Nutritional
Anthropology
PHN 804
January 2011
Introduction
Nutritional characteristics of the diet
have enormous influence on the
development and health of individuals.
 Eating is an intensely social activity
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Introduction

Cultural notions of person-hood,
kinship, sharing, and morality are all
expressed in the way food is acquired,
prepared and consumed.
Definition
A field of study at the interface of
anthropology and nutritional sciences
focused particularly on understanding
how the interactions of social and
biological factors affect the nutritional
status of individuals and populations
General Areas of Study
The importance of socio-culturally
determined food preferences.
 Issues regarding biological
requirements for sustaining growth.
 Concerns regarding famine and
situations of uncertain food supply.
 The impact of seasonal and unequal
food distribution.
 Nutritional determinants of successful
reproduction.

Areas of Study Specific to Nutrition
Nutrition and life history theory
 Nutrition and Human development.
 Weaning studies
 Intra-household food allocation
 Coping with famine

Nutrition and Life History Theory

The interest in life history theory and
lifespan development devolves from the
dual concerns of a bio cultural approach:


biology must "work" at all points of the
lifespan well enough to avoid death.
“the work of culture" must be to generate or
allow a tolerably meaningful psychosocial life
throughout that long lifespan.
Nutrition and Life History Theory

Some key areas of research include
looking at


The links between nutrition and variation in
growth patterns.
The different aspects of children’s growth in a
range of cultures across the developed and
developing worlds.
Nutrition and Human Development

Human growth and development is
considered as a sensitive indicator of
environmental quality, including

Child care practices

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

developmental consequences of sex differentiated
care
Nutrition
Workload
Pathogen load.
Weaning Studies



Weaning considered to be a period
of nutritional stress for both mother
and offspring
Crucial both for the future
development of offspring and the
reproductive success of parents and
the evolution of other life history
parameters.
Research projects lay emphasis on
the interaction between culture and
biology during the weaning phase.
Intra-Household Food Allocation
Concerns are associated, with the
capacities of individuals and households to
produce, buy and use food of right
quantity and quality at various phases of
life cycle and seasons
 Interest in the relative status and roles of
men and women in achieving desired food
security.

Intra-Household Food Allocation
Determining how intra-household
dynamics with a gender roles perspectives
(socially determined roles of men and
women) have significance in determining
household food
 Provide explainations for the discrepancy
in food distribution and nutrient intake
among household members

Coping with Famine
Mass starvation tends to be viewed as
unexpected crisis rather than as a
likelihood to be planned for in advance.
 It is important that the food distribution
mechanisms do not undermine women's
traditional areas of authority such as the
management of the home, food, water
and family health.

Coping with Famine

Nutritional anthropologists provide useful
information on
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
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How constraints to integrating gender in relief
can be overcome
How to tackle biases in the distribution of food
aid and support for coping strategies.
Through social relations analysis they
highlight the relations between men and
women which underpin the coping
strategies adopted in response to specific
emergencies.