Junk food cravings are triggered by the mere thought of being low class

Link between socioeconomic and poor nutrition may partly be in the mind.

Read the whole story

 

[pqr]

Always pains me how low standards're in sociology and reporting on sociology. Serious scientists dont make statements that can turn out to be wrong without adequate cushioning in conditionals or inserts like going out on limb here etc. Only reliable takeaway here's that Singaporean university students think being poor means eating more junk food.

OOH if you ask me to roleplay being poor of course I'd do same (pick more junk food) based on both stereotypes, logic and observations in US. OTOH it's quite interesting for Singapore because both in India and China/Taiwan McDonalds actually considered relatively high class if you're poor you'll never eat in MD because there're street food options waaaay cheaper (assuming you can afford food at all esp in India). Personally I'm totally unconvinced that perception of your own social class plays any relevant role here for typical person (population average) though factors correlating with social class of course do. In fact I think poor people eating MD at least in US know full well that eating there's regarded being poor.

And re: raisins. By some definitions they're only real food on that list with chips and M&Ms being engineered and super processed... I'd likely pick none because I dont need any of those three and anyway raisins dont quell hunger that much but if I must pick one then surely raisins

 

[pqr]

isparavanje[/url]":3ux3b902]

pqr[/url]":3ux3b902]Always pains me how low standards're in sociology and reporting on sociology. Serious scientists dont make statements that can turn out to be wrong without adequate cushioning in conditionals or inserts like going out on limb here etc. Only reliable takeaway here's that Singaporean university students think being poor means eating more junk food.

OOH if you ask me to roleplay being poor of course I'd do same (pick more junk food) based on both stereotypes, logic and observations in US. OTOH it's quite interesting for Singapore because both in India and China/Taiwan McDonalds actually considered relatively high class if you're poor you'll never eat in MD because there're street food options waaaay cheaper (assuming you can afford food at all esp in India). Personally I'm totally unconvinced that perception of your own social class plays any relevant role here for typical person (population average) though factors correlating with social class of course do. In fact I think poor people eating MD at least in US know full well that eating there's regarded being poor.

And re: raisins. By some definitions they're only real food on that list with chips and M&Ms being engineered and super processed... I'd likely pick none because I dont need any of those three and anyway raisins dont quell hunger that much but if I must pick one then surely raisins

It might interest you to know that Singapore is richer per capita than the US. Why would a comparison with India or China mean anything?

I know that it's comparable to US in absolute GDP and that's why I included Taiwan in there which is much closer than India/China especially if you compare purchasing parity not to mention it's culturally also close to Singapore (I know people who moved to Singapore and feel at home).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... per_capita
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... per_capita

Your comment just reinforces that study here's on very atypical country and atypical segment of population there so one cant reliably conclude anything general.

 

[pqr]

isparavanje[/url]":15z0exv0]

pqr[/url]":15z0exv0]

isparavanje[/url]":15z0exv0]

pqr[/url]":15z0exv0]Always pains me how low standards're in sociology and reporting on sociology. Serious scientists dont make statements that can turn out to be wrong without adequate cushioning in conditionals or inserts like going out on limb here etc. Only reliable takeaway here's that Singaporean university students think being poor means eating more junk food.

OOH if you ask me to roleplay being poor of course I'd do same (pick more junk food) based on both stereotypes, logic and observations in US. OTOH it's quite interesting for Singapore because both in India and China/Taiwan McDonalds actually considered relatively high class if you're poor you'll never eat in MD because there're street food options waaaay cheaper (assuming you can afford food at all esp in India). Personally I'm totally unconvinced that perception of your own social class plays any relevant role here for typical person (population average) though factors correlating with social class of course do. In fact I think poor people eating MD at least in US know full well that eating there's regarded being poor.

And re: raisins. By some definitions they're only real food on that list with chips and M&Ms being engineered and super processed... I'd likely pick none because I dont need any of those three and anyway raisins dont quell hunger that much but if I must pick one then surely raisins

It might interest you to know that Singapore is richer per capita than the US. Why would a comparison with India or China mean anything?

I know that it's comparable to US in absolute GDP and that's why I included Taiwan in there which is much closer than India/China especially if you compare purchasing parity not to mention it's culturally also close to Singapore (I know people who moved to Singapore and feel at home).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... per_capita
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... per_capita

Your comment just reinforces that study here's on very atypical country and atypical segment of population there so one cant reliably conclude anything general.

In Taiwan McDs is practically out of the picture because there's street food, which they can't compete with except perhaps when it comes to delivery. In Singapore there's little street food in the Taiwanese sense. What's more common is hawker food, which is different from street food as its still a semi-permanent establishment where you're supposed to either get takeout or sit down and finish your meal; pretty much like food courts in the US. (there are food courts as well, but those are indoors with air conditioning, which results in more expensive rentals and hence food)

The lack of true street food likely comes from two reasons. One, food safety regulations are possibly more onerous than Taiwan given the relative number of food safety scandals, and second, the business of street food is too dependent on weather, and vendors are unlikely to survive monsoon season without permanent seating with shelter from elements. Hawker centers, the main competition to McD's, sell comparably priced food. You'd thus have a choice of a $4 burger or a of $4 plate of laksa which are quite comparable cost-wise, and McDonald's is not squeezed out of the market quite as much as in Taiwan.

It is definitely true however that there are more low cost choices than in the US, which was one thing I find annoying living there. (or rather, here) I wish I could cook less without breaking the bank.

Interesting, glad conversation wound up here. I'm yet to check city state out in person. Which do Singaporeans consider more junk (less classy) hawkers or McDonalds? Does MD've that weird air of class one still finds in certain eastern european countries? (even if it doesnt have that enamored status I saw among well-off Taiwanese)