What is Nutritional Anthropology?

What is Nutritional Anthropology? It is the study of nutrition from an Anthropological perspective! What topics does it include? Find out about several examples in this presentation!

1. By: Anthropology 4U
What is Nutritional
Anthropology?

2. Contents
Definition
Biocultural
Approach
Further Reading
Topics

3. Nutritional
Anthropology is
the study of
nutrition from an
Anthropological
perspective

4. It often uses a
biocultural
approach…

5. meaning the
study of nutrition
considers both
culture and
biology

6. and so it uses both
Cultural and
Biological/Physical
Anthropology!

7. Nutritional
Anthropology
studies many
topics, including
these:

8. 1. Ancient Diets
What did our human
ancestors eat?

9. We can figure this out by studying:
microwear patterns
on teeth (pits, scratches)
AND…

10. stable isotopes
(like carbon)
isotopes in food are
integrated into our bones
our bones are studied to
see what food was eaten

11. 2. Food Taboos
Every culture has
foods they refuse to
eat. These are called
food taboos.

12. For example, in
the USA, we don’t
eat snakes, but
some other
cultures do.

13. In a culture in
Kenya, pregnant
women don’t eat
meat or eggs—
it’s a food taboo

14. 3. Infant/Child
Feeding Practices
Many cultures are
now bottle feeding
rather than
breastfeeding

15. This has
implications for the
health of the baby

16. And in many places
in the world, bottle
feeding cannot be
done safely, due to
unsafe water and
other problems

17. Older infants need
supplemental food in
addition to
breastfeeding
but they don’t
have enough teeth
So…

18. Our ancestors probably
did this as well!
Some cultures pre-chew
the food before giving it
to the baby
(premastication)

19. 4. Undernutrition
lack of protein,
calories, vitamins,
minerals

20. 2008 study:
35% of deaths of infants
& young children were
due to undernutrition
(affects the immune system,
can’t fight off diseases)

21. 5. Overnutrition
obesity
In the USA, being fat
is stigmatized

22. But in some cultures,
being fat is seen as
beautiful, and a sign of
wealth and health

23. In a culture in West
Africa, girls are force
fed so that they will
become fat and
beautiful, and so men
will marry them

24. Why are so many
of us obese today?
high fat and high calorie
food is available 24/7

25. 6. Food & Identity
food reflects identity:
age, gender, social class,
and more

26. Example:
in the USA, eating
beef is “manly"

27. Japanese “obentōs ”
(lunchboxes for young
children with miniature
portions that are
artfully arranged)
are connected to a
mother’s identity

28. 7. Food & Symbolism
food can be symbolic
In the USA, turkey is a
symbol of the
Thanksgiving holiday

29. “comfort food”
is also symbolic
it symbolizes things
like home, security,
and kind
grandmothers

30. These are just some
examples of topics
Nutritional Anthropology
involves—there are
many more!

31. Further Reading
What is Nutritional Anthropology?
(Anthropology 4U)
Nutritional Anthropology (Encyclopedia.com)Read
Read
The Biocultural Perspective in Nutritional
Anthropology (PDF)
Read

32. Thanks for viewing!
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