- Explanations of Attitudes to Food and Eating Behaviour
- Cultural Influences
- Ethnicity:
- Research suggests that body dissatisfaction and related eating disorders are more a characteristic of white women than black or Asian women. (Powell and Khan 1995)
- Ball and Kenardy (2002) studied over 14000 women between the ages of 18 and 23 in Australia. For all ethnic groups, the longer they spent in Australia, the more they reported attitudes and eating behaviours similar to Australian women. This is known as the Acculturation Effect.
Social Class:
Studies have found that body dissatisfaction, dieting and disorders are more common in higher class individuals. Dornbusch et al (1984) surveyed 7000 American adolescents and concluded that higher-class females had a greater desire to be thin than lower class counter parts.
Goode et al (2008) used data from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey and established that in general, income was positively associated with healthy eating.
Evaluation:
There is conflicting evidence against the studies which claim disorders/dieting is more common in white women. Mumford et al (1991) found that the incidence of bulimia was greater among Asian schoolgirls than their white counterparts. Similarly, Striegel-Moore et al (1995) found more evidence of a ‘drive for thinness’ among black girls than white girls.
Therefore, research and evidence is mixed.
Research suggests that the relationship between social class and eating behaviour isn’t straightforward. Contrastingly to Dornbusch et al (1984), Story et al (1995) found that in a sample of American students, higher social class was related to greater satisfaction with weight and lower rates of weight control behaviours. Other studies have found no relationship between social class and weight dissatisfaction, the desire for thinness and eating disorders.
Research on attitudes to food and eating behaviour suffers from a gender bias. Most studies have only concentrated on women’s attitudes to eating behaviour. However, studies have shown that in men, homosexuality is a risk factor in the development of disordered eating attitudes and behaviour (Siever 1994). These findings have been attributed to the male gay subculture, which places emphasis on the lean, muscular body ideal. This suggests that studies that concentrate only on women offer a very limited view of attitudes to food and eating behaviour as the homosexuality risk factor is just one example.
Mood and Eating Behaviour:
Binge-Eating:
Some explanations of eating behaviour (particularly binge-eating) see it is as temporary escape from negative moods (such as sadness or anxiety). Research has shown that individuals with bulimia complain of anxiety prior to a binge. Davis et al (1988) in a self-monitoring study found that one hour before a binge, bulimics had more negative mood states than one hour before a normal snack or meal. Wegner et al (2002) had students record their eating patterns and mood states over a 2 week period. Binge days were low mood days compared to the non-binge days. There was no difference in mood before and after a binge. This suggests that although low mood may make binging more likely, it does not alleviate the low mood state.
Social Learning and Eating Behaviour:
Parents:
One way that children acquire their eating behaviour is through parental modelling, simply due to the fact that parents control their children food intake. However, research also suggests an association between parents and children’s attitude to food generally. For example, Brown and Ogden (2004) reported consistent correlations between parents and their children in terms of snack food intake, eating motivations and body dissatisfaction.
Evaluation:
A social learning approach may not be a sufficient explanation to explain the attitudes to food and eating behaviour. A social learning approach focuses solely on the role of fashion models in influencing the food attitudes of young people. However, attitudes are clearly much more than that. Evolutionary explanations for example, of food preferences suggest that our preference for fatty and sugary foods is a direct result of an evolved adaption among ancestors. Therefore, food preferences may not be just as simple as modelling but a combination of many more factors.
Attitudes to Food and Eating behaviour- Essay Plan
Cultural Influences
Ethnicity:
- Body dissatisfaction and eating concerns/disorders: more a characteristic of white women than black or Asian. POWELL AND KHAN 1995
- 14,000 women, 18-23 in Australia studied. The longer either ethnic group spent there, the more they adopted the Australian attitudes and eating behaviour- Acculturation Effect. BALL AND KENARDY 2002
Social Class:
- Dissatisfaction and disorders more common in higher class individuals.
- 7000 US adolescents surveyed, concluded that higher class females, ^ desire to be thin. DORNBUSCH ET AL 1984
- Data used from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey, found income was positively associated with health eating. GOODE ET AL 2008
AO2
P: Conflicting evidence
E: Bulimia was greater among Asian schoolgirls. MUMFORD ET AL 1991
E: More evidence for a drive for thinness among Black girls. STRIEGEL- MOORE ET AL 1995.
P: Social class and eating behaviour relationship isn’t straightforward
E: STORY ET AL 1995 (contrasting DORNBUSCH ET AL 1984) found- in a sample of US students, higher social class= greater satisfaction with weight, lower rates of weight control behaviours.
E: Other studies- no relationship between social class and weight dissatisfaction, desire for thinness and eating disorders.
Mood and Eating Behaviour
Binge-eating:
- Temporary escape from negative moods
- Bulimic individuals: anxiety before a binge.
- DAVIS ET AL 1988, self –monitoring study, one hour before a binge, bulimics had more negative moods than before a meal or snack.
- WEGNER ET AL 2002, students record their eating patterns & mood states over 2 weeks. Binge days- low mood days. No difference in mood before and after a binge. Therefore, a binge does not alleviate a bad mood.
AO2
P: A number of supporting studies- lowered mood/ anxiety is before a binge
E: However, a binge may offer gratification, reinforcement is fleeting at bests, and moods drop after a binge.
E: Unclear why a binge may be reinforcing, particularly as any benefits are fleeting
Social Learning
Parental Modelling
- Children acquire eating behaviour and attitudes by observing their parents.
- However, research suggests- association between parents and children attitudes to food generally.
- g. Brown & Ogden 2004: consistent correlations between parents and their children in terms of snack food intake, eating motivations and body dissatisfaction.
AO2
P: Most research focuses on women’s attitudes- gender bias
E: However, studies have shown that in men, homosexuality is a risk factor. SIEVER 1994
E: Findings have been attributed to the male gay subculture- lean, muscular body types.
E: Therefore, the studies give a limited view