Food, Society, and Culture: Healthy Diet Report - UEL, 2020/2021

This report, prepared for the Food, Society, and Culture module (TM6101) at the University of East London, explores the concept of a healthy diet from multiple perspectives. It begins with a definition of a healthy diet, emphasizing the importance of micronutrients, macronutrients, and overall nutritional balance. The report then investigates the impact of agricultural practices and rising income levels on global food consumption patterns. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to the UK context, examining the various biological, social, and emotional factors influencing eating habits within the diverse cultural landscape of the UK. Furthermore, the report delves into the consequences of socio-cultural influences on food choices and nutrient intake, highlighting the disparities in dietary habits across different social classes. The conclusion summarizes the key findings, emphasizing the importance of balanced diets, and the challenges in adopting healthy eating habits within the UK population, referencing several key academic publications on the subject.

Food Society and Culture

Table of Contents
 Introduction
 Healthy diet from various perspectives
 Impact on food consumption within society
 Food and society in the UK
 Consequences of socio-cultural influences affecting the food
consumption
 Conclusion
 References

Introduction
A healthy diet can be stated as the one which assist in maintaining or
enhancing entire health. A healthy diet administers body of an
individual with essential nutrition: micronutrients, adequate calories,
macronutrients and fluid. This project is based on the title “Healthy
Diet” and the report explores the topic from various perspectives. It
also covers information about the impact on food consumption
within society and the food and society in United Kingdom.

Healthy diet from various perspectives
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.

Impact on food consumption within society
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.

Food and society in the UK
There are various determinants of basic habits of
eating among which some are physical, biological,
social, emotional etc. In order to satisfy hunger as
well as because of desire of eating food, people
eat. The culture of United Kingdom is diverse as it
is made up of four countries including Whales,
Northern Ireland, Scotland and England.

Consequences of socio-cultural influences affecting the
food consumption
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.

Conclusion
As per the presentation, it can be concluded that a healthy diet may
contain vegetables, fruits and whole grains as well as involves little
to no sweetened beverages and processed food. When diets are
changing slowly, individuals are generally not mitigating standards
recommended for healthy diet in United Kingdom. It has also been
found that majority of people believe that do not require to change
their diets as they perceive them to be healthy enough.

References
 Atkins, P. and Bowler, I., 2016. Food in society: economy,
culture, geography. Routledge.
 Corvo, P., 2016. Food culture, consumption and society. Springer.
 Guptill, A.E., Copelton, D.A. and Lucal, B., 2017. Food and
society: Principles and paradoxes. John Wiley & Sons.

Thank You!!