Professor Yanga Zembe, socio-anthropologist and researcher at the University of the Western Cape, recently presented her findings as part of an on-going study on how a strong socio-political context currently frames the food landscape in South Africa, at the first Yoghurt Summit in Johannesburg. Our multicultural population, issues of food security, and the major socio-political shifts that took place in South Africa have played a pivotal role in shaping and moulding our current food landscape.
Framing the food landscape
South Africa is a richly diverse and multi-cultural country, but diets tell a different story as dietary diversity in South Africa is in fact quite low. A national study on food consumption in children (NFCS) showed a very monotonous type of diet with specific deficiencies including: energy, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamins A, C, E, B6, B2, niacin and folic acid. This is largely due to much of the population consuming large amounts of maize meal, bread and sugar with low intakes of animal protein and fruit and vegetables. It is known that a diverse diet is more likely to contain all the essential nutrients than a monotonous one.Maslow’s famous Hierarchy of Needs places physiological needs, like food and water, at the forefront of a person’s needs. Yet results from the 2013 South African National Health Survey showed that almost three in ten people in SA go hungry, and one in four go hungry most months of the year. Prof Zembe confirmed that this contrasts with soaring rates of overweight and obesity.
She added that the major political transitions experienced in South Africa during and post-Apartheid have shaped the current food landscape in particular ways. Pre-1994, South Africans faced domestic and global isolation, and for each population group in the country, this meant limited exposure to a broader food culture, beyond their own. Post 1994, South Africa opened in political and socially dramatic ways; an influx of global food products, cultures and trends, suddenly proliferated what had been an otherwise closed food environment, resulting in more food choices from convenience stores. This increased exposure to food, complicated people’s food choices a great deal. In this new food space, healthier foods like maas, bread or pap enjoy limited popularity than in previous times, because they are associated with the days that were linked to hardship or they are considered “unmodern”. On the other hand, unhealthy food options such as take-out meals are consumed far more regularly because of their association with upward social mobility, wealth and notions of having “arrived”. The challenge for health practitioners trying to help people eat healthier is to acknowledge these tensions and complexities, and Prof Zembe urges that in this context, we should strive to adapt the eating patterns of South Africans rather than trying to change them completely. The adage of going back to one’s roots and culture is relevant. This said; there are ways that one can create a hybrid or culture and modernity. For example: although maas is no longer being consumed, yoghurt is a new modern fermented product that still upholds the virtues of being made from milk and live cultures and has added nutrients to address nutrient deficiencies.
Why we eat what we eat
From the emerging findings of the study that Prof Zembe is presently conducting, there is a strong indication that, contrary to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, food is not just about sustenance but a way of meeting both emotional and physiological needs. Food and eating practices are dynamic, influenced by a variety of factors such as:
- Fulfilling hunger
- Helping with expressions and feelings of love
- Belonging
- Contentment
- Self-esteem
- Social inclusion
Her preliminary findings suggest that eating is a complex and tensioned area, not as simple as once believed, and this may be overlooked when healthcare professionals advise their patients on healthy eating. Social media, in particular Facebook, is also a hugely influential space that she appealed to health professionals to penetrate as an avenue to disseminate accurate information on good food choices and nutrition.
The food future
Prof Zembe summed up that while South Africans may be health aware, they are not necessarily health conscious, despite great intentions to be healthy. It is interesting how food and nutrition knowledge do not necessarily translate into healthy eating practices. Calories are clearly cultural, connecting us with who we are, and a way to transfer cultural food practices through food and into our modern worlds.
The South African Yoghurt in Nutrition Initiative (SAYINI) recently hosted the first Yoghurt Summit in Johannesburg. Local and international speakers shared emerging research on various aspects of gut health. SAYINI aims to uncover scientific data related to yoghurt, stimulate new research and identify gaps in our understanding on the health effects of this food category.
