American Food Habits in Historical Perspective

Subjects:

• Health/Medicine » Nutrition
• Anthropology » Cultural Anthropology
• History » American History (General)
• Sociology » Sociology (General)

Reviews:

• McIntosh discusses food in North America from prehistory through the present in this well-organized book. Although clearly geared to undergraduate students, it will be useful to many; the chapters on understanding food habits and foods and religion are good overviews. Using food as a unifying theme might increase interest in history for those who find it to be only dates. A clearly written overview.
  —
  Choice

• Endorsement From Mia M. Moore-Armitage, Ph.D.
  Professor of Food and Nutrition
  Indiana University of Pennsylvania: This book is clearly geared for the undergraduate audience but is written in such a way that it does not speak down to them. The greatest strength of the text is the manner in which the commonalities of similar ideas, concepts, and terms were developed. Dr. McIntosh defines the terms, laying out their commonalities and differences, and then gives concrete, sensible examples. The reader would be hard pressed to be confused after reading any section of the text...An excellent text to bring diatetics and nutrition students "up to speed" about the development and history of food consumption.
• Endorsement From Nan Unklesbay, Ph.D., R.D.
  Professor, Food Science Program
  University of Missouri-Columbia: As Americans become more concerned about their diets and food safety, Dr. McIntosh offers us a unique approach for understanding why we eat as we do. With an interesting, easy-to-read writing style, she portrays a fascinating historical viewpoint of all interrelated factors affecting our current food practices. It is difficult for me to think of a pertinent area that is not included in this valuable book.

Table of Contents:

• Preface
• Humans, Nutrition, and Survival
• The Search for Food
• Early Dietary Patterns
• Dietary Patterns from Columbian Times through the American Revolution
• American Food Habits: The New Republic through the 19th Century
• American Food Habits: The Twentieth Century
• Understanding Food Habits
• Food and Ideology
• American Food: A Characterization
• The American Diet: An Assessment and Prognosis
• Bibliography
• Index