Food & Nutrition: Customs and Culture

This text is devoted to a division of the social and cultural uses of food in ancient and contemporary societies throughout the world. Its main purpose is to illustrate the theme of nutrition as a bioculture issue showing that while all people have to eat to live, what they eat is largely determined by cultural influences. This book is intended as a text for students of nutrition, dietetics and related health disciplines such as medicine, nursing and health education. It should also be of interest to social science students. After an initial chapter which explores the concept of cultural shaping of food choice, subsequent chapters address food ideology, cuisine, social uses of food, gender issues, religion, ethics, myths, taboos and superstitions and mass feeding. Each chapter is followed by discussion questions for students and suggestions for further reading, as well as an extensive bibliography.