How huge a role does culture play in diet? We’ve all seen the stats about how the U.S. has a higher percentage of obese people (more than 30% of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) than countries like Japan, France, and Italy. Breaking it down even further, the Trust for America’s Health released a new report on obesity in America, and the South remains the fattest part of the country. (Mississippi has the highest obesity rate, followed by Alabama, where some of Health’s offices are located.)
Traditional Southern fare includes fried foods (like fried green tomatoes, fish, and chicken), banana pudding, and sweet tea. In some families, there is also a culture that encourages overeating: For example, the idea that a man is more manly if he eats plenty—or that you’re not “healthy” if you don’t clean your plate. These eating habits may be the culprits behind expanding waistlines.
But that’s not the whole picture, as Time magazine acknowledged in its article, “Why Are Southerners So Fat?” Not every meal in the South comes from a deep fryer. In fact, for many Southerners, gardening and canning have always put veggies and fruit on the table, and new Southern cooking gives a bigger role to beautiful, fresh produce. Poverty plays a role in the South’s obesity picture, as does a lack of public transportation and city planning that makes it inconvenient or difficult to walk or cycle around town. The abundance of fast-food restaurants and frequency with which Americans eat out means meals in big portions and big calorie counts. A recent study showed that a greater number of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores in your neighborhood may sabotage your diet.
Since our food culture isn’t proving to be healthy, perhaps we should imitate other cultures’ habits. One of food writer Michael Pollan’s mantras is to “Eat more like the French” or simply pick a traditional food culture as your guideline. The Jungle Effect proposes the same idea, as does the Mediterranean diet.
However, there’s more to it than just restacking your personal food pyramid with different menus—there’s a culture of how to approach food too. For example, there appears to be some correlation between obesity and the time people take to eat: The faster, the fatter. Cultures with leisurely meals tend to have leaner populations.
Comments (7)
Mohamed, I love Moroccan cuisine and would love to learn more…
this is such a great article and mimics what my Sicilian family has been doing for yrs. Only in AMERICA have we gained wt when we have access to more meat and fast food…
The fruit after dinner is HUGE in my family, we dont serve dessert daily only for specia occasions many hrs after dinners and w/ coffee/tea
This is one of the most accurate and truthful articles that have been put out to date. (moroccan examples) It’s so simple.
I wish everyone had the “guts” to follow this. (no pun intended)
This is awesome, I love hearing stuff like this. I’m half Japanese, and one thing I noticed each time we had a meal is that there were SO many different little things to eat. Then, if you’re someone like me who loves lots of different flavors, you don’t have to eat a lot to be satisfied. Also, everything was in little portions, and of course, the food itself is pretty healthy…lots of seafood, veggies, brown rice…etc.
Thank you for admiring our food.I can give you another hint.We eat many vegetables and fruits and very little meat.Besides we use olive oil instead of veg oils(though it’s a bit expensive).
Definitely so informative! See how amazing when fruits, vegetables, seafood take precedence over fast food and also the time taken in eating, I agree totally that when you eat slower it helps in not gaining weight.
Awesome. I definitely will pass this information to my friends.