Food Society and Culture

Food Society and
Culture
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A healthy diet can be stated as the one which assist in maintaining or enhancing entire
health. In other words, Healthy diet is referred as the pattern of intake of food which has
beneficial effects health of an individual. Although, it has proven not easy to specify the exact
elements of nutrition which contributes to health. A healthy diet is rich in fibre and whole grains,
poly unsaturated fatty acids, legumes, nuts, fish, non-fat or low fat dairy, saturated fatty acid and
low in refined grains. A healthy diet administers body of an individual with essential nutrition:
micronutrients, adequate calories, macronutrients and fluid (Atkins, and Bowler, 2016). The
needs for healthy diet can be mitigate from different animal based and plant based foods,
although for the people who following vegan diet, non-animal source of vitamin B12 is required.
This project is based on the title “Healthy Diet” and the essay explores the topic from various
perspectives like social and cultural perspective. It also covers information about the impact on
food consumption within society and the food and society in United Kingdom. Apart from this,
the consequences of socio-cultural impacts affecting the consumption of food in United
Kingdom and their effects on society are discussed in the essay.
As per the information released through government and professional bodies, the
understanding of people about healthy nutrition is accurate remarkably as well as reflects
headlines of dietary guidelines. However, lack of knowledge regarding nutrition is not only the
barrier to healthy eating, but rather the way guidelines of nutrition pertain to themselves (Corvo,
2016).
Social perspective:
The population of UK, constantly consume much saturated fat as well as not enough fibre,
vegetables and fruit. In the healthy diet consumption, social democratic differences are there in
the country (Guptill, Copelton, and Lucal, 2017). For an unhealthy diet, low socioeconomic
status is the most consistent risk factor (Food consumption in the UK, 2020). Various other
factors are also there which influence consumption like gender, age etc. Despite of all these
socio-demographic differences, diet stays an average and healthy across all the groups. Some
people are increasingly conscious socially, specifically in terms of social, environmental and
ethical impacts of food choices. In health policy of United Kingdom, diet as a key issue. Low
levels of consumption of vegetable and fruit among individuals in poor social economic groups
is a specific concern. Apart from this, increasing obesity levels among children is also the issue
of concern. The socio economic differences in nutrition and diet across United Kingdom are
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striking. The socially excluded groups, low income families and those people who are living in
deprived areas or regions consume less vegetables and fruits and high level of sugar, salt and fat
in their diets. This impacts adversely on their health and leads them to various issues related to
health. It has been found in the study that low-income people are facing difficulties in
accomplishing a healthy diet involving access and affordability to fresh food (Woolgar, 2016).
The outcome is that the children of poor households eat on an average as much vegetables and
fruit as children from the families with high income group. They are at high risk of obesity.
Differences in social class influences on the choices of food and nutrient intake as what
individuals eat is constant through circumstantial which are essentially cultural and social. Poor
diets can outcomes in over nutrition and under nutrition, issues which face distinct sectors of
society needs distinct expertise level as well as methods of intervention (De Bernardi, and
Tirabeni, 2018).
Religious perspective:
A healthy varied diet is very much important for development, health and growth. In
United Kingdom, the predominant religion is Christianity and no general dietary restrictions are
there. People may select to forgo alcohol as well as may select whether or not to eat meat. There
are certain food items which may stop eating by Christians during Lent. On the other hand, Islam
religion eat halal foods, that involves eggs, vegetables and fruits. Any meat products which they
consume should be from halal slaughtered animal. Whereas, Hindus believe that all the living
beings have soul as well as they believe in reincarnation concept, making them reluctant to kill
any living being (NA, and Sack, 2016).
Cultural perspective:
Alterations in the practices of agriculture over the past 50 years have maximized the
capacity of world to administer food for its individuals by increases in productivity, less seasonal
dependence and greater diversity of foods. The availability of food has also maximized as a
consequence of increasing income levels as well as falling food prices which has outcomes in
considerable alterations in the consumption of food over last some years. There has been a rise in
food consumption outside the home (Monaco, and Bonetto, 2019). The significance of out of
home environment is facilitated through digital technology as well as online food delivery
platforms expansion in United Kingdom, specifically new players like Uber eats and Deliveroo.
This trend has adverse implications for healthy diet consumption since food outside the home is
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