The main purpose of Ecology of Food and Nutrition (EFN) is to promote scholarly debate and engagement on the holistic and cross-cultural dimensions of the study of food and nutrition. It emphasizes foods and food systems not only in terms of their utilization to satisfy human nutritional needs and health, but also to promote and contest social and cultural identity. Articles published in this issue of EFN examine the complex relationship among factors such as climate change, gender, ethnicity, and food. These articles are based on research conducted by using both diverse theoretical perspectives and methods to examine such topics as food prestige and preferences, food taboos and women’s health, climate change and food insecurity, impact of urbanization on local food cultures, and incorporating local knowledge and strategies to develop and implement nutrition/food intervention programs.
Focusing on non-communicable diseases in populations experiencing rapid dietary transition, Praharaj and colleagues use a retrospective cross-sectional study design to examine how diet (lacto-vegetarian versus non-vegetarian) is related to the rising burden of diabetes in sedentary communities in India. They report that the Indian lacto-vegetarian diet, regardless of sedentary lifestyle, may be beneficial for controlling blood sugar levels.
In an attempt to understand the complex relationship between globalization and food, Shaikh et al. suggest that adolescents’ (13-18 years old) living in an urban locality in southern India describe foods and beverages not just as healthy or unhealthy, but also as traditional or modern. The authors recommend that cultural-specific perceptions of food and beverages should be considered to design effective programs to address problems associated with overweight and obesity among adolescents.
Focusing on the problem of obesity among younger population groups, the article by Vollmer et al. examines how characteristics of fathers (race/ethnicity, education, income, and marital status) are related to risk factors of childhood obesity in rural and urban communities in the United States. The results of this unique study suggest that fathers with lower education levels may benefit from interventions that focus on improving knowledge and beliefs about diet quality of the entire family. Also, fathers with low income may benefit from interventions promoting healthy food related parenting practices and preventing excess weight gain among children. The study strongly recommends that fathers be engaged in community-based obesity prevention interventions.
Based on data collected by using participatory action research methodology in Papua New Guinea, Gwatirisa and colleagues report on the impact of the convergence of structural, environmental, and cultural factors on rural livelihoods during drought. Based on their study, the authors suggest integrating local knowledge into effective national strategies to mediate the effect of climate change on food insecurity. They argue that individuals and communities may have a number of coping strategies that can be helpful in better planning national-level intervention programs.
Singh and colleagues report the results of a cross-sectional study among 100 volunteer women (30-59 years) from the teaching faculty of five colleges in Punjab, India to understand the rising trend of obesity among women in India. In addition to analyzing anthropometric data, the researchers used the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21 to evaluate three domains of eating behavior – cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating or disinhibition, and emotional eating. Based on their study, the authors suggest that age is an important factor in increased adiposity and reduced muscle mass among women. In addition, higher cognitive restraint to eating among younger women was positively associated with lower BMI. In contrast, emotional eating was associated with higher BMI.
Muggaga et al conducted a comprehensive qualitative study among 133 women and men to understand the impact of specific sociocultural practices on food security among in children and women in Karamoja region, Uganda. This study suggests that cultural norms and taboos play an important role in restricting food consumption patterns in women. In some cases, culturally prescribed food taboos expose women to the risk of inadequate protein and micronutrient intake, thus leading to poor health.