Understanding traditional and modern eating: The TEP10 framework

Across the world, there has been a movement from traditional to modern eating, including a movement of traditional eating patterns from their origin culture to new cultures, and the emergence of new foods and eating behaviors. This trend toward modern eating is of particular significance because traditional eating has been related to positive health outcomes and sustainability. Yet, there is no consensus on what constitutes traditional and modern eating. The present study provides a comprehensive compilation of the various facets that seem to make up traditional and modern eating. Specifically, 106 facets were mentioned in the previous literature and expert discussions, combining international and interdisciplinary perspectives. The present study provides a framework (the TEP10 framework) systematizing these 106 facets into two major dimensions, what and how people eat, and 12 subdimensions. Hence, focusing only on single facets of traditional and modern eating is an oversimplification of this complex phenomenon. Instead, the multidimensionality and interplay between different facets should be considered to gain a comprehensive understanding of the trends, consequences, and underlying factors of traditional and modern eating

Homogen oder heterogen? Die Bedeutung von traditionellem und modernem Essverhalten im Ländervergleich

Wie und was wir essen, hat sich über die letzten Jahrzehnte hinweg teils erheblich verändert. Ein Wandel des Essverhaltens ist nicht nur in Deutschland, sondern in vielen, teilweise ganz unterschiedlichen Ländern zu beobachten [1–4]. Insbesondere der Wandel innerhalb der letzten fünf Jahrzehnte von einem hohen Konsum von komplexen Kohlenhydraten und Ballaststoffen hin zu einer vielfältigen Ernährungsweise mit einem hohen Anteil an gesättigten Fettsäuren und Zucker hat viel Beachtung gefunden und wird auch als ‘nutrition transition‘ bezeichnet [3, 5–9]. Häufig wird in diesem Zusammenhang ein „traditionelles“ Essverhalten mit positiven Auswirkungen auf die Gesundheit verbunden [3, 7], wohingegen ein „modernes“ Essverhalten mit Übergewicht und chronischen Erkrankungen assoziiert wird [10]. Der Beitrag beschreibt die Bedeutung von traditionellem und modernem Essverhalten in einem Ländervergleich mit 10 beteiligten Nationen

Similar or different? Comparing food cultures with regard to traditional and modern eating across ten countries

Food cultures can play a role in health and well-being. This raises the questions of whether nation boundaries unite the food cultures of different regions and ethnic groups, what characterises food cultures from very different parts of the world, and what similarities and differences exist. The present study aimed to investigate these questions with regard to eating traditions and modern eating practices. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 3722 participants from ten countries – Brazil, China, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Mexico, Turkey, and the USA. Participants represented 25 regional and ethnic groups. They were queried about 86 traditional and modern facets of their food cultures in interviews, paper-pencil and online questionnaires. First, hierarchical cluster analysis suggested nine distinct clusters of food cultures – the food cultures of the Brazilian, Chinese, Ghanaian, Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Turkish, African and Latin US American samples, and of European descendants. Interestingly, for seven of the ten investigated countries, nation boundaries united food cultures. Second, each of the nine food culture clusters was characterised by a unique pattern of traditional and modern eating practices. Third, the nine food culture clusters varied more in their traditional eating practices than their modern eating practices. These results might promote a better understanding of the link between food cultures and health and well-being that goes beyond nutrients. For instance, food cultures might be linked to well-being via strengthening people’s sense of cultural identity. Moreover, the present results contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between food and culture, and could help in developing culturally competent interventions to improve diet and reduce the risk of eating-related diseases