A qualitative study of food sociality in three provinces of South China: social functions of food and dietary behavior

Youxuan Yan; Jindong Ding Petersen; Liuting Lin; Juncai Chen; Xiyi Li; Guiyuan Ji; Fan Zhang

doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1058764

A qualitative study of food sociality in three provinces of South China: social functions of food and dietary behavior

Front Nutr. 2023 Oct 23:10:1058764. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1058764. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Youxuan Yan^#¹, Jindong Ding Petersen^#¹, Liuting Lin², Juncai Chen¹, Xiyi Li³, Guiyuan Ji⁴, Fan Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ International School of Public Health and One Health, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China.
² Hainan Cancer Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, China.
³ Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health and One Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
⁴ Guangdong Provincial Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Food sociality refers to the exploration of food production, exchange, distribution, and consumption and influences on cultural communication and social meaning. This study aimed to investigate food sociality in three provinces of South China to provide theoretical and practical evidence of food sociality in the region and to revise nutrition policies.

Materials and methods: We conducted a qualitative study comprising 25 experts in the fields of nutrition, sociology, food science, and agriculture from Hainan, Guangdong, and Guangxi Province by using a semi-structured in-depth interview, which included 28 pre-determined questions covering six topics. The interviews were conducted between November 2020 and March 2021. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed thematically using NVivo 11.0.

Results: Of the 25 experts, the mean age was 50.6 (SD = 8.4) years, 15 (60%) were male, and 22 (88%) held a master's degree or above. The analysis showed that food sociality in three provinces of South China mainly comprises social functions of food and dietary behavior. Regarding social functions of food, the experts expressed that food represents local culture (72%, 18 experts), presents social status and economic power (40%, 10 experts), and is central to special occasions, traditional customs, and etiquette activities (60%, 15 experts). In terms of social functions of dietary behaviors, the majority of experts indicated that food is a social communication tool (72% experts), has geographical characteristics (80% experts), and, to some extent, is used as a proxy for reward or punishment. Furthermore, festivals are one of the core elements of food sociality in the region, although food safety is a major concern. Some dietary behaviors, such as overindulgence in afternoon tea and encouraging drinking, may increase the risk of chronic diseases.

Conclusion: Food sociality in three provinces of South China is mainly related to the social function of food and dietary behavior. It is a combination of local culture, social status and economic power, traditional customs, rewards and punishments, geographical food preference, and social communication tools. The authors recommend increasing food safety at festivals and promoting healthy eating behaviors in order to improve the overall health of the population in this region.

Keywords: South China; dietary behavior; food; qualitative research; social function; sociality.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 81860577), Chinese Nutrition Society-Science Popularization and Communication Research Fund (grant number CNS-SCP2020-88), and the Graduate Innovative Research Project of Hainan Medical University (grant number Qhys2021-373). The funders provided only finical support for this study with no influence on study design, data collection and analysis, study findings, and manuscript writing, or choice of publisher for publication. This research was supported by the Hainan Key Novel Thinktank (One Health Research Center, Hainan Medical University).