Marketing food, marketing health: discursive practices and the formation of the healthy food consumer in Australia
Type
doctoral thesis
Date Issued
2008
Author(s)
Abstract
In contemporary western societies a plethora of diseases are linked to human food habits. Although practices of eating and their effect on health have always been a source of concern in many societies, the extent and intensity of the current preoccupation linking food with health is remarkable. This becomes evident, for instance, in the frequent media coverage of diet and health-related topics, the upsurge of health-promoting food products and the considerable increase of diet books and lifestyle magazines that offer expert advice on healthy eating.
In this thesis I suggest based on sixteen semi-structured interviews conducted with Australian experts in the area of food and nutrition as well as an analysis of food-related reportage in one popular Australian women's and lifestyle magazine over a period of fifty-five years that contemporary healthy eating advice presupposes an active, responsible, health-seeking consumer. Taking up a Foucauldian governmentality perspective I trace how such an active, responsible conceptualisation of the consumer has gained prevalence over time in the Australian context. More precisely, I explore the conditions of possibility of this development and the particular techniques that have been employed to channel human beings into healthy food consumers who ideally should take on the responsibility for their own individual health through such a mundane activity as that of eating, albeit eating the right; that is healthy, food.
In the discussion of my research findings I focus in particular on the role nutrition promotional activities (both state-funded nutrition promotion and commercial product promotion) play in shaping how we think about taking care of our health through eating. I suggest that the marketing of self-care inherent in public and commercial nutrition promotion offers models of conduct to individuals about what possible preventative activities to engage in. However, such model preventative activities rarely encompass acts of asceticism (such as dieting) but are frequently related to (more) consumption - of good advice or healthy food products; much in line with the consumerist logic of our time.
In this thesis I suggest based on sixteen semi-structured interviews conducted with Australian experts in the area of food and nutrition as well as an analysis of food-related reportage in one popular Australian women's and lifestyle magazine over a period of fifty-five years that contemporary healthy eating advice presupposes an active, responsible, health-seeking consumer. Taking up a Foucauldian governmentality perspective I trace how such an active, responsible conceptualisation of the consumer has gained prevalence over time in the Australian context. More precisely, I explore the conditions of possibility of this development and the particular techniques that have been employed to channel human beings into healthy food consumers who ideally should take on the responsibility for their own individual health through such a mundane activity as that of eating, albeit eating the right; that is healthy, food.
In the discussion of my research findings I focus in particular on the role nutrition promotional activities (both state-funded nutrition promotion and commercial product promotion) play in shaping how we think about taking care of our health through eating. I suggest that the marketing of self-care inherent in public and commercial nutrition promotion offers models of conduct to individuals about what possible preventative activities to engage in. However, such model preventative activities rarely encompass acts of asceticism (such as dieting) but are frequently related to (more) consumption - of good advice or healthy food products; much in line with the consumerist logic of our time.
Language
English
Keywords
health food
functional foods
consumers
Foucault
governmentality
responsible consumption
Australia
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SHSS - Kulturen, Institutionen, Maerkte (KIM)
Refereed
No
Publisher
unpublished PhD dissertation
Publisher place
Sydney
Start page
268
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
243489