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Chapter 5: Ecology and Economics of Nutrition
The biological forces and social forces that shape:– human food use– nutritional status of individuals and populations
Variables to be discussed
Physical environment Social environment Social organization Technology Culture
Social Environment
Food procurement and distribution by:– Other societies– Other regions– Other communities– How do these factors affect the diet in the study
community?
Social Organization
Structure and organization of the household Political and economic structure as they
pertain to food through:– Production– Distribution– Consumption
Culture (idea systems)
Food preferences and restrictions Use of food in social interactions Religious beliefs Ideas about health
Subsistence Systems
Hunting-Gathering Pastoralist Agricultural
– Horticultural (gardening, hoe)– Advanced (plow)
Industrial Agricultural
Core Characteristics of Human Food Patterns
Extremely omnivorous diet At least some cooking More time consuming preparation Elaborate food distribution, sharing, and
exchange patterns Food prohibitions and food preferences
Hunting and Gathering
Most of human history Collect food from land and water but not
cultivating Distribution of food affected social
organization: small groups, seminomadic, used large land area, population density low, population growth slow
Hunting and Gathering cont.
Diversity in types of food consumed Diversity in ratio of animal to vegetable General nutritional status good to excellent Seasonal food shortage a problem, this
varies with environment Chronic malnutrition and deficiency
diseases rare
Pastoralism
Subsistence based on herd animals Two types: Nomadic, Seminomadic Nomads
– No permanent houses– No agriculture
Seminomads– Live in settlements– Some individuals cultivate crops
Pastoralism cont.
Milk is important part of diet Practiced for 3000 years Today this strategy is less viable due to
political and economic constraints
Agricultural
Beginning 12,000 to 15,000 years ago By 2000 years ago a large proportion of
world’s population completely dependent on agriculture
“Agricultural Revolution”
Major changes in diet, nutrition, and health Social and technological changes Changes in human societies
Horticultural
Also called gardening systems Use hoe rather than plow No irrigation Household consumption No commercial sale Household is production unit Little interdependence with other groups No expanded market networks
Agriculture
Use of plow Irrigation Class of producers – peasants Only some producers Other elites who control production Malnutrition hits rural producers hardest
Cash Cropping
Industrialization of food production and food preparation
Changes in household production Changes in culture Changes in environment
Leisure Time
Women– Resting – Crafts– Visiting other camps– Receiving visitors from other camps– Kitchen chores
• Cooking, nut cracking, collecting firewood, hauling water
Estimating Nutritional Status
Average consumption of calories and proteins/person/day Estimated RDA (based on body size and activity level)
– 1,975 calories– 60 grams protein
Observed Kung– 2,140 calories– 93.1 grams protein
Observed Achuar– 3,408 calories (4,557)– 104.5 grams protein (162)
Hunting Versus Gathering
Hunting is high risk, low return Gathering is low risk, high return With the Kung, gathering is 2.4 times more
productive than hunting
Food Preferences and the Cost of Food
1000 calories of meat “costs” 10 man-hours 1000 calories of vegetable foods “costs”
four man-hours
Review of Subsistence Strategies
The Kung have been extremely successful, in part, because of the heavy reliance on vegetable food sources
Is this a common pattern?– From a sample of 58 societies– 100 % dependence on hunting and gathering
• 29 cases (50%) emphasize gathering• 18 cases (33%) emphasize fishing• 11 cases (17%) emphasize hunting