Nutritional Anthropology Assignment Paper
Historically, nutrition of different nations differed consistently and people living in different countries and different parts of the world had their own nutritional specificities. Such differences were determined by multiple factors, among which different natural conditions, different level of the technological and scientific development, different level of economic development and different nutritional traditions and habits played a particularly important part. Such difference often determined the difference in eating disorders in different parts of the world. In this regard, the most obvious difference can still be traced in the world since many people living in Africa face the problem of starvation, whereas people living in well-developed countries such as the US face the problem of overweight and obesity. However, today, it is possible to trace a strong trend to the elimination of differences in eating disorders that emerge worldwide. In this regard, the research question that emerges concerns the reason of the disappearance of such difference and the development of homogeneous eating disorders in different parts of the world. The possible reason for the elimination of eating disorders’ differences is the process of globalization which eliminates barriers between nations, stimulates free trade and movement of goods, including food products, worldwide.Nutritional Anthropology Assignment Paper
Literature review
Many researchers (Schlosser 204) reveal the trend to the emergence of similar eating disorders in different parts of the world. The emergence of these eating disorders is not necessarily related to the common physiology of humans living in different parts of the world (Schlosser 145). Instead, this trend derives from the development of similar nutritional habits and consumption of similar food products in different parts of the world (Schlosser 187). Researchers (Schlosser 188) reveal the close correlation between globalization and socioeconomic, cultural and political development of the world that creates conditions for the change in the nutrition and food culture worldwide. Free trade contributes to the free movement of food products that makes them available to a larger number of people. Cultural changes increase the probability of the development of similar food habits and food culture. At this point, it is possible to refer to such concept as McDonaldization which refers to the process of globalization in the field of fast food industry, food habits and socioeconomic development of the world (Schlosser 196). To put it more precisely, the process of McDonalidization leads to the spread of the popularity of fast food restaurants but the popularity of fast food raises the problem of similar eating disorders in different countries. In such a situation, the development of common food traditions and habits increases the risk of the development of similar eating disorders (Schlosser 201). Hence, researchers reveal the fact that the process of globalization leads to irrevocable nutrition changes driven by the elimination of differences between countries and food becomes the subject to such changes.Nutritional Anthropology Assignment Paper
Methodology
The methodology of the study involves the analysis of secondary data which includes studies dedicated to the problem of the impact of globalization on the nutrition of people in different parts of the world. The secondary data analysis also focuses on eating disorders’ development in different parts of the world. The analysis of eating disorders in different countries reveals current trends in the development of eating disorders. The data analysis focuses on the data within the last two decades that allows tracing changes that have occurred to nutrition habits and eating disorders in different countries of the world. The data analysis focuses on several countries from different parts of the world, including the US, Brazil, Mexico, China, India, Japan, the SAR, Russia, the UK, and France. The limitation of the study is the limited scope of the study since countries selected for the study represent different regions but do not represent the majority of countries in the world.
The key driver to the change of eating disorders is the development of the common nutrition which becomes similar in different parts of the world. This change derives from profound socioeconomic changes that take place in the contemporary world under the impact of globalization. The socioeconomic changes in the contemporary world lead to global changes which include the change in nutrition and food products people consume on the regular basis in different parts of the world. The free movement of goods contributed to the trade of similar food products worldwide that contributed to the change of the nutrition since people living in different parts of the world have got access to similar products. Such free trade and movement of food products created conditions for the development of similar marketing trends in the consumption of food worldwide. The trade of common food products encourages their consumption worldwide. This is why the consumption of common products leads to the development of similar health problems because they have common causes.Nutritional Anthropology Assignment Paper
At the same time, socioeconomic changes contributed to the change of the lifestyle of people. The change in the lifestyle included the growing popularity of fast food restaurants, irregular meals, and unhealthy nutrition. Cultural norms and traditions shape not only the nutrition and food culture of people but also cause eating disorders which become similar due to the globalization of cultural norms and traditions.
Discussion
The development of common eating disorders is the result of the process of globalization and this trend is likely to grow stronger in the future. The process of globalization continues to progress and the difference between nations in the field of economic development, culture and food habits tend to disappear. Changes in the food consumption, culture and similar economic development raise the problem of the development of similar health problems. As a result, the problem of the development of similar eating disorders will become the global problem.Nutritional Anthropology Assignment Paper
On the other hand, the process of globalization may also have a positive impact on the food consumption worldwide. To put it more precisely, the world may develop healthy food habits under the impact of globalization due to the growing popularity of healthy food cultures and cuisines. For example, the growing popularity of Japanese cuisine and some other cuisines, which traditionally were unfamiliar for the rest of the world, creates conditions for the development of healthy food habits in other countries.
Conclusion
Thus, the emergence of eating disorders becomes the common problem in the world is the result of the process of globalization because countries develop similar eating disorders. Globalization contributes to the development of similar food consumption due to free trade and development of similar food culture. Such changes lead to the development of similar eating disorders in different countries and eliminate local specificities in the development of eating disorders.Nutritional Anthropology Assignment Paper