Western Diet Culture

Defining Culture

Karmeen Kulkarni, defines culture as "the knowledge, beliefs, customs, and habits a group of people share." Culture is passed on from generation to generation but it is not inherited. It is learned through social interaction with family and friends and through images portrayed in the media. Different countries have different cultures which are born out of their history, geography, traditions and religious practices among other factors. In the West, a diet culture has formed which influences the daily life of children, teenagers and adults.

It is important to distinguish between 'the diet' of a particular country meaning the foods the people eat and a western diet culture. All countries, or groups of countries, have their own diets, from the humus, olives and pita bread of a Mediterranean diet to the curries and rice associated with an Indian diet. In contrast, a diet culture refers to the compulsion within a society to follow recommended eating plans in a bid to lose weight.

There are various medical factors causing the western diet culture.

A rise in obesity: In the West, unlike in the developing world, there is no shortage of food. According to visualeconomics.com, the average US consumer spends $6,133 per year on food and, as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise, many are overweight.

Links between poor diet and poor health: Medical advances have shown that type 2 diabetes and heart failure are consequences of being overweight and having a bad diet. This has led people to become concerned about the way that they eat.

There are also a series of societal reasons behind the diet culture.

Increasing concerns about weight have been capitalized on by the media with a flurry of diet books and television programs such as "Celebrity Fit Club," "ABC's Fat March" and "The Biggest Loser." These programs have perpetuated the need to diet.

Stick thin models portrayed on the front of magazines have instilled a culture in the west that being thin is synonymous with being beautiful. Peer pressure in schools has heightened the diet culture, particularly amongst girls. A BBC study found that aged 15, 70 percent of girls surveyed worried about their weight and 26 percent were on a diet compared to just 3 percent of boys of the same age.

The western diet culture encourages a fitter, healthier society. This, in turn, will reduce the incidence of weight-related diseases such as heart failure. However, it is only beneficial if it is in moderation. Dieting to try and get a quick fix, before reverting back to old eating habits, is counter productive and can cause even greater damage to health. Additionally, creating a social stigma against larger sizes can lead to bullying in both schools and workplaces and discourages people from accepting who they are.