Factors Influencing Dietary Life

A Case Study in Typical Rural Villages

Abstract

1. It is especially essential to find out what motivations could introduce any change of people's attitude toward dietary behavior in formulating policies of nutritional improvement. However, needless to say that there are so many factors affecting dietary behavior; historical dietary customs formed in each family, and social, economic and cultural changes of society as a whole and so on.
2. The majority of these factors are macrotic and indirect in the nature of affecting dietary behavoir, although, of course, they are important by themselves. However, I believe, it may be rather wore important to know direct and concrete factors in order to establish an effective policy of nutritional improvement.
In 1974, for that purpose a survey was conducted in typical four rural and mountainous villages.
3. The finding was that not only marketing system, such as grocery and peddlers, but also familial changes are very important factors motivating changes of dietary custom. For example, replacement of housekeeping, out-migration of young people from their families, getting a job of young members of family and so on are such factors.