Cultures of Nutrition: Classification, Food Policy, and Health

Nutrition policymakers frequently treat their knowledge of nutrition as acultural and universal. We analyze food guidelines in Mexico and Guatemala to draw attention to embedded, but often unrecognized, cultural values of standardization and individual responsibility. We suggest that nutrition policy would be improved by attending to the cultural values within nutrition science, and that nutrition guidelines should attend not only to other people's cultures but to what we are calling cultures of nutrition. We conclude by offering an example of an adaptive approach to policy-making that may be useful for handling situations where many different cultures of nutrition collide.

Automated summary

Nutrition policymakers often overlook the embedded cultural values in nutrition science, which can be improved by recognizing and addressing these values. By considering various cultures of nutrition, policies can be more adaptive in handling situations where different cultural values collide. The importance of cultural sensitivity in nutrition policy is emphasized for better outcomes.