Sociology: Everyday Life: Food Security in Western Sydney Report

This report, titled "Sociology: Everyday Life," analyzes food choices and consumerism in Western Sydney, Australia, focusing on the disconnect between healthy eating recommendations and consumer behavior. The study, based on qualitative research involving 24 households, reveals that mainstream consumers often prioritize convenience and cost-effectiveness, leading to a preference for processed foods and supermarket shopping over local, sustainable options. The research highlights how factors like full-time employment, time constraints, and social habits influence dietary choices, often leading to a neglect of nutritional factors. The report concludes that effective interventions should focus on governmental policies that make nutritious and healthy food affordable and accessible locally, rather than solely on educating consumers about food security. The findings suggest that the current approach of promoting healthy eating has not been effective, and a shift in focus to address the social and economic barriers faced by urban dwellers is necessary.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY: EVERYDAY LIFE
Sociology: Everyday Life
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Literature Review
According to Dixon & Isaacs (2013), Australia has introduced new policies and
guidelines to ensure food security. The government is taking measure so that unsustainable
food products can be replaced with healthier options. When it comes to food security, the
focus towards the poorest and the marginal has shifted to the city dwellers. Due to
urbanization, the world is facing large scale land scarcity for growing food. Still, the role of
the urban dwellers on food system are limited to being consumers. The health of the
population is intimately related to the health of food system and thus, it is necessary that the
healthy food choices are made easily available and affordable. The recent food trend indicates
that cheap and easily available healthy food options are not exactly acceptable in Australia.
While most of the study related to food security and healthy eating has concerned itself with
the alternative consumers, this study specifically focuses on the mainstream consumers so
that the mass impression and awareness of healthy eating can be evaluated.
The area that has been studied is the western Sydney, which has recently lost its food
self-sufficiency. Consummation often relates more to status and impression rather than
fulfilment of daily needs. Thus, it is necessary that the government understands the social,
cultural and economical factors that influence food choices and consumerism. In the stated
area of Sydney, 24 households were questioned about their food habits and choices and the
result shows that most buyers from that area preferred tinned or packed food, or cheaper
packaged version of foods that ensured lesser cost and waste. When it comes to local food
shopping which is another method of having sustainable healthy food, the practice seems to
have decreased as most people tend to buy from local supermarkets rather than local farmers.
The food habits of people in Sydney are largely dependent on their daily activities.
The people working full time jobs are more inclined to9 buy from supermarkets and eat

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canned food thus overlooking the nutritional factors for consumption. Nutritious and healthy
food consumption or having a hearty meal made from scratch are only practiced in weekends
or occasions. The reason of such behavior among them is not guided by illiteracy or lack of
awareness. Rather the expensive living of modern urban life, lack of time, social habits and
so on.
From the study it can be concluded that the need of the people living in Australia is
not education about food security, rather governmental plans and policies for availability of
nutritious and healthy food in a reasonable price available locally.

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