Chapter 5: Ecology and Economics of Nutrition

The biological forces and social forces that shape:– human food use– nutritional status of individuals and populations

Variables to be discussed

Physical environment Social environment Social organization Technology Culture

Physical Environment

Climate

Water resources

Soil characteristics

Indigenous animals and plants

Social Environment

Food procurement and distribution by:– Other societies– Other regions– Other communities– How do these factors affect the diet in the study

community?

Social Organization

Structure and organization of the household Political and economic structure as they

pertain to food through:– Production– Distribution– Consumption

Technology

Tools and techniques– Production– Distribution– Acquisition– Storage – Consumption

Culture (idea systems)

Food preferences and restrictions Use of food in social interactions Religious beliefs Ideas about health

Subsistence Systems

Hunting-Gathering Pastoralist Agricultural

– Horticultural (gardening, hoe)– Advanced (plow)

Industrial Agricultural

Core Characteristics of Human Food Patterns

Extremely omnivorous diet At least some cooking More time consuming preparation Elaborate food distribution, sharing, and

exchange patterns Food prohibitions and food preferences

Hunting and Gathering

Most of human history Collect food from land and water but not

cultivating Distribution of food affected social

organization: small groups, seminomadic, used large land area, population density low, population growth slow

Hunting and Gathering cont.

Diversity in types of food consumed Diversity in ratio of animal to vegetable General nutritional status good to excellent Seasonal food shortage a problem, this

varies with environment Chronic malnutrition and deficiency

diseases rare

Pastoralism

Subsistence based on herd animals Two types: Nomadic, Seminomadic Nomads

– No permanent houses– No agriculture

Seminomads– Live in settlements– Some individuals cultivate crops

Pastoralism cont.

Milk is important part of diet Practiced for 3000 years Today this strategy is less viable due to

political and economic constraints

Agricultural

Beginning 12,000 to 15,000 years ago By 2000 years ago a large proportion of

world’s population completely dependent on agriculture

“Agricultural Revolution”

Major changes in diet, nutrition, and health Social and technological changes Changes in human societies

Horticultural

Also called gardening systems Use hoe rather than plow No irrigation Household consumption No commercial sale Household is production unit Little interdependence with other groups No expanded market networks

Agriculture

Use of plow Irrigation Class of producers – peasants Only some producers Other elites who control production Malnutrition hits rural producers hardest

Cash Cropping

Industrialization of food production and food preparation

Changes in household production Changes in culture Changes in environment

Leisure Time

Women– Resting – Crafts– Visiting other camps– Receiving visitors from other camps– Kitchen chores

• Cooking, nut cracking, collecting firewood, hauling water

Leisure Time cont.

Men– Visiting– Entertaining– Dancing

Estimating Nutritional Status

Average consumption of calories and proteins/person/day Estimated RDA (based on body size and activity level)

– 1,975 calories– 60 grams protein

Observed Kung– 2,140 calories– 93.1 grams protein

Observed Achuar– 3,408 calories (4,557)– 104.5 grams protein (162)

Hunting Versus Gathering

Hunting is high risk, low return Gathering is low risk, high return With the Kung, gathering is 2.4 times more

productive than hunting

Food Preferences and the Cost of Food

1000 calories of meat “costs” 10 man-hours 1000 calories of vegetable foods “costs”

four man-hours

Review of Subsistence Strategies

The Kung have been extremely successful, in part, because of the heavy reliance on vegetable food sources

Is this a common pattern?– From a sample of 58 societies– 100 % dependence on hunting and gathering

• 29 cases (50%) emphasize gathering• 18 cases (33%) emphasize fishing• 11 cases (17%) emphasize hunting