How has Globalization Impacted the Way People Eat Around the World?
Globalization has had a massive impact on the global food systems and peoples eating habits. Over the last few decades, the world has experienced a transition in nutrition as people move away from traditional cuisines into the consumption of nutrition-poor and high-calorie foods rich in sugar, sweeteners and fats (Cuevas García-Dorado et al., 2019).Globalization has affects the global availability and supply of food, which influences their desirability, type, quantity and cost. Pan, Malik and Hu (2013) state that globalization has led a rapid rise and popularity of western-style processed fast foods across the world, particularly in developing countries.The understanding of the relationship between globalization and nutrient transition helps in the development of food and healthcare policies. The paper evaluates the impact of globalization on the erosion of traditional food cuisine, an increase in variety of food and the rise in lifestyle diseases.
How has Globalization led to the erosion of traditional cuisines?
Globalization has led to an increase in the variety of foods in the market thereby eroding the prevalence of traditional cuisines, as consumers prefer processed food.Various aspects of globalization such as urbanization, capital flow and market liberalization have altered the global food systems by promoting food affordability and diversity thereby changing the nutritional value and quality of food (Black, 2016). Fasts foods are the purveyors of contemporary fast foods and cultural hegemony (Power, 2000). There spread and popularity across the world has defused the traditional food cuisines making them the unacceptable face of globalization.Black (2016) states that processed and western-style food have replaced traditional cuisines in developing countries thereby promoting cultural erosion. Watson (2000) states that MacDonald has transformed the traditional Chinese Cuisine as people ‘drown in burgers, fries and Coke’ in a cultural region dominated by pork, fish, noodles and rice.Most of the processed products are high in unhealthy facts, energy, salt and sugar, which is the stark opposite of the nutritious traditional foods that promote a healthy lifestyle.Black (2016) states that multinational food corporations dominate and control the food market, making it difficult for local franchises selling traditional cuisines. The prevalence of processed foods, coupled with the market power of multinational fast-food organizations, has fastened the erosion of cultural cuisines.
Transnational Corporation has saturated the market with processed food availableacross all retail avenues to the detriment of traditional foods(Monteiro & Cannon, 2012).According to Power (2000), McDonald’s has spread to all part of the world, providing customers with convenient and quality services while promoting the consumption of processed foods at the expense of traditional cuisines.Various aspects of globalization such as mass media, social media and the internet have promoted the spread of dietary patterns and choices across the world (Oberlander, Disdier andEtilé, 2017). Traditional nutritional habits and food systems are anchored in the cultural, social, personal,economic and community identities (Monteiro & Cannon, 2012).
In addition to the convenience and quality services, fast food franchises also endure themselves to the locals through welfare programs and provide for employment opportunities.McDonald’s provides 250,000 jobs in a continent troubled by widespread unemployment, thereby ingraining itself in the society (Power, 2000).
Fast foods have led to the homogenization of food taste across the world. Traditionally, every society has its type of food, method of preparation, ingredients and desired taste. However, fast foods franchiseshomogenize the taste where Pizza served in Atlanta tastes the same as that served in Rome.According to (Watson), the spread of multinational food organizations promotes the creation of a homogenous food culture while undermining indigenous cuisines. The penetration of fast-food restaurants into Hong Kong and China, which are two of the cultural adherent markets in the world, is testament to the impact of the wave. The Rome-based Slow Food International Movement holds regular protests and conferences to protest about the homogenization of food by fast-food restaurants. There is a general feeling across the world that McDonald is usurping local cuisines through homogenization (Power, 2000).Globalization has led to the global consumption of harmful refined food, cholesterol and saturated fats (Black, 2016).
How has Globalization led to increased access to a variety of foods in many regions?
Globalization has led to an increase in the global presence of multinational food corporations and the movement of goods and people across the world. The companies promote the spread of a wide variety of food, culture and dietary ideas. Black (2016) states that improved infrastructure, global mass media and the advent of new technologies have increased the availability of contemporary imported processed food.According to Visser (1999), the introduction of cornflakes and margarine in Spain replaced the longstanding butter because it was cheaper and sweater. Visser (1999) also gives an example of the French couple, Roger and Jacqueline, who introduced the growth and consumption of vegetables such as eggplants, spinach, carrots and tomatoes to the Bellah and Tuareg. Watson (2000) wrote that fast food joints provide the Chinese youth to consume imported food they have never tasted in their lives.Globalization has led to an increase in the number of restaurants, fast-food joints, supermarkets and bars offering a wide variety of cuisines from across the world.Various aspects of globalization such as foreign direct investments, market liberation and migration lead to increased access to a variety of foods in many regions.
The prevalence of new foods in society stems from social and economic development as the forces of globalization influence people’s interaction with the urban environment and change cultural behaviours (Black, 2016).Market saturation in developed countries has opened opportunities for transnational companies from across the world to open up new markets in developing countries. Food in new markets entail highly processed and packaged food, promoted as modern, convenient and exotic. The spread and positive reception of processed food are evidenced by the fact that processed food provides the highest amount of foreign direct investment compared to other types of food.According to Visser (1999), the introduction of cornflakes and margarine in Spain replaced the longstanding butter because it was cheaper and sweater. Visser (1999) also gives an example of the French couple, Roger and Jacqueline, who introduced the growth and consumption of vegetables such as eggplants, spinach, carrots and tomatoes to the Bellah and Tuareg. Watson (2000) wrote that fast food joints provide the Chinese youth to consume imported food they have never tasted in their lives.
The high population growth across the world has led to a decrease in the available agricultural land and a subsequent increase in demand for food, which necessitates the importation of food across the globe. The high rate of intermingling between people from different parts of the world promotes the spread of different types of cuisines across societies. Globalization has led to the spread of different food systems, varieties and methods in different parts of the world that marginalized communities.Kennedy et al., (2004) states that globalization affects the production, distribution and procurement of food, which shapes food availability. The change and availability of diverse food systems have prompted the spread of large multinational supermarket chains and fast food franchises that provide convenient services at competitive prices relative to local cuisines.
How has Globalizationled to increased intake of fast foods resulting in a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity?
Transactional fast food corporations have promoted the spread and prevalence of obesogenic foods across the world.According to Black (2016), globalization has led to a switch from traditional whole-coarse grains rich in dietary fiber and nutrients like barley, millet, fruits, and vegetables. The contemporary unhealthy diet incorporates hydrogenated oils, unhealthy fats, animal products, refined carbohydrates and added salt and sugar. Dietary convergence and adaptation to include branded, refined and processed food has promoted the consumption of sweet energy-dense foods that cause lifestyle diseases.Traditional cuisines are associated with low prevalence of chronic diseases and obesity, which is linked to processed foods. Monteiro and Cannon (2012) opine that globalization has replaced traditional food cuisines with salty, sugary and fatty processed food promoted by multinational corporations, which increase the prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Countries preserving their traditional food systems and cuisine would provide a reliable and rational foundation of formulating food and public health-related policies (Monteiro & Cannon, 2012).Searcey and Richtel (2017) states that obesity is caused by extensive consumption of processed foods rich in fat, sugar and salt. In Ghana, fast foods such as hamburgers and chicken are sweet and appealing particularly to the middle-class who were raised eating cassava, fermented corn and soup. The customers value satisfaction regardless of healthcare concerns. Fast foods such as Pizza, French fries and chicken have been linked to an upsurge in health-related problems such as the worldwide obesity epidemic.According to Black (2016), most consumers find processed and fast foods as more classy with the elegant customer experience provided by fast-food joints making them common popular than traditional food.Searcey and Richtel (2017) give an example of the growing prevalence and popularity of KFC in Ghana as a depiction of how food shapes people’s waistlines, habits and palates. The consumption of processed and fast foods over time molds people’s tastes and preferences leading to an increase in the demand for nutrient-poor processed food at the expense of healthy traditional food.
Thesis Statement
Globalization has led to an increase in the intake of fast foods resulting in a rise in lifestyle diseases.Fast foods are interlinked with weight gain, obesity and the global increase in the diabetic population.Black (2016) opines that, while the public is aware of the health concerns associated with sugaryand fatty foods, their inexpensive nature relative to traditional food makes the attractive to consumers. Globalization has eased the movement of different dietary ingredients, types and methods of food preparation across the world. The processed food with low nutritional value have replaced the traditional foods such as millet, rice, sorghum, corn and beans that are rich in fiber and nutritional value.
Intense advertisement by fast food franchises has convinced the public of their viability. The corporations intensely advertise processed fast foods as convenient, sophisticated, cheap and quality food, which has increased their prevalence across the world.Costa-Font and Mas (2016) opine that globalization has led to a reduction in food prices for processed foods thereby increasing the consumption of high-energy foods.While adults are aware and apprehensive about their dietary choices and their impacts on their health, children and the youth are more concerned with the taste, with little regard to health concerns. Furthermore, the intense and appealing advertisement campaigns employed by the fast food transnational corporations greatly influences children’s’ food preferences.The advent of globalization has promoted the spread and consumption of processed fast foods across the world leading to weight gain and obesity among other diet-related-chronic diseases.
Globalization has led to the tastehomogenization of fast foods such as fries and burgers rich in fats, sugars and hydrogenated oils. The consumption of high calorie food coupled with poor physical activities brought about by overdependence on technology leads to obesity (Watson, 2000).The consumption of high-calories, nutrition poor foods rich in cholesterol, fats, sugar and salts is linked to lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes. The presence of cheap fast foods has changed people dietary preferences outside their homes, raising their susceptibility to chronic diseases (Watson, 2000). Food spread of fast foods corresponds with the global increase in the incidences of chronic diseases.
Conclusion
Globalization has led to significant changes in the nutrition, health, lifestyle, cultural and social statuses of people across the world. While the changes are attributed to modernization, urbanization and development, they have an effect on how and what people eat and live. Globalization have changed traditional diets and replaced them with modern, processed fast foods. While the fast foods are sweet and stylish, they are rich in cholesterol, fasts, sugar and salts, which leads to weight gain, obesity and chronic dietary diseases such as diabetes. The industry has undertaken voluntary measures to reduce refined sugar, sodium and calories from their products to improve population-wide acceptability. Various governments across the world have also instituted regulations to mitigate the impact of fast food on the public health.
References
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