Key aspects of food-related activities for developing a conceptual framework of food pedagogies - Perspectives from community food leaders in Australia

ABSTRACT

Globally, food is recognized as an issue in urban areas regarding diet-related diseases, unhealthy food environments, disconnection from culture and social relations, and environmental unsustainability. Concurrently, food also has a critical role in addressing the complex challenges cities are facing. Food pedagogies has emerged as a key element in tackling these food-related issues. However, pedagogical aspects of food are yet to be broadly explored and no known conceptual pedagogical framework has been developed. This paper aims to inform development of a conceptual framework for the enactment of food pedagogies, based on community food leaders’ perspectives and experiences. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 39 experienced leaders from diverse food-related fields in Australia. Interviews were analyzed thematically. Four key themes emerged from participants’ reflections on the current state of food-related activities: ‘Awareness of food and food systems’; ‘Enjoyment and social connections’; ‘Experiential practices in everyday life’: and ‘Action for change.’ These four themes are discussed both as aims of pedagogical practices and as essential pedagogical content for conceptualizing food pedagogies. A draft conceptual framework is developed to inform actions by policy makers, and public and private sector food practitioners to create healthy and sustainable societies through the medium of food.

KEYWORDS:

• Food pedagogies
• food education
• food-related activities
• urban food strategies
• food practitioners
• societal health
• sustainability

Acknowledgments

The Authors thank the participants in this study who contributed their time for the interviews.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no funding to report.

Notes on contributors

Soo Jin Park

Soo Jin Park is a doctoral candidate in School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong (SHS, UOW). She has professional work experience in developing food strategies/initiatives related to food education, health, and sustainable food culture. Her research focuses on food pedagogies and urban food strategies for societal health and sustainability.

Heather Yeatman

Heather Yeatman is Honorary Professor of Public and Population Health, SHS, UOW. Her career includes working within state-level government leading health promotion initiatives, national advisory roles in nutrition education and food regulations. Her research focuses on food policy processes within the social and ecological determinants of health.

Joanna Russell

Joanna Russell is a public health nutritionist and Senior Lecturer, SHS, UOW. Her research focuses on food security in older Australians and changing food environments within the Pacific Islands. Her public health teaching experience includes both skills and knowledge-based subjects regarding research methods and food and society.

Catherine MacPhail

Catherine MacPhail is an Associate Professor of Public Health, SHS, UOW. Her interests include the social determinants of health and how social context and experience impact on health-related risks. Her work focuses on gender, education and poverty as drivers of women’s health vulnerabilities.