The Lies People Tell Themselves: Eating Identity vs. Behavior

• In Event: 365 - Section on Sociology of Culture Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Section on Sociology of Culture Roundtables. Table 01. Consumer Studies Network

Abstract

How does the consumption of junk food affect the meanings people create about health, morality, and food? Much of the nutrition literature focuses on developing conceptual models of food choice that present consumers as rational and choice-driven. In contrast, much of the sociological literature admits that while people may have explicable “food rules,” their actual every day food choices are more relational, dependent on context and situation. In reality, their food choices may be a combination of rational, clearly articulated identities disrupted by habitual, unconscious, or unconsidered behaviors. Semi-structured interviews with 77 adult consumers in two regions revealed a frequent disconnect between a self-proclaimed eating identity and actual eating behavior. The greatest conflict was seen in self-described “healthy eaters,” who often consciously or unconsciously “slipped” and ate junk food on a regular basis. In contrast, there was greater alignment in eating identity and behavior amongst those who were either extremely disciplined or who acknowledged eating junk food occasionally. Understanding the sometimes inconsistent stories people tell about themselves and their junk food choices can highlight how identity and symbolic boundaries can be maintained or become unintentionally permeable.

Author

• Michele Darling, University of Virginia