Some cultures find it impolite to look directly at the person speakingthe person speaking
Pay attention to Pay attention to body movementsbody movements Look for cues to identify gestures that should Look for cues to identify gestures that should
be avoidedbe avoided Note client Note client responsesresponses
When is ‘yes’ just a polite response? When is ‘yes’ just a polite response?
Communicating with Communicating with Clients and FamiliesClients and Families
Sticky SituationsSticky Situations
What What factors factors should you should you consider?consider?
What What questionsquestions would you would you ask? ask?
Cultures are heterogeneous Cultures are heterogeneous and dynamicand dynamic
In some ways…In some ways… All individuals are like All individuals are like all otherall other
individualsindividuals All individuals are like All individuals are like some othersome other
individuals or members of a cultural individuals or members of a cultural groupgroup
All individuals are like All individuals are like no otherno other individualsindividuals
What Are Your What Are Your ‘Keepers’?‘Keepers’?
The next time you The next time you counsel counsel across cultureacross culture, what will you , what will you
do differently or better?do differently or better?
Resources & Resources & ReferencesReferences
ReferencesReferences
Eliades DC. And Suitor CW. (1994) Eliades DC. And Suitor CW. (1994) Celebrating Diversity: Approaching families Celebrating Diversity: Approaching families through their foodthrough their food. Arlington VA. National . Arlington VA. National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Center for Education in Maternal and Child HealthHealth
Randall-David E. (1989) Randall-David E. (1989) Strategies for Strategies for Working with Culturally Diverse Communities Working with Culturally Diverse Communities and Clientsand Clients. Bethesda, MD. Association for the . Bethesda, MD. Association for the Care of Children’s HealthCare of Children’s Health
ResourcesResources
Websites with resources:Websites with resources: http://healthliteracy.worlded.org/docs
/culture/matl_websites.html http://www.health.utah.gov/cmh/cult
ure.html http://ohioline.osu.edu/lines/food.htm
l http://depts.washington.edu/pfes/cult
ureclues.html