Abstract This paper presents a description of both Italian and American cuisines and shows what is at the root between those differences and between the people who live on each diet. It defines American food as fast, convenience foods, while Italian meals are slower prepared and more nutritious. The health benefits and risks of each form of diet is discussed.
From the Paper "There are noticeable differences in the diets of people from different countries, even between those of a similar geographic area. One has only to compare Italian to French cuisine to see that though both share parts of the same landmass, both nations have very differently evolved diets, cooking styles, and kitchen staples. The European attitude toward food, however, is quite unified. Europeans generally enjoy their food for the visceral effects, the beauty and simplicity (or complexity) of the food, and treat it with respect. Americans, on the other hand, have a very different attitude toward food. American culture is based upon speed and convenience. Where once home-cooks prepared complex, multi-course meals for the entire family to savor and enjoy together, now the American household dinner is more often than not divided between the separate eating times of the family members, prepared with a minimum of from-scratch ingredients, and relies heavily upon pre-prepared frozen, canned, and other food items. Because of this, speed and efficiency are the hallmark of the American diet."
Abstract A paper which explores how the media contributes to the bad eating habits of the American people. It examines issues such as advertising, projection of the "cool" or perfect image, targeting of children, dental problems and health issues. The paper also discusses ways in which the media can be used to deliver positive and educational messages.
From the Paper "Children are an easy and promising market. According to MediaQuotient research, an American child watches TV for 25 hours a week; some of the children have television set in their bedroom, where they can spend time relaxing in bed watching their favorite cartoon with an ice cream gallon in hand. Families also often have their television on during meals, as 18% of the participants say always, 22% say often, and 26% do it sometimes, showing that much of the time they are exposed to TV shows and commercials."
Abstract This paper analyzes the influence of mass media on the everyday diet of Americans. The author discusses the inconsistencies of food and nutrition news reported by the media that confuse and frustrate consumers and lead to poor diet and lifestyle choices.
From the Paper "Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but you may need a scorecard to decide what to eat. Will knocking back a few cups of java (a) raise your risk of pancreatic cancer, (b) lead to arthritis, or (c) protect you from Parkinson's disease? Is it butter or margarine that is healthier on your toast? Are eggs OK or did you get the message scrambled? One has good reason to be confused and not just at breakfast. Americans get the bulk of their nutrition news from TV, magazines, and newspapers where the latest findings are proclaimed by just about anyone in a lab coat (Kulman 1). These findings are sometimes contradictory to established research conclusions and leave consumers unsure of what to really think."
Abstract This paper discusses Mimi Richter's book on teen dieting and how parents can cope with it. It details several extensive research interviews with a large group of girls over an extended period of time and looks at what teen girls and their parents had to say about the issues of body image and weight control. It discusses the whole female body weight issue in American culture from an anthropological point of view.
From the Paper "In the book Fat Talk: What Girls and their Parents Say about Dieting, the author Mimi Richter looks at one aspect of teen culture ? perceptions of body image ? from an anthropologist's standpoint. The author explains why she feels an examination of these issues from outside the medical community is important. She reports that she sees many articles in magazines, newspapers and other sources about eating disorders, but notes that only 1 ? 3% of teens actually have some kind of eating disorder. She describes this kind of exaggeration ?a "propensity to pathologize youth" (p. 2). "
Abstract This paper examines diet jokes and the Israeli women's attitude towards the diet culture. An analysis of jokes connected to dieting. An examination of the attitudes of women towards the pressures of dieting by relating to the themes revealed in diet jokes. The thesis is supported by interviews with Israeli women and participation in an Israeli weight watchers group.
Contents
Chapter 1:
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Origins of the ?Diet Culture?
1.3 Diet Culture Ideology
1.4 Feminist Critique of the ?Diet Culture?
1.5 Studying Culture through Humor
1.6 Overview of Following Chapters
Chapter 2: Field Methods:
2.1 The Field
2.2 The Research Population
2.3 Participant Observation as a "Native Anthropologist"
2.4 Text Analysis
Chapter 3: Diet Humor
3.1 The Difference between Diet Jokes and Fat Jokes
3.2 Themes in Diet Humor:
A. Diet Rules and Practice
B. Diet Products
C. Diet Culture Ideology
D. Clothes and Fashion
E. Diet Culture, Food and Social Interaction
Chapter 4: Discussion and Conclusions
4.1 Diet Humor as Resistance
4.2 Diet Humor as Solidarity between Women
4.3 Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix
From the Paper "This M.A. thesis is an ethnographic study of humor produced and used by young Israeli women who are part of the Israeli "diet culture". The goal of this thesis is to answer the questions: what is "diet humor"? How does it relate to "diet culture"? What impact does it have on the everyday lives of young women in Israel and to answer the additional question: does the appearance of "diet humor" signify a form of resistance to the prevailing "diet culture"? As I will discuss further on in this chapter, "diet culture" is very closely linked to consumer culture (Bordo, 1995, Featherstone, 1991) and the capitalist market (Turner, 1982). Advertisers and the mass media, which are financed by advertising, construct its images. Purchasing and using a range of aggressively marketed diet "products" carry out its practices. In Israel, that seems to idealize American culture, many diet culture images and products have been imported from the USA and are currently being marketed by Israeli companies."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the so called Mediterranean diet. According to the paper, this term refers to more than just people living in the Mediterranean region. The paper discusses how factors such as climate, geography, socioeconomic, culture and history influence the nutritional value of the diets of Mediterranean countries.
From the Paper "According to one study, people afflicted by metabolic syndrome who followed a Mediterranean diet lost more weight than those on a low-fat diet, a total difference of nine pounds in two years (Collins). An earlier study revealed that participants who followed a Mediterranean-style diet of moderate fat content lost the same amount of weight at first as a low-fat diet group, yet the Mediterranean group kept the weight off better, while only one-fifth of the low-fat group could were able to stay on their diet (Collins). A recent study published in Nutrition & Metabolism, revealed that rheumatoid arthritis patients who adopted a modified Mediterranean diet, obtained a reduction in disease activity and also showed an improvement in physical function and vitality (Mediterranean1)."
Abstract This paper analyzes the recent decline of the Euro, and discusses how its relative weakness, compared to the dollar and other currencies, has affected American financial markets.
Tags: ECONOMICS / INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS, decline of euro
Abstract The ability of life to adapt to new environments is one of the principle foundations of Natural Selection. The paper shows that, given the great importance of diet on the course of our evolutionary past, it is astounding that more research has not been conducted on the origins of our dieting habits. The literature that has been written on the subject of diet has taken on many forms. Some researchers have focused on the social origins of diet and how it affects different categories of people, while others have focused on the cognitive functions behind different dieting behaviors. This literature review examines some of the past research that has been conducted and attempts to put this research into an evolutionary based frame.
From the Paper "This model theorizes that females, since females bear young, would establish small groups near a constant food source in order to ensure the health of young offspring. Males, on the other hand, would have a larger territory that would encompass several smaller female groups. Males would roam this territory and be constantly on the move, allowing for males to eat a wider (but less constant) diet. Males would therefore have a predisposition to eat anything that could be eaten, and therefore care less about the "healthy" aspect of the foodstuff. Females, having maintained a constant source of food over several generations, would be more selective with their caloric intake and only choose to eat the healthier foods."
Abstract This paper begins with a brief synopsis of the Atkins diet and the medical philosophy behind the diet. The paper then reviews studies on the diet's short-term safety and effectiveness and cites the positive results of these studies, while at the same time noting the lack of sufficient medical studies done on the long-term safety and effectiveness of the diet.
From the Paper "Recent research suggests that the low-carbohydrate Atkins diet is safe and effective in the short term. Today, millions of Americans follow the Atkins diet, making questions of safety and effectiveness increasingly important. In controlled studies, those on the Atkins diet lost more weight, had bigger increases in heart-friendly HDL cholesterol and had larger decreases in triglyceride levels when compared to dieters on a "normal" diet. Despite the diet's clear short-term success, the long-term effectiveness and safety of the diet have not been conclusively established, although a diet that combines the traditional Atkins diet with low fat may help to reduce some of these potential risks. Overall, the Atkins diet seems to be an effective way to shed pounds, at least in the short term. The Atkins diet may provide an effective and safe means to improve health, even when potential concerns about the diet are contrasted against the documented and well-known dangers of obesity."
Abstract This paper provides a review of the literature to determine the incidence of heart disease in the population at large, as well as in the black female segment, followed by an assessment of how an improved diet, focusing on micro-nutrients and exercise, can mitigate the impact. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.
From the Paper "In the United States today, approximately 52 percent of black women are obese compared with 33 percent of white women. The high incidence of obesity among African-American women has been attributed to lifestyle factors such as diet and less cultural preoccupation with thinness, but experts have wondered for years if biological factors are also responsible. Obesity in the middle-aged African-American female population represents a major health risk because of the increased incidence of heart disease for these individuals. According to Paul Ceratto, the lack of awareness about heart disease is a particular problem among women, and an even greater problem among black women. A recent national survey cited by Ceratto found that six out of 10 women think cancer is the greatest threat to their health. However, only 7 percent (fewer than one in 10) rated heart disease at the top of the list. Even many healthcare professionals still view heart disease as primarily a male problem. Ceratto emphasizes that the most recent figures show that more than half a million women die from cardiovascular disease each year, accounting for approximately 45 percent of all female deaths in the United States. That figure is more than all forms of cancer combined. In fact, among minority women, the statistics are even worse, with the death rate 69 percent higher among black women than among white females."
Abstract This article examines aspects of the Atkins diet. The writer discusses whether or not the diet is an effective program for weight loss. The paper also looks at the problems related to high protein and high fat diets. The writer discusses the dangers of ketosis that such diets induce.
From the Paper "Low-carbohydrates diets do bring about weight loss in the short-term but their long-term effects are no better than other diets. The Atkins diet is a high protein high fat diet with very low carbohydrate intake. It has been shown to work for weight loss over the short-term, but there are doubts about its ability to work over the long-term. It is difficult to adhere to such a low-carbohydrate regimen long-term. Two recent studies reported in the New England Journal of ... "
Abstract This paper examines the importance of pollination services. As the author explains, the health of ecosystems and agriculture worldwide depends on pollinating services performed by particular pollinators. This paper evaluates the importance of pollinators, provides statistical evidence for vertebrate and invertebrate pollinator decline and examines causes and consequences of pollinator decline. The paper also demonstrates the consequences of pollinator decline in terms of plant pollinator interactions and corresponding research, including figures. The paper concludes that that the functional diversity of the pollination network is critical to ecosystem sustainability and productivity.
I. Introduction
II. Importance of Pollinators
III. Pollinator Decline A) General Pollinator Decline B) Honey Bee Decline C) Decline of other Pollinators
IV. Causes of Pollinator Decline A) Pesticide Misuse
B) Loss of Habitat and Forage
C) Diseases and Pests
D) The "Killer Bee Hype"
E) Light Pollution) Monocultures
G) Climate Change
V. Consequences of Pollinator Decline A) Plant Pollinator Interactions
B) Decline of Genetic Variability and Effect on Plant Populations
VI. Reduction and Prevention of Future Pollinator Decline-
A) Possible Actions
B) Future Research Needs
VII. Conclusion
VIII. Literature Cited
IX. Figures and Data
From the Paper "Green plants represent the primary food source for a large portion of the worlds living biota. Many plants reproduce sexually and require pollination agents to ensure genetic diversity and other adaptive advantages through cross-pollination. During the search for nectar, pollen, oil, or mates, pollinators transfer pollen from male anthers to female stigmas and hence perform pollination (Cane, 2001). Due to co-evolution among angiosperms and pollinators, many primary pollinator- plant relationships are highly specific. Therefore the health of ecosystems and agriculture worldwide depends on pollinating services performed by particular pollinators. In recent decades human activates have decimated biodiversity in many different species-rich groups, including invertebrates (Cane, 2001). Declines have been recorded in many groups of pollinators including: insects, bats, birds and mammals. This decline represents less frequent flower visitation, gradual decrease of seed and fruit production, and reproductive losses in additional taxa within the community and could eventually disrupt community function (Cane, 2001)."
Abstract This paper examines the effects of a high fat/low-carbohydrate diet such as Atkins, on body weight and composition. This paper compares such a high fat diet to the effects of a calorie-reduced, fat-restricted diet in an attempt to answer the question of whether weight loss occurs because of a metabolic advantage. Metabolic advantage means that the body begins to use fat as energy due to a lowered carbohydrate intake.
From the Paper "One possible reason that the subjects in the Pogliaghi and Veicsteinas (1999) study did not appear to benefit from a low-carbohydrate/high fat diet might be that they have not been participating in endurance training. As an individual exercises, the resulting muscle contractions are done using ATP. How the body creates and uses this ATP is dependant upon the amount of the energy sources available, and the intensity and duration of the exercise. In all individuals, even those who are non-obese, glycogen is generally used for ATP and thus, during moderate exercise, the body creates ATP from available glycogen. As the intensity of exercise is increased, oxygen levels in the body decrease, which makes the creation of ATP difficult. The body, at this point, will begin to burn fat to substitute for this lack of ability. Since prolonged endurance training has the affect of conditioning the muscles to "crossover" to burn glycogen after longer time duration, trained individuals will burn more fat and less glycogen than untrained individuals will. This might explain why the study done by Pogliaghi and Veicsteinas (1999) yielded such results as it did, since the individuals in the study were not trained athletes."
Abstract In this essay, the writer argues that diet pops are so dangerous for one's health that it would be better if people just ate sugar. The writer maintains that even though sugar is bad for people's health, it is not as bad as the aspartame in diet pops. The writer shows that there is much evidence to support this. As demonstrated in this article, there is also evidence to show that aspartame is not bad for people. However, the writer claims that if this evidence is examined one finds that the evidence may be biased. The writer explains that this is because some research is paid for by the diet pop companies.
