Are eating disorders culture-bound syndromes? Implications for conceptualizing their etiology.

The authors explore the extent to which eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), represent culture-bound syndromes and discuss implications for conceptualizing the role genes play in their etiology. The examination is divided into 3 sections: a quantitative meta-analysis of changes in incidence rates since the formal recognition of AN and BN, a qualitative summary of historical evidence of eating disorders before their formal recognition, and an evaluation of the presence of these disorders in non-Western cultures. Findings suggest that BN is a culture-bound syndrome and AN is not. Thus, heritability estimates for BN may show greater variability cross-culturally than heritability estimates for AN, and the genetic bases of these disorders may be associated with differential pathoplasticity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward the reduction of population obesity: Macrolevel environmental approaches to the problems of food, eating, and obesity.

The authors reviewed the evidential basis of three environmental approaches to reducing population obesity: What are the effects of (a) taxing or subsidizing foods, (b) manipulating the ease of food access, and (c) restricting access to certain foods? A narrative review evaluated evidence using National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria. There was strong evidence that subsidization influences food purchases, but not necessarily food consumption or body weight. Ease of food access may influence food purchases, and possibly food intake and body weight. Data on restriction were lacking. More studies are needed to justify that altering these macro-environmental variables will necessarily reduce population obesity. A proposed conceptual model posits that the steps through environmental interventions may exert intended and unintended influences on body weight and obesity prevalence. Contemplated policy changes should weigh scientific evidence with social judgments and values concerning changes to the environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

饮食人类学视野下的肉食消费与文化生产

进食不仅是维系人类生存和繁衍的日常行为,亦是人类生活本质特征的体现。人类对食物的选择和喜好,受到社会文化的重要影响。肉食消费是探知社会与文化内涵的最基本和最重要的领域。人们对肉食的占有,仪式性地大量宰杀牲畜以及分配、消费,都是社会文化生产的一种方式。     

Roles of Sexual Objectification Experiences and Internalization of Standards of Beauty in Eating Disorder Symptomatology: A Test and Extension of Objectification Theory.

This study extends the literature on eating disorder symptomatology by testing, based on extant literature on objectification theory (B. L. Fredrickson & T. Roberts, 1997) and the role of sociocultural standards of beauty (e.g., L. J. Heinberg, J. K. Thompson, & S. Stormer, 1995), a model that examines (a) links of reported sexual objectification experiences to eating disorder-related variables and (b) the mediating roles of body surveillance, body shame, and internalization of sociocultural standards of beauty. Consistent with hypotheses, with a sample of 221 young women, support was found for a model in which (a) internalization of sociocultural standards of beauty mediated the links of sexual objectification experiences to body surveillance, body shame, and eating disorder symptoms, (b) body surveillance was an additional mediator of the link of reported sexual objectification experiences to body shame, and (c) body shame mediated the links of internalization and body surveillance to disordered eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maternal influences on daughters' restrained eating behavior.

This study examined whether mothers' preoccupation with their own weight and eating was linked to daughters' restrained eating behavior. Participants included 173 non-Hispanic, White mother-daughter dyads, measured longitudinally when daughters were ages 5, 7, 9, and 11. Mothers who were preoccupied with their own weight and eating reported higher levels of restricting daughters' intake and encouraging daughters to lose weight over time. Mothers' encouragement of daughters' weight loss was linked to daughters' restrained eating behavior; this relationship was partially mediated by daughters' perception of maternal pressure to lose weight. These findings suggest that mothers' preoccupation with weight and eating, via attempts to influence daughters' weight and eating, may place daughters at risk for developing problematic eating behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Biopsychosocial Model of Disordered Eating and the Pursuit of Muscularity in Adolescent Boys.

This review provides an evaluation of the correlates and/or risk factors associated with disordered eating and the pursuit of muscularity among adolescent boys. One of the main conclusions is that similar factors and processes are associated with both behavioral problems. Several factors found to be consistently associated with disordered eating among boys are also similar to those found with girls. These include body mass index, negative affect, self-esteem, perfectionism, drug use, perceived pressure to lose weight from parents and peers, and participation in sports that focus on leanness. However, as many of the findings have only been verified using cross-sectional designs, prospective studies are now needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Traditional diets in everyday life: Perspectives from Hispanic Caribbean communities in New York City

Abstract

We utilized key informant interviews to examine traditional diet (TD) perceptions among members of the Hispanic Caribbean (HC) community in New York City (Dominicans, Cubans and Puerto Ricans, n?=?23). While the cuisines share many similarities, the interviews revealed differences in how the TDs were evaluated. Cubans emphasized the unhealthiness of their TD, while Dominicans and Puerto Ricans emphasized the importance of their TD in daily life. Participants identified unhealthy aspects of their TDs (predominance of carbohydrates and fried foods, and the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables), and discussed motivations for dietary changes (migration, the demands of new labor routines, health concerns, and spouse/family influence). The analysis demonstrates that distinct ideas, symbols, and meanings associated with TDs reflect how these communities relate to their heritage countries, as a result of distinct migration histories and global forces shaping cuisines and societies in the diaspora and the Caribbean.     

Mealtime Behaviors and Food Consumption of Perceived Picky and Nonpicky Eaters through Home Use Test

Picky eating has been investigated through numerous surveys and food recalls, but few studies have applied in‐home meal evaluations as a method to investigate behaviors and food preferences of children perceived by their parent to be a picky eater (PE) or nonpicky eater (NPE). A 2‐wk in‐home meal study was completed to investigate differences in PE and NPE mealtime behaviors and food selections using real‐time parental observations. Parents (n = 170) and their 2‐ to 4‐y‐old children (83 PE and 87 NPE) evaluated 5 standardized meals in‐home. Parents recorded their child's and their own hedonic liking of the products and completed an assessment of their child's behavior and consumption at each meal. Significant differences were found between perceived PE and NPE children for all 16 behaviors assessed. On average, perceived NPE were assessed to consume a higher percentage of the meal served and to have higher acceptance scores for most of the foods evaluated. Some foods, though, like breaded chicken and plain pasta, were liked equally by PE and NPE. Several significant differences in hedonic liking were revealed when PE children were compared to their parents. Yet, few differences in liking occurred between NPE children and their parents or between the 2 parental groups. Because study participants evaluated meals real‐time rather than memory recall, the differences and similarities found between perceived PE and NPE may be considered direct experiential evidence with reduced subjective bias as created when subjects recall past experiences. Thus, findings from this study can provide the foundation to establish an objective definition and classification of PE and NPE.     

Developing culturally relevant design guidelines for encouraging healthy eating behavior

Unhealthy eating behavior is a major contributing factor to the onset of several diseases and health conditions (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes). It is therefore not surprising that health interventions aimed at modifying dietary behavior have been identified as the cornerstone treatment for many health conditions. Interventions that use persuasive technology can be effective for motivating healthy eating behavior, and recent years have witnessed an increasing number of persuasive technologies with the purpose of promoting healthy eating behavior or attitude by manipulating various determinants of healthy behavior. However, these applications generally take a one-size-fits-all approach that is biased toward individualistic cultures. To resolve this problem, we propose culturally relevant design approaches for tailoring persuasive technology interventions to collectivists and individualistic cultures. Our guidelines are based on a large-scale survey of 554 participants' (collectivist=306 and individualist=247) eating behavior and associated determinants – identified by Health Belief Model – to understand how healthy eating behavior relates to various cultural groups and sub-groups. We developed two models of healthy eating behavior for the collectivist and individualistic cultural groups identified by Hofstede, and an additional eight models to investigate the moderating effect of gender and age on healthy eating behavior. We then explored the similarities and differences between the models and developed persuasive profiles of motivators of healthy eating behavior for each group. Additionally, we proposed two approaches for designing culturally relevant persuasive applications based on our results. The first is a one-size-fits-all approach that will motivate the majority of the population, while not demotivating any user. The second is a personalized approach that will best motivate a particular cultural group. Finally, to make our approaches actionable in persuasive intervention design, we map the theoretical determinants of healthy eating behavior as identified by Health Belief Model to common persuasive system design strategies.     

煎、炸、烤对横山羊肉食用品质的影响

以横山羊肉为研究对象,通过调控处理时间和温度,进行煎、炸、烤三种工艺处理,采用质构仪测定肉样的全质构和剪切力,用测色仪测定肉色,进而对肉样的食用品质进行综合评价。结果表明:对于煎制处理,2min和3min处理的肉样硬度、咀嚼性及回复性显著小于4min(P0.05);2min和3min处理的肉样剪切力显著小于4min(P0.05);肉样L*值随处理时间的延长逐渐减小(P0.05),2 min和3 min处理的肉样a*值小于4min(P0.05),而b*、c*及h°值大于4min(P0.05)。对于炸制处理,3 min处理的肉样硬度和内聚性显著小于4 min和5 min(P0.05),咀嚼性、弹性及回复性显著小于5min(P0.05);3 min处理的肉样剪切力显著小于4min和5min(P0.05);3min处理的肉样a*值小于5min(P0.05),其他肉色指标对不同的处理时间差异不显著(P0.05)。对于烤制处理,160℃处理的肉样硬度、内聚性和回复性小于180℃(P0.05),弹性小于200℃(P0.05);160℃处理的肉样剪切力显著小于200℃(P0.05);160℃处理的肉样L*值小于180℃和200℃(P0.05),a*和c*值小于200℃(P0.05),h°值大于200℃(P0.05),b*值对不同的烤制温度无显著差异(P0.05)。综合分析表明:煎、炸、烤三种高温处理对横山羊肉食用品质有较大影响,肉样在226~228℃的温度下煎制处理3 min和炸制处理3min、在160℃的温度下烤制处理40min,均具有较高的食用品质。该研究结果对于人们选择合理的羊肉高温处理方式及工艺条件具有一定的指导意义。