Chapter 5 Ecology and Economics of Nutrition.ppt

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