Diminishing Choices: Food as Supernormal Stimuli

• In Event: 378 - Open Refereed Roundtable Session II
  In Refereed Roundtable: B. Table 10. Health and Wellness

Abstract

Poor nutrition is one of the primary reasons that obesity and metabolic syndrome diseases are at the highest rates ever recorded, and continue to increase. Food choices, food ways and food availability are complex social phenomenon.  Our proposal for a roundtable discussion is to explore and discuss the mechanisms through which individual agency seems powerless, and why even the most health conscious find it difficult to stay healthy.  It is outside the scope of this working paper to discuss the politics and relationships between big producers and the Federal government’s regulatory agencies. Our intent is to apply classic and modern sociological and behavioral theory to explain the current dilemma of what types foods are produced, and why healthy choices seem so difficult. 

Authors

• John Porter Lillis, Morris College

• Colin Farrell, Saginaw Valley State University