Why Do We Overeat?
Why Do We Overeat? an article originally published in 1971 by Margaret Mead.
Who was Margaret Mead?
Who was Margaret Mead?
Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist who featured frequently as an author and speaker in the mass media during the 1960s and 1970s. Mead was a communicator of anthropology in modern American and Western culture and was often controversial as an academic. She primarily studied gender within Western cultures versus Samoan and New Guinean cultures, but also Jewish American cultures as well. She was highly regarded as a biased source of researched anthropological materials.
"Most Americans find themselves in the ambiguous situation of having to fight for what they enjoy - of feasting and then guiltily fasting in order to be good."
Food is everywhere in America - we are not a nation that lacks the abundance of food. But we aren't taught how to "eat"? Is three square meals a day a working model today in our society? How do we eat without food being a reward or a punishment? Is "diet culture" a bandage, or a cure? Is "food faddism" hurting to change ideals?
Ms. Mead asks these questions, not to change our eating habits, but to THINK about our eating habits, in the context of each persons lifestyle. She challenges us to educate ourselves, rather than judge or create unrealistic goals.
I have always been thin, have never had to worry about my weight. But it seems no matter what, people always feel compulsion to react to your weight. "You should eat more!" "You sure are skinny for a pastry chef!" "What diet do you use?"
Of course if was overweight, there wouldn't be comments to my face.
Being a pastry chef is a challenge in a society that uses sweets as a reward as opposed to a normal part of everyday diet. Gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, has all but ruined my craft. Food fads are extremely detrimental to the pastry chefs of the world. We need to be more educated about nutrition and health values, in a real, science based way.
Here is a clip from Chef Jamie Oliver, regarding teaching children about food:
https://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver
OBESITY KILLS MORE AMERICANS THAT ANY OTHER DISEASE.
Food is everywhere in America - we are not a nation that lacks the abundance of food. But we aren't taught how to "eat"? Is three square meals a day a working model today in our society? How do we eat without food being a reward or a punishment? Is "diet culture" a bandage, or a cure? Is "food faddism" hurting to change ideals?
Ms. Mead asks these questions, not to change our eating habits, but to THINK about our eating habits, in the context of each persons lifestyle. She challenges us to educate ourselves, rather than judge or create unrealistic goals.
I have always been thin, have never had to worry about my weight. But it seems no matter what, people always feel compulsion to react to your weight. "You should eat more!" "You sure are skinny for a pastry chef!" "What diet do you use?"
Of course if was overweight, there wouldn't be comments to my face.
Being a pastry chef is a challenge in a society that uses sweets as a reward as opposed to a normal part of everyday diet. Gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, has all but ruined my craft. Food fads are extremely detrimental to the pastry chefs of the world. We need to be more educated about nutrition and health values, in a real, science based way.
Here is a clip from Chef Jamie Oliver, regarding teaching children about food:
https://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver
OBESITY KILLS MORE AMERICANS THAT ANY OTHER DISEASE.
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