Am I really what I eat??

The idea that diet is a function of your environment, as stated by David (1991), has a clear impact from a sociological standpoint when evaluating the eating conditions that are available for a person.  The entire idea that has been culturally imprinted upon Americans in which “you are what you eat” is somewhat fair in the sense that a balanced diet for a person who is eating nutritionally will encourage a person to strive to avoid fatty foods; however this seems not to be the case when you incorporate the socioeconomic factors associated with obesity (Winter, 2005). Sadly the availability of cheap, trans-fat ridden food product is more available to the poor because of the cheap cost so the poorer groups actually do become what they eat, which unfortunately is fat and I have a passion to change this.

There are serious differences between what I was taught as a child and the intake of ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice, or pasta or the 2 cups of fruit that are recommended by the Food Pyramid (United States Department of Agriculture, 2007). Personally, I am very lucky in that my mother did not introduce me to processed foods and I only discovered them upon reaching the grade school level in which I sat with other children at the lunch table and had to ask a fellow class mate “what is a Twinkie”?  I seriously had no idea even at age 6 because my mother did not introduce sugars into my diet.  However, I was not without good treats but my intake upon those treats was managed and, in retrospect, that was my mother’s way of trying to keep me from having diabetes which is prevalent in both my maternal and paternal family tree. I have kept with my mother’s advice regarding my diet and, of course, expanded my own education surrounding this topic and remain non-Type II diabetic.

With this in mind I constantly struggle with forces, such as cravings that occur when I endure natural female cycles, that cause me to want to throw away all rational and I just binge on salty foods although I maintain a normal body mass index. There is evidence that eating behavior is influenced by female menstrual cycles and therefore it is important, if you are developing a behavioral intervention plan that incorporates dietary needs, to understand this reality (Swenne, 1992).  Cultural norms have influenced my own desire to maintain a positive body-image, which is based upon how I feel and not how others think I should look, encourages me to be a health size 8 as a 5’7 female; however I am often discouraged to follow my diet due to pressures from society that I should be thinner and many women feel the same pressures which often forces us to take on unhealthy eating patterns (Serdar, 2005).

David, Marc (1991). Nourishing Wisdom: A Mind-Body Approach to Nutrition and Well-Being. New York: Harmony/Bell Tower.

Serdar, K. (2005). Female body image and the mass media: Perspective on how women internalize the ideal beauty standard. The Myriad: Westminster College Undergraduate Academic Journal, 2(1).

Swenne, I (1992). Weight requirements for return of menstruations in teenage girls with eating disorders, weight loss, and secondary amenorrhoea. Acta Paediatr, 93(11), 1449-55.

United States Department of Agriculture (2007). Inside the Pyramid. Retrieved June 21, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html

Winter, M. (2005). The ecology of obesity. Human Ecology, 33(3), 2+. Retrieved June 21, 2007, from Questia database.

Food Pyramid…?

Based upon the most recent “Food Guide Pyramid” it is recommended that a person consumes 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice, or pasta, a male should consume approximately 3 cups of vegetables and a female should have approximately 2 ½ cups, fruits should be consumed in the amount of approximately 2 cups for both men and women, dairy products should be consumed in the form of 3 cups, meats and bean should be consumed in portions of 5 to 6 ounces based upon age and sex, and healthy oils should be limited to 5-6 teaspoons based upon age and sex (United States Department of Agriculture, 2007).

This is very different from the food pyramid that I was taught in grade school some 25 years ago. What I recall studying was not nearly as detailed, the portion sizes were not as defined, and the details surrounding appropriate fats were not elaborated upon.  David (1991), when referring to Americans’ quest for the perfect diet, explains that there is not one solution for all of us.  Upon reviewing the Food Pyramid I am actually shocked at the quantity of consumption that is recommended and it is no surprise that we have an obesity epidemic in the nation.  Although I do agree with USDA Secretary Mike Johannes’s statement (as quoted by Krisberg) that the new food pyramid allows for more flexibility for the individual, and that following the suggestions of the USDA by making moderate dietary changes will have long term benefits for the individual, I still am surprised by the quantity of recommended consumption (Krisberg, 2005).
I personally find that a nationally recommendation for food consumption does not reflect our own personal nutritional needs, our cultural biases, our lifestyles, or our geographical locations (David, 1991). 

David, Marc (1991). Nourishing Wisdom: A Mind-Body Approach to Nutrition and Well-Being. New York: Harmony/Bell Tower.

Krisberg, K. (2005). USDA debuts new interactive food pyramid web site. Nation’s Health, 35(5), 7-7, 2/5.

United States Department of Agriculture (2007). Inside the Pyramid. Retrieved June 21, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html