ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on how food acts as a symbol of power relations and, in particular, the confluence of gender relations and status with aspects of power. It attempts to "weave" a story of pregnant women's food behavior by examining aspects of the interconnectedness of food, gender, and power. The chapter explains three of the main "threads," or elements, that are woven together in this study: political-economic systems of food, social environments of food, and intertwinements of food and health. It combines theoretical perspectives to develop anthropological theory of human biology, nutrition, and food choices further. The chapter provides a description of the political-economic situation of health in India, followed by a discussion on the political-economy of food and nutrition security. It also provides a description of biomedical guidelines, including, again, both Indian and international recommendations. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.