The Class Politics of Alternative Food: Informing Public Health Policy and Remedying Health Inequality

Abstract

The past decade has witnessed an interesting coupling between alternative ways to produce and consume food (farmers' markets, Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, and urban gardens to name a few) and individual health‐seeking. While much of this activity rests on an ideological rhetoric of individual choice and “lifestyleism” strongly correlated with social class, there have also been a host of very different government and policy efforts aimed at improving poor food environments and the vulnerable populations that inhabit them in the name of public health. Efforts such as zoning against fast food franchises, placing stipulations on what benefit programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can be used for, and taxing foods deemed unhealthy are sparking public debate because they cut to the heart of many American socio‐political debates: the tension between individual liberties and government intervention. Based on existing scholarship of alternative food, health, and bodies, and the author's insights gleaned from ethnographic research, this article sheds light on the potential ineffectiveness of such public health efforts despite positive – and often times class‐conscious – intentions. Such an acknowledgement raises critical questions about who benefits and who misses out in alternative food projects. While this article situates these questions squarely in the American context, it also highlights the need for other situated studies that emphasize other countries' particular political, cultural, and economic contexts that shape contemporary food systems, and their accompanying moral politics.

A critical assessment of the impact of conformity on collectivist families meal social interaction behaviour in Sierra Leone

“…The findings of this study show that, conformity has positive effect on families' meal behaviour as it reinforces cohesiveness and unity. It also enhances the future success and development of the family by reinforcing adherence to norms at mealtimes; increases the level of participation among family members; provides an exceptional atmosphere for families to build relationship with others; and stimulates the transfer of moral education among family members at mealtimes [69][70][71][72][73][74][75]. This affects families' meal behaviour by reducing boundaries and increasing the level of love, care, sympathy, happiness, bonding, tolerance and cooperation within families at mealtimes.…”

Food Systems and Health

“…Cities and states also support agriculture projects À from community gardens to high-tech vertical farming À in the name of improving food access for low-income people in both urban and rural environments. These programs and policies have been less controversial than the bans and taxes described above; however, scholars warn that focusing on food consumption individualizes responsibility for health and elides structural factors, including poverty and access to health care, which may be more consequential for population health (Lyson, 2014).…”

Beyond Individualised Approaches to Diabetes Type 2

“…In response, the industrial processes are disguised (Richards et al ). The alternative food movement itself which emphasises organic fresh food is increasingly critiqued for failing to incorporate concerns about the structural, racial and economic inequality in the food system (Lyson ). But there are many indications that fast food is becoming more marginal.…”