Cultural Influence on Eating Disorder Behaviors: An Overview

When it comes to food, many of us might recognize the types of foods we prefer, the foods we may stay away from, the manner in which we eat and prepare our foods, and even traditions that surround our food choices.

What we may not fully understand is the way in which our cultures and backgrounds have shaped the way we think of food or even practice certain food behaviors.

Understanding Food Culture

Food culture, specifically, is defined as the “practices, attitudes, and beliefs as well as the networks and institutions surrounding the production, distribution, and consumption of food”[1].

Going beyond the thought of simply, “What will I eat today”, food culture encompasses the understanding a particular group has about food, social values, historical conditions, community, status and more. Clearly, our food choices are influenced by many factors that help us determine the what, why, how and with whom are foods are chosen and consumed.

In the United States, it can be said that the culture is primarily Western, but being a melting pot of many different cultures, it is easy to identify the influence of different cultures, including Asian, African, Native American, and Polynesian, to name a few.

These cultural influences can be seen and observed in cuisine, as well as music, arts, dialect, and social habits. This is also seen in the styles of cooking and cuisine options available across the nation, which includes a wide range of various cultures infused in food options, as well as the manner in which food is consumed.

Family structure is also an important aspect of what shapes our food culture and developing relationship with food. In some cultures, family meals are highly emphasized and shared, not only with immediate family members, but with extended family as well.

Westernized culture and many working-class Americans in general find the family meal more difficult to come by, Historical events are also important to consider as part of food culture. For example, if your parents lived through war or famine, their relationship with food and overall food behaviors are likely to be much more different that individuals who did not experience this type of trauma.

Understanding Your Roots

When examining your own food behaviors and relationship with food, it is important to understand that there are many more moving parts of the picture that are often overlooked or unidentified.

If you have struggled with an eating disorder or a poor relationship with food, it may be helpful to look at the big picture as a whole and work through some of the possible factors that may have contributed to the way in which you feel about food.

 

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About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing. Her passion is to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.

As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work and nutrition private practice.

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References:

[1] Lexicon of Food, “Food Culture”, https://www.lexiconoffood.com/taxonomy/term/402 Accessed 26 March 2017.

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The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on March 28, 2017
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com