Food education: health and social cohesion

• Main Author: Eva Zafra Aparici
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto de Salud Colectiva, Universidad Nacional de Lanús 2017-07-01
• Series: Salud Colectiva
• Subjects: Educación Alimentaria; Antropología Médica; Participación Social; Política Alimentaria; Factores Culturales; Cambio Social
• Online Access: http://revistas.unla.edu.ar/saludcolectiva/article/view/1191

Using a theoretical-reflexive approach, this article connects the results of various qualitative studies in social conflict and medical anthropology, in order to investigate how food can be a tool for social transformation in terms of health but also in terms of the dialogue, respect and coexistence among people, groups and communities. In this sense the article presents a first approximation to a new theoretical and methodological approach to food education. In this approach, food adopts a political, sociocultural and participatory perspective that brings us closer to an innovative understanding of the phenomenon of food: not only as an analytic and diagnostic tool, but also as an instrument for health education interventions toward conflict resolution and the promotion of healthier societies overall – nutritionally, but also in terms of equality and social cohesion.