Academic literature on the topic 'Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (U.S.)'

Eating habits develop during the first years of a child's life, children learn what, when, and how much to eat through direct experience with food and by observing the eating habits of others. The aim of this study is to get a clear picture of the Eating program Healthy, starting from the planning, implementation, supervision, and evaluation as a case study of nutrition education; to get information about the advantages, disadvantages and effects of implementing a healthy eating program for children. This research was conducted through a case study with qualitative data analysed using Miles and Huberman techniques. Sample of children in Ananda Islāmic School Kindergarten. The results showed the Healthy Eating program could be implemented well, the diet was quite varied and could be considered a healthy and nutritious food. The visible impact is the emotion of pleasure experienced by children, children become fond of eating vegetables, and make children disciplined and responsible. Inadequate results were found due to the limitations of an adequate kitchen for cooking healthy food, such as cooking activities still carried out by the cook himself at the Foundation's house which is located not far from the school place; use of melamine and plastic cutlery for food; the spoon and fork used already uses aluminium material but still does not match its size; does not involve nutritionists. Keywords: Early Childhood, Eating Healthy Program References: Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. Bandura, Albert. (2004). Health promotion by social cognitive means. Health Education and Behavior, 31(2), 143–164. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198104263660 Battjes-Fries, M. C. E., Haveman-Nies, A., Renes, R. J., Meester, H. J., & Van’T Veer, P. (2015). Effect of the Dutch school-based education programme “Taste Lessons” on behavioural determinants of taste acceptance and healthy eating: A quasi-experimental study. Public Health Nutrition, 18(12), 2231–2241. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980014003012 Birch, L., Savage, J. S., & Ventura, A. (2007). Influences on the Development of Children’s Eating Behaviours: From Infancy to Adolescence. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research : A Publication of Dietitians of Canada = Revue Canadienne de La Pratique et de La Recherche En Dietetique : Une Publication Des Dietetistes Du Canada, 68(1), s1– s56. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19430591%0Ahttp://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/a rticlerender.fcgi?artid=PMC2678872 Coulthard, H., Williamson, I., Palfreyman, Z., & Lyttle, S. (2018). Evaluation of a pilot sensory play intervention to increase fruit acceptance in preschool children. Appetite, 120, 609–615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.10.011 Coulthard, Helen, & Sealy, A. (2017). Play with your food! Sensory play is associated with tasting of fruits and vegetables in preschool children. Appetite, 113, 84–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.02.003 Crain, W. C. (2005). Theories of development: Concepts and applications. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. Dazeley, P., Houston-Price, C., & Hill, C. (2012). Should healthy eating programmes incorporate interaction with foods in different sensory modalities? A review of the evidence. British Journal of Nutrition, 108(5), 769–777. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114511007343 Derscheid, L. E., Umoren, J., Kim, S. Y., Henry, B. W., & Zittel, L. L. (2010). Early childhood teachers’ and staff members’ perceptions of nutrition and physical activity practices for preschoolers. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 24(3), 248–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2010.487405 Eliassen, E. K. (2011). The impact of teachers and families on young children’s eating behaviors. YC Young Children, 66(2), 84–89. Elliott, E., Isaacs, M., & Chugani, C. (2010). Promoting Self-Efficacy in Early Career Teachers: A Principal’s Guide for Differentiated Mentoring and Supervision. Florida Journal of Educational Administration & Policy, 4(1), 131–146. Emm, S., Harris, J., Halterman, J., Chvilicek, S., & Bishop, C. (2019). Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake with Reservation and Off-reservation Kindergarten Students in Nevada. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 9, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2019.09b.014 Flynn, M. A. T. (2015). Empowering people to be healthier: Public health nutrition through the Ottawa Charter. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 74(3), 303–312. https://doi.org/10.1017/S002966511400161X Franciscato, S. J., Janson, G., Machado, R., Lauris, J. R. P., de Andrade, S. M. J., & Fisberg, M. (2019). Impact of the nutrition education Program Nutriamigos® on levels of awareness on healthy eating habits in school-aged children. Journal of Human Growth and Development, 29(3), 390–402. https://doi.org/10.7322/jhgd.v29.9538 Froehlich Chow, A., & Humbert, M. L. (2014). Perceptions of early childhood educators: Factors influencing the promotion of physical activity opportunities in Canadian rural care centers. Child Indicators Research, 7(1), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-013-9202-x Graham, H., Feenstra, G., Evans, A. M., & Zidenberg-Cherr, S. (2002). Healthy Eating Habits in Children. California Agriculture, 58(4), 200–205. Gucciardi, E., Nagel, R., Szwiega, S., Chow, B. Y. Y., Barker, C., Nezon, J., ... Butler, A. (2019). Evaluation of a Sensory-Based Food Education Program on Fruit and V egetable Consumption among Kindergarten Children. Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, 43(1). Holley, C. E., Farrow, C., & Haycraft, E. (2017). A Systematic Review of Methods for Increasing Vegetable Consumption in Early Childhood. Current Nutrition Reports, 6(2), 157–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-017-0202-1 Hoppu, U., Prinz, M., Ojansivu, P., Laaksonen, O., & Sandell, M. A. (2015). Impact of sensory- based food education in kindergarten on willingness to eat vegetables and berries. Food and Nutrition Research, 59, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v59.28795 Jarpe-Ratner, E., Folkens, S., Sharma, S., Daro, D., & Edens, N. K. (2016). An Experiential Cooking and Nutrition Education Program Increases Cooking Self-Efficacy and Vegetable Consumption in Children in Grades 3–8. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 48(10), 697-705.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2016.07.021 Jones, A. M., & Zidenberg-Cherr, S. (2015). Exploring Nutrition Education Resources and Barriers, and Nutrition Knowledge in Teachers in California. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 47(2), 162–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2014.06.011 Jung, T., Huang, J., Eagan, L., & Oldenburg, D. (2019). Influence of school-based nutrition education program on healthy eating literacy and healthy food choice among primary school children. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 57(2), 67–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2018.1552177 Lwin, M. O., Malik, S., Ridwan, H., & Sum Au, C. S. (2017). Media exposure and parental mediation on fast-food consumption among children in metropolitan and suburban Indonesian. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 26(5), 899–905. https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.122016.04 Mc Kenna, & L, M. (2010). Policy Options to Support Healthy Eating in Schools. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 101(2), S14–S18. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405619 Menkes, R. PERATURAN MENTERI KESEHATAN REPUBLIK INDONESIA NOMOR 41 TAHUN 2014. , Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia § (2014). Mitsopoulou, A. V., Magriplis, E., Dimakopoulos, I., Karageorgou, D., Bakogianni, I., Micha, R., ... Zampelas, A. (2019). Association of meal and snack patterns with micronutrient intakes among Greek children and adolescents: data from the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 32(4), 455–467. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12639 Moffitt, A. (2019). Early Childhood Educators and the Development of Family Literacy Programs: A Qualitative Case Study. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 96. Retrieved from http://proxy.mul.missouri.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2242479347 ?accountid=14576%0Ahttps://library.missouri.edu/findit?genre=dissertations+%26+theses &title=Early+Childhood+Educators+and+the+Development+of+Family+Literacy+Progra ms%3A+ Mustonen, S., & Tuorila, H. (2010). Sensory education decreases food neophobia score and encourages trying unfamiliar foods in 8-12-year-old children. Food Quality and Preference, 21(4), 353–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2009.09.001 Myszkowska-Ryciak, J., & Harton, A. (2019). Eating healthy, growing healthy: Outcome evaluation of the nutrition education program optimizing the nutritional value of preschool menus, Poland. Nutrients, 11(10), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102438 Nekitsing, C., Hetherington, M. M., & Blundell-Birtill, P. (2018). Developing Healthy Food Preferences in Preschool Children Through Taste Exposure, Sensory Learning, and Nutrition Education. Current Obesity Reports, 7(1), 60–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679- 018-0297-8 Noura, M. S. pd. (2018). Child nutrition programs in kindergarten schools implemented by the governmental sector and global nutrition consulting companies: A systematic review. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science, 6(3), 656–663. https://doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.6.3.07 Oh, S. M., Yu, Y. L., Choi, H. I., & Kim, K. W. (2012). Implementation and Evaluation of Nutrition Education Programs Focusing on Increasing Vegetables, Fruits and Dairy Foods Consumption for Preschool Children. Korean Journal of Community Nutrition, 17(5), 517. https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2012.17.5.517 Osera, T., Tsutie, S., & Kobayashi, M. (2016). Using Soybean Products in School Lunch for Health Education may improve Children’s Attitude and Guardians’ Knowledge in Kindergarten. Journal of Child and Adolescent Behaviour, 04(05). https://doi.org/10.4172/2375-4494.1000310 Park, B. K., & Cho, M. S. (2016). Taste education reduces food neophobia and increases willingness to try novel foods in school children. Nutrition Research and Practice, 10(2), 221–228. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2016.10.2.221 Pendidikan, K., & Kebudayaan, D. A. N. Menteri Pendidikan Dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia Nomor 137 Tahun 2013 Tentang Standar Nasional Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini. , (2015). Prima, E., Yuliantina, I., Nurfadillah, Handayani, I., Riana, & Ganesa, R. eni. (2017). Layanan Kesehatan,Gizi dan Perawatan. 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Food Support Programs and Their Impacts on Young Children. Health Affairs, (march). Retrieved from https://www.healthaffairs.org/briefs Schmitt, S. A., Bryant, L. M., Korucu, I., Kirkham, L., Katare, B., & Benjamin, T. (2019). The effects of a nutrition education curriculum on improving young children’s fruit and vegetable preferences and nutrition and health knowledge. Public Health Nutrition, 22(1), 28–34. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018002586 Sekiyama, M., Roosita, K., & Ohtsuka, R. (2012). Snack foods consumption contributes to poor nutrition of rural children in West Java, Indonesia. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 21(4), 558–567. https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.2012.21.4.11 Sepp, H., & Ho, K. (2016). Food as a tool for learning in everyday activities at preschool exploratory study from Sweden. Food & Nurtition Research, 1, 1–7. Shor, R., & Friedman, A. (2009). Integration of nutrition-related components by early childhood education professionals into their individual work with children at risk. Early Child Development and Care, 179(4), 477–486. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430701269218 Taylor, C. M., & Emmett, P. M. (2019). Picky eating in children: Causes and consequences. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 78(2), 161–169. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665118002586 Taylor, C. M., Steer, C. D., Hays, N. P., & Emmett, P. M. (2019). Growth and body composition in children who are picky eaters: a longitudinal view. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73(6), 869–878. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0250-7 Unusan, N. (2007). Effects of a food and nutrition course on the self-reported knowledge and behavior of preschool teacher candidates. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(5), 323– 327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-006-0116-9 Usfar, A. A., Iswarawanti, D. N., Davelyna, D., & Dillon, D. (2010). 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THE ROLE OF POSYANDU CADRES IN EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF TODDLERS IN SUKA MAKMUR VILLAGE, PATILANGGIO DISTRICT Ripanwati Aridi1), Titin Dunggio2), Novian S. Hadi3) 1.2.3)University Of Bina Mandiri Gorontalo, Gorontalo E-Mail: Aridiripanwati@gmail.com ABSTRACT The Integrated Health Post is a community role that is managed by cadres, generally who manages the Posyandu in their respective regions voluntarily. The success of Posyandu can be seen from the maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate, and under-five mortality rate. Posyandu's specific goal is to increase community participation in the implementation of basic health efforts (primary health care), increase the role of cross-sector, and increase the reach of basic health services. The purpose of this study was to find out the role of Posyandu cadres in improving the nutritional status of toddlers in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District. This research was conducted in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District. The method in this study is quantitative using a cross-sectional approach with a point time approach design. The population in this study was mothers who have children aged 1 to 5 years in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District. The sampling technique was taken by total sampling. The results of the study about the role of cadres in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District, the best roles were 25 people (83.3%). The increase in the nutritional status of toddlers in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District, the most with good nutritional status was 26 respondents (86.7%). The results of statistical tests with Fisher's Exact Test correction obtained p-value = 0.048 <á (0.05), thus there is a significant relationship between the role of Posyandu cadres in efforts to improve the nutritional status of toddlers in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District. Keyword: The Role of Cadres, improved Nutritional Status, Toddle INTRODUCTION Posyandu is a Community Based Health Efforts (UKBM) which is managed, by, for, and with the community to empower the community and provide facilities for the community in obtaining basic health services. The Integrated Health Post is a community role that is managed by cadres, generally, these cadres manage posyandu in their respective areas voluntarily [1]. If the Posyandu is programmed thoroughly the problems of malnutrition in children under five, malnutrition, edema, and other health problems related to the health of mothers and children will be easily avoided because remembering that Posyandu is also one of the places for public health services that directly interact with the community. The Success of Posyandu can be seen from the maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate, under-five mortality rate, and also coverage of other Posyandu programs such as immunization [2]. RPJMN policy direction for health 2020-2024 Improves health services towards universal health coverage, especially strengthening primary health care by encouraging increased promotional and preventive efforts, supported by innovation and the use of technology. RPJMN Strategy 2020-2024 to Improving maternal and child health, family planning, and reproductive health, accelerating community nutrition improvement, increased disease control, strengthening the Healthy Living Community Movement (Germas), Strengthening Health Systems, Drug and Food Control. Ministry of Health Strategic (2020-2024) Increasing quality universal health coverage, Improving public health status through a life cycle approach, increasing the culture of healthy living people through community empowerment and health mainstreaming, increased disease prevention and control and management of public health emergencies, increased health resources, improved good governance [3]. Village Community Health Development (PKMD) is an activity carried out by the community, from the community, and for the community. One of the operational forms of community participation or UKBM (community-based health efforts) namely with the posyandu. Posyandu is one of the means in health service efforts carried out by, from, and with the community, to empower the community and provide facilities for the community to obtain maternal and child health, which is the main objective of posyandu. Posyandu's specific goal is to increase community participation in the implementation of primary health care, increasing the role across sectors, and increasing the reach of basic health services [4]. Posyandu is held for the benefit of the community so that the community itself is actively involved in forming, organizing, and making the best use of posyandu. Community participation is needed in utilizing posyandu. In carrying out their duties, previous health cadres will be given the training to support the smooth implementation of activities to improve the nutritional status of children under five [5]. Nationally, the nutritional status of children in various regions in Indonesia is still a problem. The amount of people with malnutrition in the world reaches 104 million children, and malnutrition is the cause of one-third of all causes of child deaths worldwide. Indonesia is among a group of 36 countries in the world that contribute 90% of the world's nutritional problems [6]. Cadres are the central point in implementing posyandu activities. It is hoped that participation and activeness will be able to drive community participation. However, the presence of cadres is relatively unstable because their participation is voluntary, so there is no guarantee that they will continue to carry out their functions properly as expected. If there are family interests or other interests, the posyandu will be abandoned [7]. In 2017, the total of Posyandu in Indonesia was 291,447 but only 164,487 were active with the percentage of active Posyandu 56.57% [8]. In Gorontalo Province in 2017, the highest proportion of Posyandu was Posyandu Madya 48.5%, then Posyandu Purnama 39%, Posyandu Pratama 10.7%, and Posyandu with Independent strata only 1.9%. According to data from the health office of Gorontalo Province, in 2017 the highest of posyandu was in the Gorontalo Regency area, namely 442 posyandu and the least in the Gorontalo City is 128 posyandu [9]. The development of posyandu in Gorontalo Province aims to provide services to the community, especially improving the nutritional status of children under five. Based on data from the Health Office of Gorontalo Provincial. The results of nutritional surveillance through a survey of monitoring nutritional status (PSG) in 2015 in all areas of Gorontalo province involving the Poltekes of the Ministry of Health found that the prevalence of underweight/malnutrition in Gorontalo province is 24.4%, consisting of 18.8% malnourished toddlers and 5.6% malnutrition. Then the prevalence of stunting / short and very short was 36.5% consisting of 22.4% short and very short toddlers and 14.1%. The prevalence of wasting / thin and very thin children was 13.4% consisting of thin children 9.0% and 4.4% very thin. In 2015 the number of cases of malnutrition in Pohuwato Regency reached 105 cases, in 2016 it decreased to 57 cases and in 2017 totaled 57 cases of malnutrition, this shows that there is still a lack of health services provided by health workers and the role of cadres, especially in improving the nutritional status of children under five [9]. From the results of observations in the work area of Puskesmas Patilanggio, there are 21 posyandu with 30 cadres active in implementing posyandu. Although all of them are active, their roles are still not optimal. There are those whose participation is good and those that are lacking. From 30 cadres, it was found that 60% of their roles were motivators, 70% were administrators, and 60% were educators. After the researcher saw the implementation of posyandu activities carried out by cadres based on the implementation of the Vtable system, it did not implement properly. The implementation is limited to table II (weighing) and table III (recording in KMS). The counseling that should be provided by cadres is, in fact, in the field most cadres are still very dependent on health workers. Cadres only weigh children under five and if there is a scale that is less or more, cadres do not provide health education to mothers who bring a toddler. From the results of interviews conducted by researchers with 5 cadres, 2 cadres said that besides being active in implementing the posyandu, the cadres also do house visits to invite mothers with toddlers to come to the posyandu and take time to discuss with mothers who the house is close to each other. Meanwhile, 3 cadres said that their activities were limited to implementing posyandu. Based on the monthly reports of Puskesmas Patillanggio, in March 2020 the total of all toddlers was 120 people, with 1 person with malnutrition status, 23 people deficient nutrition, 1 person over nutrition, and 95 good nutrition. Meanwhile, in the Sukamakmur village in April 2020 the total of all toddlers was 167 people, with a malnutrition status of 15 people, over-nutrition 2 people, and good nutrition 143 people. The background above encourages researchers to research “The Role of Posyandu Cadres in Improving the Nutritional Status of Toddlers in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District. RESEARCH METHODS This type of research is quantitative using a cross-sectional approach with a point time approach design. This research was conducted from June 2020 to August 2020. The location of this research was in Suka Makmur Village, Patillanggio District. The population in this research was mothers who have children aged 1 to 5 years in Suka Makmur village, Patilanggio district, with a total of 167 mothers of children under five. The sampling of this research using the Slovin formula, where the results obtained that the number of samples of 30 mothers who have toddlers 1 - 5 years old adjusted to the number of samples (cadres). Samples were taken by random sampling. The research analysis used univariate and bivariate analysis, where the bivariate analysis used the chi-square statistical test. RESEARCH RESULTS Univariate Analysis Age distribution of respondents Table 1. Distribusi umur responden Mother's age N % 20 - 25 Years 11 36,7 26 – 30 Years 7 23,3 31 – 35 Years 6 20,0 > 36 Years 6 20,0 Jumlah 30 100,0 Source: Processed data (2020) Based on table 1 above, it can be seen that it shows that from 30 respondents (100%), the most respondents were aged 20-25 years as much as 11 people (36.7%). Distribution of respondents' education Table. 2 Distribution of respondents' education Education N % SD SMP SMA Diploma/Sarjana 19 6 3 2 63,3 20,0 10,0 6,7 Total 30 100,0 Source: Processed data (2020) Based on table 2 above, it can be seen that from the 30 respondents (100%), most of them had primary school education as much as 19 respondents (63.3%). Distribution of respondents' work Table 3. Distribution of respondents' work Pekerjaan N % Housewife Entrepreneur PNS 28 1 1 93,3 3,3 3,3 Total 30 100,0 Source: Processed data (2020) Based on table 3 above, it can be seen that from the 30 respondents (100%) the most respondents have IRT jobs totaling 28 people (93.3%). Child sex distribution Table 4. Child sex distribution Jenis kelamin N % Man Woman 11 19 36,7 63,3 Total 30 100,0 Source: Processed data (2020) Based on table 4 above, it can be seen that from the 30 respondents (100%), most respondents were female, as much as 19 people (63.3%). Age distribution of children under five Table 5. Age distribution of children under five Toddler’e Age N % 12 – 18 Month 19 – 26 Month 27 – 43 Month 51 – 60 Month 8 7 10 5 26,6 23,3 33,5 16,6 Total 30 100,0 Source: Processed data (2020) Based on table 5 above, it can be seen that from the 30 respondents (100%), most respondents were aged 27 - 43 months, totaling 10 people (33.5%). Distribution of cadre roles Table 6. Distribution of cadre roles Cadres’ Role N % Poor Good 5 25 16,7 83,3 Total 30 100,0 Source: Processed data (2020) Based on table 6 above, it can be seen that from the 30 respondents (100%), most respondents had a good role as many as 25 people (83.3%). Distribution of Nutritional Status Table 7. Distribution of Nutritional Status Nutrition Status N % Good Poor Fat 26 3 1 86,7 10,0 3,3 Total 30 100,0 Source: Processed data (2020) Based on table 7 above, it can be seen that from the 30 respondents (100%), most respondents with good nutritional status were 26 respondents (86.7%). Bivariate Analysis Table 8. The relationship between cadres of posyandu cadres and nutritional status of toddler Cadres’ Roler Nutrition Status Total Sig. Good Poor Fat Poor Good 3 (10,0%) 23 (76,7%) 1 (3,3%) 2 (6,7%) 1 (3,3%) 0 (0%) 5 (16,7%) 25 (83,3%) p= 0,048 Total 26 (86,7%) 3 (10,0%) 1 (3,3%) 30 (100,0%) Source: Processed data (2020) The results of statistical analysis using the chi-square test at the level of significance á = 0.05 or the confidence interval p <0.05. The results of statistical tests with the Fisher's Exact Test correction obtained p value = 0.048 <á (0.05), thus it can be said that there is a relationship between the role of Posyandu cadres in improving the nutritional status of toddlers in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District. DISCUSSION The Role of Cadre Based on the results of this research, according to the data obtained, it shows that most of the roles of cadres in Suka Makmur Village have a good role, as much as 25 people (83.3%). The results of this research are in line with research conducted by Onthonhie in Sangihe, whose research results found that most of the cadres (86.9%) had carried out their duties well as cadres in carrying out posyandu activities both as motivators, administrators, and educators [10]. The role of cadres is very important because cadres are responsible for implementing the posyandu program. If the cadres are not active, the implementation of posyandu will also not run smoothly and as a result, the nutritional status of infants and toddlers (under five years old) cannot be detected early clearly [11]. The role of cadres as a motivator can improve the quality of Posyandu, especially in handling health problems. Cadres play a role in implementing posyandu activities and mobilizing maternal activity in posyandu activities. Cadres as implementers at posyandu are tasked with filling in the KMS for toddlers. The completeness and correctness of filling in KMS are very important as information on the status of toddler growth and development. If the role of cadres is lacking, monitoring of toddler growth and development will increase [12]. The role of cadres as educators in providing maximum understanding to mothers of toddlers is very much needed for the progress of children's development and nutritional status. The role of cadres as educators, among others, can explain the KMS data for each toddler or the condition of the child based on the weight gain data depicted in the KMS graph, hold group discussion activities with mothers whose houses are close together, and home visit activities [12]. Nutritional status of children under five Based on the results of this research, according to the data obtained, it shows that most of the nutritional status of a toddler in Suka Makmur Village has a good nutritional status of as many as 26 people (86.7%). The factors that influence the nutritional status of a toddler in Suka Makmur village are in terms of good health services and the role of cadres in increasing education of food consumption for toddlers. The results of this research are in line with the research conducted by Onthonie, most of the results (85.2%) had a good nutritional status [10]. The problem of poor nutrition is caused by various causes in children, namely the result of the consumption of bad food so that the energy entering and leaving is not balanced. The body needs good food choices so that nutritional needs are met and the body functions properly [13]. Lack of knowledge of mothers about nutrition results in low spending, food and quality budgets, as well as less food diversity, besides the ability of mothers to apply information about nutrition in their daily life [14]. Nutrition activities in posyandu are one of the main activities and are generally a priority in the implementation of Posyandu activities and are carried out by cadres [15]. The relationship between the role of cadres on the nutritional status of toddler The results of this research indicate that there is a relationship between the role of posyandu cadres in improving the nutritional status of a toddler. This research is in line with the research conducted by Purwanti et al, which states that there is a relationship between the role of cadres and the nutritional status of children under five [16]. Fitriah's research also states that there is a relationship between the role of cadres and the nutritional status of children under five [17]. The duties of cadres in activities at the posyandu are to conduct early detection of abnormalities in under-fives weight, providing additional food, and how to prevent diarrhea in a toddler. Posyandu cadres are health providers that are close to the targeted posyandu activities. The frequency of meeting with cadres is more frequent than other health workers. Therefore, cadres must be active in various activities, not only in implementation but also in management matters such as planning activities, recording, and reporting of cadre meetings [15]. The role of cadres can help the community in reducing the number of malnutrition, besides, role cadres also help in reducing maternal and toddler mortality rates, by utilizing the expertise and other supporting facilities related to improving the nutritional status of a toddler, so it can be concluded that the role of cadres affects the nutritional status of a toddler, If the role of cadres is higher, the rate of reduction of malnutrition among toddler also high [16]. Based on the results of the research above, the researchers assumed that the role of cadres would be better in carrying out their roles in posyandu activities and helping health workers because cadres had the duties and responsibilities to help improve the nutritional health of toddler. Thereby, the role of a good cadre can affect the nutritional status of children where the better the role of the cadres, the higher rate of good nutrition in toddler and can improve the quality of posyandu, especially in handling toddler health problems so that malnutrition can be resolved quickly through prevention and rapid handling. Besides, the role of good cadres tends to motivate mothers of toddlers to always pay attention to things that can improve the nutrition of their children and motivate mothers to routinely bring toddlers to posyandu to monitor their health. In this research using anthropometric indicators of weight/height because height can provide an overview of the growth function seen from the thin and short stature and height is also very good for seeing past nutritional conditions, especially those related to low birth weight and underweight conditions and nutrition in toddlerhood. Height is expressed in the form of Index TB / U (height for age), or also index weight/height (weight for height) is rarely done because changes in height are slow and usually only done once a year. CONCLUSION The role of cadres in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District is mostly cadres who have a good role. The nutritional status of toddlers in Suka Makmur Village, Patilanggio District has increased with good nutritional status. There is a significant relationship between the role of Posyandu cadres in efforts to improve nutritional status, the better the role of cadres, the better the reduction in malnutrition in a toddler in Suka Makmur village, Patilanggio district. Therefore, it is hoped that cadres will further improve their knowledge and skills by attending regular meetings at every meeting held by the Puskesmas, to further improve themselves in participating actively in posyandu programs. REFERENCES [1] Kemenkes RI. 2012 Pusat Promosi Kesehatan Tahun 2012 tentang Buku Saku Posyandu. [2] Adisasmito W, 2016. Sistem Kesehatan. [3] Kemenkes RI. 2020. Rencana Strategis Kementerian Kesehatan Tahun 2020 - 2024. Jakarta [4] Kemenkes RI. 2013. Laporan Akuntabilitas Kinerja Kementerian Kesehatan. Jakarta. [5] Depkes RI. 2012. Buku Paket Pelatihan Kader Kesehatan. Jakarta. [6] World Health Organization. The Global Burden Of Disease : Geneva: WHO Library. [7] Syafei, A. 2010. Faktor – Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Partisipasi Kader Dalam Kegiatan Gizi Posyandu Di Kelurahan Rengas Kecamatan Ciputat Timur Kota Tangerang Selatan. Jakarta: Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah [8] Kemenkes RI. 2018. Data dan Informasi Profil Kesehatan Indonesia 2017. Jakarta [9] Dinas Kesehatan Provinsi Gorontalo. 2017. Profil Kesehatan Provinsi Gorontalo. [10] Ontonhie. 2014. Hubungan Peran Serta Kader Posyandu dengan Status Gizi Balita di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Manganitu Kabupaten Kepulauan Sangihe. E-Journal Keperawatan. Program Studi Ilmu keperawatan Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Samratulangi. [11] Isaura, V. 2011. Faktor – Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kinerja Kader Posyandu Di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Tarusan Kecamatan Koto XI Tarusan Kabupaten Pesisir Selatan. Padang: Universitas Andalas [12] Anondo. 2007. Kualitas Kader Rendah, Peran Posyandu Melemah [13] Almatsier. 2009. Prinsip Dasar Ilumu Gizi. Jakarta. [14] Ernawati A., 2006. Hubungan Faktor Sosial Ekonomi, Higiene Sanitasi Lingkungan, Tingkat Konsumsi dan Infeksi dengan Status Gizi Anak Usia 2-5 tahun di Kabupaten Semarang Tahun 2003. Tesis. Universitas Diponegoro. [15] Wahyutomo, A. H. 2010. Hubungan Karakteristik Dan Peran Kader Posyandu Dengan Pemantauan Tumbuh Kembang Balita Di Puskesmas Kalitidu-Bojonegoro. Surakarta: Universitas Sebelas Maret [16] Purwanti, D., Pajeriaty., & Rasyid, A. 2014. Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Status Gizi Balita Di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Madello Kabupaten Barru. Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan Diagnosis Volume 5 Nomor 1 [17] Fitriah, R. 2012. Faktor – Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Peningkatan Gizi Balita Di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Dasan Cermen Kecamatan Sandubaya. Mataram: Politeknik Kesehatan.

Introduction Eating is one of the most quintessential activities of human life. Because of this primacy, eating is, as food anthropologist Sidney Mintz has observed, “not merely a biological activity, but a vibrantly cultural activity as well” (48). This article posits that the current awareness of climate change in the Western world is animating such cultural activity as the Slow Food movement and is, as a result, stimulating what could be seen as an evolutionary change in popular foodways. Moreover, this paper suggests that, in line with modelling provided by the Slow Food example, an increased awareness of the connections of climate change to the social injustices of food production might better drive social change in such areas. This discussion begins by proposing that contemporary foodways—defined as “not only what is eaten by a particular group of people but also the variety of customs, beliefs and practices surrounding the production, preparation and presentation of food” (Davey 182)—are changing in the West in relation to current concerns about climate change. Such modification has a long history. Since long before the inception of modern Homo sapiens, natural climate change has been a crucial element driving hominidae evolution, both biologically and culturally in terms of social organisation and behaviours. Macroevolutionary theory suggests evolution can dramatically accelerate in response to rapid shifts in an organism’s environment, followed by slow to long periods of stasis once a new level of sustainability has been achieved (Gould and Eldredge). There is evidence that ancient climate change has also dramatically affected the rate and course of cultural evolution. Recent work suggests that the end of the last ice age drove the cultural innovation of animal and plant domestication in the Middle East (Zeder), not only due to warmer temperatures and increased rainfall, but also to a higher level of atmospheric carbon dioxide which made agriculture increasingly viable (McCorriston and Hole, cited in Zeder). Megadroughts during the Paleolithic might well have been stimulating factors behind the migration of hominid populations out of Africa and across Asia (Scholz et al). Thus, it is hardly surprising that modern anthropogenically induced global warming—in all its’ climate altering manifestations—may be driving a new wave of cultural change and even evolution in the West as we seek a sustainable homeostatic equilibrium with the environment of the future. In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring exposed some of the threats that modern industrial agriculture poses to environmental sustainability. This prompted a public debate from which the modern environmental movement arose and, with it, an expanding awareness and attendant anxiety about the safety and nutritional quality of contemporary foods, especially those that are grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers and/or are highly processed. This environmental consciousness led to some modification in eating habits, manifest by some embracing wholefood and vegetarian dietary regimes (or elements of them). Most recently, a widespread awareness of climate change has forced rapid change in contemporary Western foodways, while in other climate related areas of socio-political and economic significance such as energy production and usage, there is little evidence of real acceleration of change. Ongoing research into the effects of this expanding environmental consciousness continues in various disciplinary contexts such as geography (Eshel and Martin) and health (McMichael et al). In food studies, Vileisis has proposed that the 1970s environmental movement’s challenge to the polluting practices of industrial agri-food production, concurrent with the women’s movement (asserting women’s right to know about everything, including food production), has led to both cooks and eaters becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the links between agricultural production and consumer and environmental health, as well as the various social justice issues involved. As a direct result of such awareness, alternatives to the industrialised, global food system are now emerging (Kloppenberg et al.). The Slow Food (R)evolution The tenets of the Slow Food movement, now some two decades old, are today synergetic with the growing consternation about climate change. In 1983, Carlo Petrini formed the Italian non-profit food and wine association Arcigola and, in 1986, founded Slow Food as a response to the opening of a McDonalds in Rome. From these humble beginnings, which were then unashamedly positing a return to the food systems of the past, Slow Food has grown into a global organisation that has much more future focused objectives animating its challenges to the socio-cultural and environmental costs of industrial food. Slow Food does have some elements that could be classed as reactionary and, therefore, the opposite of evolutionary. In response to the increasing homogenisation of culinary habits around the world, for instance, Slow Food’s Foundation for Biodiversity has established the Ark of Taste, which expands upon the idea of a seed bank to preserve not only varieties of food but also local and artisanal culinary traditions. In this, the Ark aims to save foods and food products “threatened by industrial standardization, hygiene laws, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage” (SFFB). Slow Food International’s overarching goals and activities, however, extend far beyond the preservation of past foodways, extending to the sponsoring of events and activities that are attempting to create new cuisine narratives for contemporary consumers who have an appetite for such innovation. Such events as the Salone del Gusto (Salon of Taste) and Terra Madre (Mother Earth) held in Turin every two years, for example, while celebrating culinary traditions, also focus on contemporary artisanal foods and sustainable food production processes that incorporate the most current of agricultural knowledge and new technologies into this production. Attendees at these events are also driven by both an interest in tradition, and their own very current concerns with health, personal satisfaction and environmental sustainability, to change their consumer behavior through an expanded self-awareness of the consequences of their individual lifestyle choices. Such events have, in turn, inspired such events in other locations, moving Slow Food from local to global relevance, and affecting the intellectual evolution of foodway cultures far beyond its headquarters in Bra in Northern Italy. This includes in the developing world, where millions of farmers continue to follow many traditional agricultural practices by necessity. Slow Food Movement’s forward-looking values are codified in the International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture 2006 publication, Manifesto on the Future of Food. This calls for changes to the World Trade Organisation’s rules that promote the globalisation of agri-food production as a direct response to the “climate change [which] threatens to undermine the entire natural basis of ecologically benign agriculture and food preparation, bringing the likelihood of catastrophic outcomes in the near future” (ICFFA 8). It does not call, however, for a complete return to past methods. To further such foodway awareness and evolution, Petrini founded the University of Gastronomic Sciences at Slow Food’s headquarters in 2004. The university offers programs that are analogous with the Slow Food’s overall aim of forging sustainable partnerships between the best of old and new practice: to, in the organisation’s own words, “maintain an organic relationship between gastronomy and agricultural science” (UNISG). In 2004, Slow Food had over sixty thousand members in forty-five countries (Paxson 15), with major events now held each year in many of these countries and membership continuing to grow apace. One of the frequently cited successes of the Slow Food movement is in relation to the tomato. Until recently, supermarkets stocked only a few mass-produced hybrids. These cultivars were bred for their disease resistance, ease of handling, tolerance to artificial ripening techniques, and display consistency, rather than any culinary values such as taste, aroma, texture or variety. In contrast, the vine ripened, ‘farmer’s market’ tomato has become the symbol of an “eco-gastronomically” sustainable, local and humanistic system of food production (Jordan) which melds the best of the past practice with the most up-to-date knowledge regarding such farming matters as water conservation. Although the term ‘heirloom’ is widely used in relation to these tomatoes, there is a distinctively contemporary edge to the way they are produced and consumed (Jordan), and they are, along with other organic and local produce, increasingly available in even the largest supermarket chains. Instead of a wholesale embrace of the past, it is the connection to, and the maintenance of that connection with, the processes of production and, hence, to the environment as a whole, which is the animating premise of the Slow Food movement. ‘Slow’ thus creates a gestalt in which individuals integrate their lifestyles with all levels of the food production cycle and, hence to the environment and, importantly, the inherently related social justice issues. ‘Slow’ approaches emphasise how the accelerated pace of contemporary life has weakened these connections, while offering a path to the restoration of a sense of connectivity to the full cycle of life and its relation to place, nature and climate. In this, the Slow path demands that every consumer takes responsibility for all components of his/her existence—a responsibility that includes becoming cognisant of the full story behind each of the products that are consumed in that life. The Slow movement is not, however, a regime of abstention or self-denial. Instead, the changes in lifestyle necessary to support responsible sustainability, and the sensual and aesthetic pleasure inherent in such a lifestyle, exist in a mutually reinforcing relationship (Pietrykowski 2004). This positive feedback loop enhances the potential for promoting real and long-term evolution in social and cultural behaviour. Indeed, the Slow zeitgeist now informs many areas of contemporary culture, with Slow Travel, Homes, Design, Management, Leadership and Education, and even Slow Email, Exercise, Shopping and Sex attracting adherents. Mainstreaming Concern with Ethical Food Production The role of the media in “forming our consciousness—what we think, how we think, and what we think about” (Cunningham and Turner 12)—is self-evident. It is, therefore, revealing in relation to the above outlined changes that even the most functional cookbooks and cookery magazines (those dedicated to practical information such as recipes and instructional technique) in Western countries such as the USA, UK and Australian are increasingly reflecting and promoting an awareness of ethical food production as part of this cultural change in food habits. While such texts have largely been considered as useful but socio-politically relatively banal publications, they are beginning to be recognised as a valid source of historical and cultural information (Nussel). Cookbooks and cookery magazines commonly include discussion of a surprising range of issues around food production and consumption including sustainable and ethical agricultural methods, biodiversity, genetic modification and food miles. In this context, they indicate how rapidly the recent evolution of foodways has been absorbed into mainstream practice. Much of such food related media content is, at the same time, closely identified with celebrity mass marketing and embodied in the television chef with his or her range of branded products including their syndicated articles and cookbooks. This commercial symbiosis makes each such cuisine-related article in a food or women’s magazine or cookbook, in essence, an advertorial for a celebrity chef and their named products. Yet, at the same time, a number of these mass media food celebrities are raising public discussion that is leading to consequent action around important issues linked to climate change, social justice and the environment. An example is Jamie Oliver’s efforts to influence public behaviour and government policy, a number of which have gained considerable traction. Oliver’s 2004 exposure of the poor quality of school lunches in Britain (see Jamie’s School Dinners), for instance, caused public outrage and pressured the British government to commit considerable extra funding to these programs. A recent study by Essex University has, moreover, found that the academic performance of 11-year-old pupils eating Oliver’s meals improved, while absenteeism fell by 15 per cent (Khan). Oliver’s exposé of the conditions of battery raised hens in 2007 and 2008 (see Fowl Dinners) resulted in increased sales of free-range poultry, decreased sales of factory-farmed chickens across the UK, and complaints that free-range chicken sales were limited by supply. Oliver encouraged viewers to lobby their local councils, and as a result, a number banned battery hen eggs from schools, care homes, town halls and workplace cafeterias (see, for example, LDP). The popular penetration of these ideas needs to be understood in a historical context where industrialised poultry farming has been an issue in Britain since at least 1848 when it was one of the contributing factors to the establishment of the RSPCA (Freeman). A century after Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle (published in 1906) exposed the realities of the slaughterhouse, and several decades since Peter Singer’s landmark Animal Liberation (1975) and Tom Regan’s The Case for Animal Rights (1983) posited the immorality of the mistreatment of animals in food production, it could be suggested that Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth (released in 2006) added considerably to the recent concern regarding the ethics of industrial agriculture. Consciousness-raising bestselling books such as Jim Mason and Peter Singer’s The Ethics of What We Eat and Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (both published in 2006), do indeed ‘close the loop’ in this way in their discussions, by concluding that intensive food production methods used since the 1950s are not only inhumane and damage public health, but are also damaging an environment under pressure from climate change. In comparison, the use of forced labour and human trafficking in food production has attracted far less mainstream media, celebrity or public attention. It could be posited that this is, in part, because no direct relationship to the environment and climate change and, therefore, direct link to our own existence in the West, has been popularised. Kevin Bales, who has been described as a modern abolitionist, estimates that there are currently more than 27 million people living in conditions of slavery and exploitation against their wills—twice as many as during the 350-year long trans-Atlantic slave trade. Bales also chillingly reveals that, worldwide, the number of slaves is increasing, with contemporary individuals so inexpensive to purchase in relation to the value of their production that they are disposable once the slaveholder has used them. Alongside sex slavery, many other prevalent examples of contemporary slavery are concerned with food production (Weissbrodt et al; Miers). Bales and Soodalter, for example, describe how across Asia and Africa, adults and children are enslaved to catch and process fish and shellfish for both human consumption and cat food. Other campaigners have similarly exposed how the cocoa in chocolate is largely produced by child slave labour on the Ivory Coast (Chalke; Off), and how considerable amounts of exported sugar, cereals and other crops are slave-produced in certain countries. In 2003, some 32 per cent of US shoppers identified themselves as LOHAS “lifestyles of health and sustainability” consumers, who were, they said, willing to spend more for products that reflected not only ecological, but also social justice responsibility (McLaughlin). Research also confirms that “the pursuit of social objectives … can in fact furnish an organization with the competitive resources to develop effective marketing strategies”, with Doherty and Meehan showing how “social and ethical credibility” are now viable bases of differentiation and competitive positioning in mainstream consumer markets (311, 303). In line with this recognition, Fair Trade Certified goods are now available in British, European, US and, to a lesser extent, Australian supermarkets, and a number of global chains including Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonalds, Starbucks and Virgin airlines utilise Fair Trade coffee and teas in all, or parts of, their operations. Fair Trade Certification indicates that farmers receive a higher than commodity price for their products, workers have the right to organise, men and women receive equal wages, and no child labour is utilised in the production process (McLaughlin). Yet, despite some Western consumers reporting such issues having an impact upon their purchasing decisions, social justice has not become a significant issue of concern for most. The popular cookery publications discussed above devote little space to Fair Trade product marketing, much of which is confined to supermarket-produced adverzines promoting the Fair Trade products they stock, and international celebrity chefs have yet to focus attention on this issue. In Australia, discussion of contemporary slavery in the press is sparse, having surfaced in 2000-2001, prompted by UNICEF campaigns against child labour, and in 2007 and 2008 with the visit of a series of high profile anti-slavery campaigners (including Bales) to the region. The public awareness of food produced by forced labour and the troubling issue of human enslavement in general is still far below the level that climate change and ecological issues have achieved thus far in driving foodway evolution. This may change, however, if a ‘Slow’-inflected connection can be made between Western lifestyles and the plight of peoples hidden from our daily existence, but contributing daily to them. Concluding Remarks At this time of accelerating techno-cultural evolution, due in part to the pressures of climate change, it is the creative potential that human conscious awareness brings to bear on these challenges that is most valuable. Today, as in the caves at Lascaux, humanity is evolving new images and narratives to provide rational solutions to emergent challenges. As an example of this, new foodways and ways of thinking about them are beginning to evolve in response to the perceived problems of climate change. The current conscious transformation of food habits by some in the West might be, therefore, in James Lovelock’s terms, a moment of “revolutionary punctuation” (178), whereby rapid cultural adaption is being induced by the growing public awareness of impending crisis. It remains to be seen whether other urgent human problems can be similarly and creatively embraced, and whether this trend can spread to offer global solutions to them. References An Inconvenient Truth. 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Beuning, Jeanette Gomez, and James Pierson. “East African Megadroughts between 135 and 75 Thousand Years Ago and Bearing on Early-modern Human Origins.” PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences of the United States of America 104.42 (16 Oct. 2007): 16416–21. Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle. New York: Doubleday, Jabber & Company, 1906. Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation. New York: HarperCollins, 1975. (SFFB) Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. “Ark of Taste.” 2009. 24 Aug. 2009 < http://www.fondazioneslowfood.it/eng/arca/lista.lasso >. (UNISG) University of Gastronomic Sciences. “Who We Are.” 2009. 24 Aug. 2009 < http://www.unisg.it/eng/chisiamo.php >. Vileisis, Ann. Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes From and Why We Need to Get It Back. Washington: Island Press/Shearwater Books, 2008. Weissbrodt, David, and Anti-Slavery International. Abolishing Slavery and its Contemporary Forms. New York and Geneva: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations, 2002. Zeder, Melinda A. “The Neolithic Macro-(R)evolution: Macroevolutionary Theory and the Study of Culture Change.” Journal of Archaeological Research 17 (2009): 1–63.

Introduction Many destinations promote culinary encounters. Foods and beverages, and especially how these will taste in situ, are being marketed as niche travel motivators and used in destination brand building across the globe. While initial usage of the term culinary tourism focused on experiencing exotic cultures of foreign destinations by sampling unfamiliar food and drinks, the term has expanded to embrace a range of leisure travel experiences where the aim is to locate and taste local specialities as part of a pleasurable, and hopefully notable, culinary encounter (Wolf). Long’s foundational work was central in developing the idea of culinary tourism as an active endeavor, suggesting that via consumption, individuals construct unique experiences. Ignatov and Smith’s literature review-inspired definition confirms the nature of activity as participatory, and adds consuming food production skills—from observing agriculture and local processors to visiting food markets and attending cooking schools—to culinary purchases. Despite importing almost all of its foodstuffs and beverages, including some of its water, Singapore is an acknowledged global leader in culinary tourism. Horng and Tsai note that culinary tourism conceptually implies that a transferal of “local or special knowledge and information that represent local culture and identities” (41) occurs via these experiences. This article adds the act of reading to these participatory activities and suggests that, because food writing forms an important component of Singapore’s suite of culinary tourism offerings, taste contributes to the cultural experience offered to both visitors and locals. While Singapore foodways have attracted significant scholarship (see, for instance, work by Bishop; Duruz; Huat & Rajah; Tarulevicz, Eating), Singapore food writing, like many artefacts of popular culture, has attracted less notice. Yet, this writing is an increasingly visible component of cultural production of, and about, Singapore, and performs a range of functions for locals, tourists and visitors before they arrive. Although many languages are spoken in Singapore, English is the national language (Alsagoff) and this study focuses on food writing in English. Background Tourism comprises a major part of Singapore’s economy, with recent figures detailing that food and beverage sales contribute over 10 per cent of this revenue, with spend on culinary tours and cookery classes, home wares such as tea-sets and cookbooks, food magazines and food memoirs additional to this (Singapore Government). This may be related to the fact that Singapore not only promotes food as a tourist attraction, but also actively promotes itself as an exceptional culinary destination. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) includes food in its general information brochures and websites, and its print, television and cinema commercials (Huat and Rajah). It also mounts information-rich campaigns both abroad and inside Singapore. The 2007 ‘Singapore Seasons’ campaign, for instance, promoted Singaporean cuisine alongside films, design, books and other cultural products in London, New York and Beijing. Touring cities identified as key tourist markets in 2011, the ‘Singapore Takeout’ pop-up restaurant brought the taste of Singaporean foods into closer focus. Singaporean chefs worked with high profile locals in its kitchen in a custom-fabricated shipping container to create and demonstrate Singaporean dishes, attracting public and media interest. In country, the STB similarly actively promotes the tastes of Singaporean foods, hosting the annual World Gourmet Summit (Chaney and Ryan) and Pacific Food Expo, both attracting international culinary professionals to work alongside local leaders. The Singapore Food Festival each July is marketed to both locals and visitors. In these ways, the STB, as well as providing events for visitors, is actively urging Singaporeans to proud of their food culture and heritage, so that each Singaporean becomes a proactive ambassador of their cuisine. Singapore Food Writing Popular print guidebooks and online guides to Singapore pay significantly more attention to Singaporean food than they do for many other destinations. Sections on food in such publications discuss at relative length the taste of Singaporean food (always delicious) as well as how varied, authentic, hygienic and suited-to-all-budgets it is. These texts also recommend hawker stalls and food courts alongside cafés and restaurants (Henderson et al.), and a range of other culinary experiences such as city and farm food tours and cookery classes. This writing describes not only what can be seen or learned during these experiences, but also what foods can be sampled, and how these might taste. This focus on taste is reflected in the printed materials that greet the in-bound tourist at the airport. On a visit in October 2013, arrival banners featuring mouth-watering images of local specialities such as chicken rice and chilli crab marked the route from arrival to immigration and baggage collection. Even advertising for a bank was illustrated with photographs of luscious-looking fruits. The free maps and guidebooks available featured food-focused tours and restaurant locations, and there were also substantial free booklets dedicated solely to discussing local delicacies and their flavours, plus recommended locations to sample them. A website and free mobile app were available that contain practical information about dishes, ingredients, cookery methods, and places to eat, as well as historical and cultural information. These resources are also freely distributed to many hotels and popular tourist destinations. Alongside organising food walks, bus tours and cookery classes, the STB also recommends the work of a number of Singaporean food writers—principally prominent Singapore food bloggers, reviewers and a number of memoirists—as authentic guides to what are described as unique Singaporean flavours. The strategies at the heart of this promotion are linking advertising to useful information. At a number of food centres, for instance, STB information panels provide details about both specific dishes and Singapore’s food culture more generally (Henderson et al.). This focus is apparent at many tourist destinations, many of which are also popular local attractions. In historic Fort Canning Park, for instance, there is a recreation of Raffles’ experimental garden, established in 1822, where he grew the nutmeg, clove and other plants that were intended to form the foundation for spice plantations but were largely unsuccessful (Reisz). Today, information panels not only indicate the food plants’ names and how to grow them, but also their culinary and medicinal uses, recipes featuring them and the related food memories of famous Singaporeans. The Singapore Botanic Gardens similarly houses the Ginger Garden displaying several hundred species of ginger and information, and an Eco(-nomic/logical) Garden featuring many food plants and their stories. In Chinatown, panels mounted outside prominent heritage brands (often still quite small shops) add content to the shopping experience. A number of museums profile Singapore’s food culture in more depth. The National Museum of Singapore has a permanent Living History gallery that focuses on Singapore’s street food from the 1950s to 1970s. This display includes food-related artefacts, interactive aromatic displays of spices, films of dishes being made and eaten, and oral histories about food vendors, all supported by text panels and booklets. Here food is used to convey messages about the value of Singapore’s ethnic diversity and cross-cultural exchanges. Versions of some of these dishes can then be sampled in the museum café (Time Out Singapore). The Peranakan Museum—which profiles the unique hybrid culture of the descendants of the Chinese and South Indian traders who married local Malay women—shares this focus, with reconstructed kitchens and dining rooms, exhibits of cooking and eating utensils and displays on food’s ceremonial role in weddings and funerals all supported with significant textual information. The Chinatown Heritage Centre not only recreates food preparation areas as a vivid indicator of poor Chinese immigrants’ living conditions, but also houses The National Restaurant of Singapore, which translates this research directly into meals that recreate the heritage kopi tiam (traditional coffee shop) cuisine of Singapore in the 1930s, purposefully bringing taste into the service of education, as its descriptive menu states, “educationally delighting the palate” (Chinatown Heritage Centre). These museums recognise that shopping is a core tourist activity in Singapore (Chang; Yeung et al.). Their gift- and bookshops cater to the culinary tourist by featuring quality culinary products for sale (including, for instance, teapots and cups, teas, spices and traditional sweets, and other foods) many of which are accompanied by informative tags or brochures. At the centre of these curated, purchasable collections are a range written materials: culinary magazines, cookbooks, food histories and memoirs, as well as postcards and stationery printed with recipes. Food Magazines Locally produced food magazines cater to a range of readerships and serve to extend the culinary experience both in, and outside, Singapore. These include high-end gourmet, luxury lifestyle publications like venerable monthly Wine & Dine: The Art of Good Living, which, in in print for almost thirty years, targets an affluent readership (Wine & Dine). The magazine runs features on local dining, gourmet products and trends, as well as international epicurean locations and products. Beautifully illustrated recipes also feature, as the magazine declares, “we’ve recognised that sharing more recipes should be in the DNA of Wine & Dine’s editorial” (Wine & Dine). Appetite magazine, launched in 2006, targets the “new and emerging generation of gourmets—foodies with a discerning and cosmopolitan outlook, broad horizons and a insatiable appetite” (Edipresse Asia) and is reminiscent in much of its styling of New Zealand’s award-winning Cuisine magazine. Its focus is to present a fresh approach to both cooking at home and dining out, as readers are invited to “Whip up the perfect soufflé or feast with us at the finest restaurants in Singapore and around the region” (Edipresse Asia). Chefs from leading local restaurants are interviewed, and the voices of “fellow foodies and industry watchers” offer an “insider track” on food-related news: “what’s good and what’s new” (Edipresse Asia). In between these publications sits Epicure: Life’s Refinements, which features local dishes, chefs, and restaurants as well as an overseas travel section and a food memories column by a featured author. Locally available ingredients are also highlighted, such as abalone (Cheng) and an interesting range of mushrooms (Epicure). While there is a focus on an epicurean experience, this is presented slightly more casually than in Wine & Dine. Food & Travel focuses more on home cookery, but each issue also includes reviews of Singapore restaurants. The bimonthly bilingual (Chinese and English) Gourmet Living features recipes alongside a notable focus on food culture—with food history columns, restaurant reviews and profiles of celebrated chefs. An extensive range of imported international food magazines are also available, with those from nearby Malaysia and Indonesia regularly including articles on Singapore. Cookbooks These magazines all include reviews of cookery books including Singaporean examples – and some feature other food writing such as food histories, memoirs and blogs. These reviews draw attention to how many Singaporean cookbooks include a focus on food history alongside recipes. Cookery teacher Yee Soo Leong’s 1976 Singaporean Cooking was an early example of cookbook as heritage preservation. This 1976 book takes an unusual view of ‘Singaporean’ flavours. Beginning with sweet foods—Nonya/Singaporean and western cakes, biscuits, pies, pastries, bread, desserts and icings—it also focuses on both Singaporean and Western dishes. This text is also unusual as there are only 6 lines of direct authorial address in the author’s acknowledgements section. Expatriate food writer Wendy Hutton’s Singapore Food, first published in 1979, reprinted many times after and revised in 2007, has long been recognised as one of the most authoritative titles on Singapore’s food heritage. Providing an socio-historical map of Singapore’s culinary traditions, some one third of the first edition was devoted to information about Singaporean multi-cultural food history, including detailed profiles of a number of home cooks alongside its recipes. Published in 1980, Kenneth Mitchell’s A Taste of Singapore is clearly aimed at a foreign readership, noting the variety of foods available due to the racial origins of its inhabitants. The more modest, but equally educational in intent, Hawkers Flavour: A Guide to Hawkers Gourmet in Malaysia and Singapore (in its fourth printing in 1998) contains a detailed introductory essay outlining local food culture, favourite foods and drinks and times these might be served, festivals and festive foods, Indian, Indian Muslim, Chinese, Nyonya (Chinese-Malay), Malay and Halal foods and customs, followed with a selection of recipes from each. More contemporary examples of such information-rich cookbooks, such as those published in the frequently reprinted Periplus Mini Cookbook series, are sold at tourist attractions. Each of these modestly priced, 64-page, mouthwateringly illustrated booklets offer framing information, such as about a specific food culture as in the Nonya kitchen in Nonya Favourites (Boi), and explanatory glossaries of ingredients, as in Homestyle Malay Cooking (Jelani). Most recipes include a boxed paragraph detailing cookery or ingredient information that adds cultural nuance, as well as trying to describe tastes that the (obviously foreign) intended reader may not have encountered. Malaysian-born Violet Oon, who has been called the Julia Child of Singapore (Bergman), writes for both local and visiting readers. The FOOD Paper, published monthly for a decade from January 1987 was, she has stated, then “Singapore’s only monthly publication dedicated to the CSF—Certified Singapore Foodie” (Oon, Violet Oon Cooks 7). Under its auspices, Oon promoted her version of Singaporean cuisine to both locals and visitors, as well as running cookery classes and culinary events, hosting her own television cooking series on the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, and touring internationally for the STB as a ‘Singapore Food Ambassador’ (Ahmad; Kraal). Taking this representation of flavor further, Oon has also produced a branded range of curry powders, spices, and biscuits, and set up a number of food outlets. Her first cookbook, World Peranakan Cookbook, was published in 1978. Her Singapore: 101 Meals of 1986 was commissioned by the STB, then known as the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board. Violet Oon Cooks, a compilation of recipes from The FOOD Paper, published in 1992, attracted a range of major international as well as Singaporean food sponsors, and her Timeless Recipes, published in 1997, similarly aimed to show how manufactured products could be incorporated into classic Singaporean dishes cooked at home. In 1998, Oon produced A Singapore Family Cookbook featuring 100 dishes. Many were from Nonya cuisine and her following books continued to focus on preserving heritage Singaporean recipes, as do a number of other nationally-cuisine focused collections such as Joyceline Tully and Christopher Tan’s Heritage Feasts: A Collection of Singapore Family Recipes. Sylvia Tan’s Singapore Heritage Food: Yesterday’s Recipes for Today’s Cooks, published in 2004, provides “a tentative account of Singapore’s food history” (5). It does this by mapping the various taste profiles of six thematically-arranged chronologically-overlapping sections, from the heritage of British colonialism, to the uptake of American and Russia foods in the Snackbar era of the 1960s and the use of convenience flavoring ingredients such as curry pastes, sauces, dried and frozen supermarket products from the 1970s. Other Volumes Other food-themed volumes focus on specific historical periods. Cecilia Leong-Salobir’s Food Culture in Colonial Asia: A Taste of Empire discusses the “unique hybrid” (1) cuisine of British expatriates in Singapore from 1858 to 1963. In 2009, the National Museum of Singapore produced the moving Wong Hong Suen’s Wartime Kitchen: Food and Eating in Singapore 1942–1950. This details the resilience and adaptability of both diners and cooks during the Japanese Occupation and in post-war Singapore, when shortages stimulated creativity. There is a centenary history of the Cold Storage company which shipped frozen foods all over south east Asia (Boon) and location-based studies such as Annette Tan’s Savour Chinatown: Stories Memories & Recipes. Tan interviewed hawkers, chefs and restaurant owners, working from this information to write both the book’s recipes and reflect on Chinatown’s culinary history. Food culture also features in (although it is not the main focus) more general book-length studies such as educational texts such as Chew Yen Fook’s The Magic of Singapore and Melanie Guile’s Culture in Singapore (2000). Works that navigate both spaces (of Singaporean culture more generally and its foodways) such Lily Kong’s Singapore Hawker Centres: People, Places, Food, provide an consistent narrative of food in Singapore, stressing its multicultural flavours that can be enjoyed from eateries ranging from hawker stalls to high-end restaurants that, interestingly, that agrees with that promulgated in the food writing discussed above. Food Memoirs and Blogs Many of these narratives include personal material, drawing on the author’s own food experiences and taste memories. This approach is fully developed in the food memoir, a growing sub-genre of Singapore food writing. While memoirs by expatriate Singaporeans such as Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan’s A Tiger in the Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family, produced by major publisher Hyperion in New York, has attracted considerable international attention, it presents a story of Singapore cuisine that agrees with such locally produced texts as television chef and food writer Terry Tan’s Stir-fried and Not Shaken: A Nostalgic Trip Down Singapore’s Memory Lane and the food memoir of the Singaporean chef credited with introducing fine Malay dining to Singapore, Aziza Ali’s Sambal Days, Kampong Cuisine, published in Singapore in 2013 with the support of the National Heritage Board. All these memoirs are currently available in Singapore in both bookshops and a number of museums and other attractions. While underscoring the historical and cultural value of these foods, all describe the unique flavours of Singaporean cuisine and its deliciousness. A number of prominent Singapore food bloggers are featured in general guidebooks and promoted by the STB as useful resources to dining out in Singapore. One of the most prominent of these is Leslie Tay, a medical doctor and “passionate foodie” (Knipp) whose awardwinning ieatŸishootŸipost is currently attracting some 90,000 unique visitors every month and has had over 20,000 million hits since its launch in 2006. An online diary of Tay’s visits to hundreds of Singaporean hawker stalls, it includes descriptions and photographs of meals consumed, creating accumulative oral culinary histories of these dishes and those who prepared them. These narratives have been reorganised and reshaped in Tay’s first book The End of Char Kway Teow and Other Hawker Mysteries, where each chapter tells the story of one particular dish, including recommended hawker stalls where it can be enjoyed. Ladyironchef.com is a popular food and travel site that began as a blog in 2007. An edited collection of reviews of eateries and travel information, many by the editor himself, the site features lists of, for example, the best cafes (LadyIronChef “Best Cafes”), eateries at the airport (LadyIronChef “Guide to Dining”), and hawker stalls (Lim). While attesting to the cultural value of these foods, many articles also discuss flavour, as in Lim’s musings on: ‘how good can chicken on rice taste? … The glistening grains of rice perfumed by fresh chicken stock and a whiff of ginger is so good you can even eat it on its own’. Conclusion Recent Singapore food publishing reflects this focus on taste. Tay’s publisher, Epigram, growing Singaporean food list includes the recently released Heritage Cookbooks Series. This highlights specialist Singaporean recipes and cookery techniques, with the stated aim of preserving tastes and foodways that continue to influence Singaporean food culture today. Volumes published to date on Peranakan, South Indian, Cantonese, Eurasian, and Teochew (from the Chaoshan region in the east of China’s Guangdong province) cuisines offer both cultural and practical guides to the quintessential dishes and flavours of each cuisine, featuring simple family dishes alongside more elaborate special occasion meals. In common with the food writing discussed above, the books in this series, although dealing with very different styles of cookery, contribute to an overall impression of the taste of Singapore food that is highly consistent and extremely persuasive. This food writing narrates that Singapore has a delicious as well as distinctive and interesting food culture that plays a significant role in Singaporean life both currently and historically. It also posits that this food culture is, at the same time, easily accessible and also worthy of detailed consideration and discussion. 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Acknowledgements Research to complete this article was supported by Central Queensland University, Australia, under its Outside Studies Program (OSPRO) and Learning and Teaching Education Research Centre (LTERC). An earlier version of part of this article was presented at the 2nd Australasian Regional Food Networks and Cultures Conference, in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, Australia, 11–14 November 2012. The delegates of that conference and expert reviewers of this article offered some excellent suggestions regarding strengthening this article and their advice was much appreciated. All errors are, of course, my own.

Introduction: Our current obsession with the lives of others “Biography—that is to say, our creative and non-fictional output devoted to recording and interpreting real lives—has enjoyed an extraordinary renaissance in recent years,” writes Nigel Hamilton in Biography: A Brief History (1). Ian Donaldson agrees that biography is back in fashion: “Once neglected within the academy and relegated to the dustier recesses of public bookstores, biography has made a notable return over recent years, emerging, somewhat surprisingly, as a new cultural phenomenon, and a new academic adventure” (23). For over a decade now, commentators having been making similar observations about our obsession with the intimacies of individual people’s lives. In a lecture in 1994, Justin Kaplan asserted the West was “a culture of biography” (qtd. in Salwak 1) and more recent research findings by John Feather and Hazel Woodbridge affirm that “the undiminished human curiosity about other peoples lives is clearly reflected in the popularity of autobiographies and biographies” (218). At least in relation to television, this assertion seems valid. In Australia, as in the USA and the UK, reality and other biographically based television shows have taken over from drama in both the numbers of shows produced and the viewers these shows attract, and these forms are also popular in Canada (see, for instance, Morreale on The Osbournes). In 2007, the program Biography celebrated its twentieth anniversary season to become one of the longest running documentary series on American television; so successful that in 1999 it was spun off into its own eponymous channel (Rak; Dempsey). Premiered in May 1996, Australian Story—which aims to utilise a “personal approach” to biographical storytelling—has won a significant viewership, critical acclaim and professional recognition (ABC). It can also be posited that the real home movies viewers submit to such programs as Australia’s Favourite Home Videos, and “chat” or “confessional” television are further reflections of a general mania for biographical detail (see Douglas), no matter how fragmented, sensationalized, or even inane and cruel. A recent example of the latter, the USA-produced The Moment of Truth, has contestants answering personal questions under polygraph examination and then again in front of an audience including close relatives and friends—the more “truthful” their answers (and often, the more humiliated and/or distressed contestants are willing to be), the more money they can win. Away from television, but offering further evidence of this interest are the growing readerships for personally oriented weblogs and networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook (Grossman), individual profiles and interviews in periodical publications, and the recently widely revived newspaper obituary column (Starck). Adult and community education organisations run short courses on researching and writing auto/biographical forms and, across Western countries, the family history/genealogy sections of many local, state, and national libraries have been upgraded to meet the increasing demand for these services. Academically, journals and e-mail discussion lists have been established on the topics of biography and autobiography, and North American, British, and Australian universities offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in life writing. The commonly aired wisdom is that published life writing in its many text-based forms (biography, autobiography, memoir, diaries, and collections of personal letters) is enjoying unprecedented popularity. It is our purpose to examine this proposition. Methodological problems There are a number of problems involved in investigating genre popularity, growth, and decline in publishing. Firstly, it is not easy to gain access to detailed statistics, which are usually only available within the industry. Secondly, it is difficult to ascertain how publishing statistics are gathered and what they report (Eliot). There is the question of whether bestselling booklists reflect actual book sales or are manipulated marketing tools (Miller), although the move from surveys of booksellers to electronic reporting at point of sale in new publishing lists such as BookScan will hopefully obviate this problem. Thirdly, some publishing lists categorise by subject and form, some by subject only, and some do not categorise at all. This means that in any analysis of these statistics, a decision has to be made whether to use the publishing list’s system or impose a different mode. If the publishing list is taken at face value, the question arises of whether to use categorisation by form or by subject. Fourthly, there is the bedeviling issue of terminology. Traditionally, there reigned a simple dualism in the terminology applied to forms of telling the true story of an actual life: biography and autobiography. Publishing lists that categorise their books, such as BookScan, have retained it. But with postmodern recognition of the presence of the biographer in a biography and of the presence of other subjects in an autobiography, the dichotomy proves false. There is the further problem of how to categorise memoirs, diaries, and letters. In the academic arena, the term “life writing” has emerged to describe the field as a whole. Within the genre of life writing, there are, however, still recognised sub-genres. Academic definitions vary, but generally a biography is understood to be a scholarly study of a subject who is not the writer; an autobiography is the story of a entire life written by its subject; while a memoir is a segment or particular focus of that life told, again, by its own subject. These terms are, however, often used interchangeably even by significant institutions such the USA Library of Congress, which utilises the term “biography” for all. Different commentators also use differing definitions. Hamilton uses the term “biography” to include all forms of life writing. Donaldson discusses how the term has been co-opted to include biographies of place such as Peter Ackroyd’s London: The Biography (2000) and of things such as Lizzie Collingham’s Curry: A Biography (2005). This reflects, of course, a writing/publishing world in which non-fiction stories of places, creatures, and even foodstuffs are called biographies, presumably in the belief that this will make them more saleable. The situation is further complicated by the emergence of hybrid publishing forms such as, for instance, the “memoir-with-recipes” or “food memoir” (Brien, Rutherford and Williamson). Are such books to be classified as autobiography or put in the “cookery/food & drink” category? We mention in passing the further confusion caused by novels with a subtitle of The Biography such as Virginia Woolf’s Orlando. The fifth methodological problem that needs to be mentioned is the increasing globalisation of the publishing industry, which raises questions about the validity of the majority of studies available (including those cited herein) which are nationally based. Whether book sales reflect what is actually read (and by whom), raises of course another set of questions altogether. Methodology In our exploration, we were fundamentally concerned with two questions. Is life writing as popular as claimed? And, if it is, is this a new phenomenon? To answer these questions, we examined a range of available sources. We began with the non-fiction bestseller lists in Publishers Weekly (a respected American trade magazine aimed at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents that claims to be international in scope) from their inception in 1912 to the present time. We hoped that this data could provide a longitudinal perspective. The term bestseller was coined by Publishers Weekly when it began publishing its lists in 1912; although the first list of popular American books actually appeared in The Bookman (New York) in 1895, based itself on lists appearing in London’s The Bookman since 1891 (Bassett and Walter 206). The Publishers Weekly lists are the best source of longitudinal information as the currently widely cited New York Times listings did not appear till 1942, with the Wall Street Journal a late entry into the field in 1994. We then examined a number of sources of more recent statistics. We looked at the bestseller lists from the USA-based Amazon.com online bookseller; recent research on bestsellers in Britain; and lists from Nielsen BookScan Australia, which claims to tally some 85% or more of books sold in Australia, wherever they are published. In addition to the reservations expressed above, caveats must be aired in relation to these sources. While Publishers Weekly claims to be an international publication, it largely reflects the North American publishing scene and especially that of the USA. Although available internationally, Amazon.com also has its own national sites—such as Amazon.co.uk—not considered here. It also caters to a “specific computer-literate, credit-able clientele” (Gutjahr: 219) and has an unashamedly commercial focus, within which all the information generated must be considered. In our analysis of the material studied, we will use “life writing” as a genre term. When it comes to analysis of the lists, we have broken down the genre of life writing into biography and autobiography, incorporating memoir, letters, and diaries under autobiography. This is consistent with the use of the terminology in BookScan. Although we have broken down the genre in this way, it is the overall picture with regard to life writing that is our concern. It is beyond the scope of this paper to offer a detailed analysis of whether, within life writing, further distinctions should be drawn. Publishers Weekly: 1912 to 2006 1912 saw the first list of the 10 bestselling non-fiction titles in Publishers Weekly. It featured two life writing texts, being headed by an autobiography, The Promised Land by Russian Jewish immigrant Mary Antin, and concluding with Albert Bigelow Paine’s six-volume biography, Mark Twain. The Publishers Weekly lists do not categorise non-fiction titles by either form or subject, so the classifications below are our own with memoir classified as autobiography. In a decade-by-decade tally of these listings, there were 3 biographies and 20 autobiographies in the lists between 1912 and 1919; 24 biographies and 21 autobiographies in the 1920s; 13 biographies and 40 autobiographies in the 1930s; 8 biographies and 46 biographies in the 1940s; 4 biographies and 14 autobiographies in the 1950s; 11 biographies and 13 autobiographies in the 1960s; 6 biographies and 11 autobiographies in the 1970s; 3 biographies and 19 autobiographies in the 1980s; 5 biographies and 17 autobiographies in the 1990s; and 2 biographies and 7 autobiographies from 2000 up until the end of 2006. See Appendix 1 for the relevant titles and authors. Breaking down the most recent figures for 1990–2006, we find a not radically different range of figures and trends across years in the contemporary environment. The validity of looking only at the top ten books sold in any year is, of course, questionable, as are all the issues regarding sources discussed above. But one thing is certain in terms of our inquiry. There is no upwards curve obvious here. If anything, the decade break-down suggests that sales are trending downwards. This is in keeping with the findings of Michael Korda, in his history of twentieth-century bestsellers. He suggests a consistent longitudinal picture across all genres: In every decade, from 1900 to the end of the twentieth century, people have been reliably attracted to the same kind of books […] Certain kinds of popular fiction always do well, as do diet books […] self-help books, celebrity memoirs, sensationalist scientific or religious speculation, stories about pets, medical advice (particularly on the subjects of sex, longevity, and child rearing), folksy wisdom and/or humour, and the American Civil War (xvii). Amazon.com since 2000 The USA-based Amazon.com online bookselling site provides listings of its own top 50 bestsellers since 2000, although only the top 14 bestsellers are recorded for 2001. As fiction and non-fiction are not separated out on these lists and no genre categories are specified, we have again made our own decisions about what books fall into the category of life writing. Generally, we erred on the side of inclusion. (See Appendix 2.) However, when it came to books dealing with political events, we excluded books dealing with specific aspects of political practice/policy. This meant excluding books on, for instance, George Bush’s so-called ‘war on terror,’ of which there were a number of bestsellers listed. In summary, these listings reveal that of the top 364 books sold by Amazon from 2000 to 2007, 46 (or some 12.6%) were, according to our judgment, either biographical or autobiographical texts. This is not far from the 10% of the 1912 Publishers Weekly listing, although, as above, the proportion of bestsellers that can be classified as life writing varied dramatically from year to year, with no discernible pattern of peaks and troughs. This proportion tallied to 4% auto/biographies in 2000, 14% in 2001, 10% in 2002, 18% in 2003 and 2004, 4% in 2005, 14% in 2006 and 20% in 2007. This could suggest a rising trend, although it does not offer any consistent trend data to suggest sales figures may either continue to grow, or fall again, in 2008 or afterwards. Looking at the particular texts in these lists (see Appendix 2) also suggests that there is no general trend in the popularity of life writing in relation to other genres. For instance, in these listings in Amazon.com, life writing texts only rarely figure in the top 10 books sold in any year. So rarely indeed, that from 2001 there were only five in this category. In 2001, John Adams by David McCullough was the best selling book of the year; in 2003, Hillary Clinton’s autobiographical Living History was 7th; in 2004, My Life by Bill Clinton reached number 1; in 2006, Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck: and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman was 9th; and in 2007, Ishmael Beah’s discredited A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier came in at 8th. Apart from McCulloch’s biography of Adams, all the above are autobiographical texts, while the focus on leading political figures is notable. Britain: Feather and Woodbridge With regard to the British situation, we did not have actual lists and relied on recent analysis. John Feather and Hazel Woodbridge find considerably higher levels for life writing in Britain than above with, from 1998 to 2005, 28% of British published non-fiction comprising autobiography, while 8% of hardback and 5% of paperback non-fiction was biography (2007). Furthermore, although Feather and Woodbridge agree with commentators that life writing is currently popular, they do not agree that this is a growth state, finding the popularity of life writing “essentially unchanged” since their previous study, which covered 1979 to the early 1990s (Feather and Reid). Australia: Nielsen BookScan 2006 and 2007 In the Australian publishing industry, where producing books remains an ‘expensive, risky endeavour which is increasingly market driven’ (Galligan 36) and ‘an inherently complex activity’ (Carter and Galligan 4), the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal that the total numbers of books sold in Australia has remained relatively static over the past decade (130.6 million in the financial year 1995–96 and 128.8 million in 2003–04) (ABS). During this time, however, sales volumes of non-fiction publications have grown markedly, with a trend towards “non-fiction, mass market and predictable” books (Corporall 41) resulting in general non-fiction sales in 2003–2004 outselling general fiction by factors as high as ten depending on the format—hard- or paperback, and trade or mass market paperback (ABS 2005). However, while non-fiction has increased in popularity in Australia, the same does not seem to hold true for life writing. Here, in utilising data for the top 5,000 selling non-fiction books in both 2006 and 2007, we are relying on Nielsen BookScan’s categorisation of texts as either biography or autobiography. In 2006, no works of life writing made the top 10 books sold in Australia. In looking at the top 100 books sold for 2006, in some cases the subjects of these works vary markedly from those extracted from the Amazon.com listings. In Australia in 2006, life writing makes its first appearance at number 14 with convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby’s My Story. This is followed by another My Story at 25, this time by retired Australian army chief, Peter Cosgrove. Jonestown: The Power and Myth of Alan Jones comes in at 34 for the Australian broadcaster’s biographer Chris Masters; the biography, The Innocent Man by John Grisham at 38 and Li Cunxin’s autobiographical Mao’s Last Dancer at 45. Australian Susan Duncan’s memoir of coping with personal loss, Salvation Creek: An Unexpected Life makes 50; bestselling USA travel writer Bill Bryson’s autobiographical memoir of his childhood The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid 69; Mandela: The Authorised Portrait by Rosalind Coward, 79; and Joanne Lees’s memoir of dealing with her kidnapping, the murder of her partner and the justice system in Australia’s Northern Territory, No Turning Back, 89. These books reveal a market preference for autobiographical writing, and an almost even split between Australian and overseas subjects in 2006. 2007 similarly saw no life writing in the top 10. The books in the top 100 sales reveal a downward trend, with fewer titles making this band overall. In 2007, Terri Irwin’s memoir of life with her famous husband, wildlife warrior Steve Irwin, My Steve, came in at number 26; musician Andrew Johns’s memoir of mental illness, The Two of Me, at 37; Ayaan Hirst Ali’s autobiography Infidel at 39; John Grogan’s biography/memoir, Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog, at 42; Sally Collings’s biography of the inspirational young survivor Sophie Delezio, Sophie’s Journey, at 51; and Elizabeth Gilbert’s hybrid food, self-help and travel memoir, Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything at 82. Mao’s Last Dancer, published the year before, remained in the top 100 in 2007 at 87. When moving to a consideration of the top 5,000 books sold in Australia in 2006, BookScan reveals only 62 books categorised as life writing in the top 1,000, and only 222 in the top 5,000 (with 34 titles between 1,000 and 1,999, 45 between 2,000 and 2,999, 48 between 3,000 and 3,999, and 33 between 4,000 and 5,000). 2007 shows a similar total of 235 life writing texts in the top 5,000 bestselling books (75 titles in the first 1,000, 27 between 1,000 and 1,999, 51 between 2,000 and 2,999, 39 between 3,000 and 3,999, and 43 between 4,000 and 5,000). In both years, 2006 and 2007, life writing thus not only constituted only some 4% of the bestselling 5,000 titles in Australia, it also showed only minimal change between these years and, therefore, no significant growth. Conclusions Our investigation using various instruments that claim to reflect levels of book sales reveals that Western readers’ willingness to purchase published life writing has not changed significantly over the past century. We find no evidence of either a short, or longer, term growth or boom in sales in such books. Instead, it appears that what has been widely heralded as a new golden age of life writing may well be more the result of an expanded understanding of what is included in the genre than an increased interest in it by either book readers or publishers. What recent years do appear to have seen, however, is a significantly increased interest by public commentators, critics, and academics in this genre of writing. We have also discovered that the issue of our current obsession with the lives of others tends to be discussed in academic as well as popular fora as if what applies to one sub-genre or production form applies to another: if biography is popular, then autobiography will also be, and vice versa. If reality television programming is attracting viewers, then readers will be flocking to life writing as well. Our investigation reveals that such propositions are questionable, and that there is significant research to be completed in mapping such audiences against each other. This work has also highlighted the difficulty of separating out the categories of written texts in publishing studies, firstly in terms of determining what falls within the category of life writing as distinct from other forms of non-fiction (the hybrid problem) and, secondly, in terms of separating out the categories within life writing. Although we have continued to use the terms biography and autobiography as sub-genres, we are aware that they are less useful as descriptors than they are often assumed to be. In order to obtain a more complete and accurate picture, publishing categories may need to be agreed upon, redefined and utilised across the publishing industry and within academia. This is of particular importance in the light of the suggestions (from total sales volumes) that the audiences for books are limited, and therefore the rise of one sub-genre may be directly responsible for the fall of another. Bair argues, for example, that in the 1980s and 1990s, the popularity of what she categorises as memoir had direct repercussions on the numbers of birth-to-death biographies that were commissioned, contracted, and published as “sales and marketing staffs conclude[d] that readers don’t want a full-scale life any more” (17). Finally, although we have highlighted the difficulty of using publishing statistics when there is no common understanding as to what such data is reporting, we hope this study shows that the utilisation of such material does add a depth to such enquiries, especially in interrogating the anecdotal evidence that is often quoted as data in publishing and other studies. Appendix 1 Publishers Weekly listings 1990–1999 1990 included two autobiographies, Bo Knows Bo by professional athlete Bo Jackson (with Dick Schaap) and Ronald Reagan’s An America Life: An Autobiography. In 1991, there were further examples of life writing with unimaginative titles, Me: Stories of My Life by Katherine Hepburn, Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography by Kitty Kelley, and Under Fire: An American Story by Oliver North with William Novak; as indeed there were again in 1992 with It Doesn’t Take a Hero: The Autobiography of Norman Schwarzkopf, Sam Walton: Made in America, the autobiography of the founder of Wal-Mart, Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton, Every Living Thing, yet another veterinary outpouring from James Herriot, and Truman by David McCullough. In 1993, radio shock-jock Howard Stern was successful with the autobiographical Private Parts, as was Betty Eadie with her detailed recounting of her alleged near-death experience, Embraced by the Light. Eadie’s book remained on the list in 1994 next to Don’t Stand too Close to a Naked Man, comedian Tim Allen’s autobiography. Flag-waving titles continue in 1995 with Colin Powell’s My American Journey, and Miss America, Howard Stern’s follow-up to Private Parts. 1996 saw two autobiographical works, basketball superstar Dennis Rodman’s Bad as I Wanna Be and figure-skater, Ekaterina Gordeeva’s (with EM Swift) My Sergei: A Love Story. In 1997, Diana: Her True Story returns to the top 10, joining Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes and prolific biographer Kitty Kelly’s The Royals, while in 1998, there is only the part-autobiography, part travel-writing A Pirate Looks at Fifty, by musician Jimmy Buffet. There is no biography or autobiography included in either the 1999 or 2000 top 10 lists in Publishers Weekly, nor in that for 2005. In 2001, David McCullough’s biography John Adams and Jack Welch’s business memoir Jack: Straight from the Gut featured. In 2002, Let’s Roll! Lisa Beamer’s tribute to her husband, one of the heroes of 9/11, written with Ken Abraham, joined Rudolph Giuliani’s autobiography, Leadership. 2003 saw Hillary Clinton’s autobiography Living History and Paul Burrell’s memoir of his time as Princess Diana’s butler, A Royal Duty, on the list. In 2004, it was Bill Clinton’s turn with My Life. In 2006, we find John Grisham’s true crime (arguably a biography), The Innocent Man, at the top, Grogan’s Marley and Me at number three, and the autobiographical The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama in fourth place. Appendix 2 Amazon.com listings since 2000 In 2000, there were only two auto/biographies in the top Amazon 50 bestsellers with Lance Armstrong’s It’s Not about the Bike: My Journey Back to Life about his battle with cancer at 20, and Dave Eggers’s self-consciously fictionalised memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius at 32. In 2001, only the top 14 bestsellers were recorded. At number 1 is John Adams by David McCullough and, at 11, Jack: Straight from the Gut by USA golfer Jack Welch. In 2002, Leadership by Rudolph Giuliani was at 12; Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro at 29; Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper by Patricia Cornwell at 42; Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative by David Brock at 48; and Louis Gerstner’s autobiographical Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance: Inside IBM’s Historic Turnaround at 50. In 2003, Living History by Hillary Clinton was 7th; Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson 14th; Dereliction of Duty: The Eyewitness Account of How President Bill Clinton Endangered America’s Long-Term National Security by Robert Patterson 20th; Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer 32nd; Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor of Jordan 33rd; Kate Remembered, Scott Berg’s biography of Katharine Hepburn, 37th; Who’s your Caddy?: Looping for the Great, Near Great and Reprobates of Golf by Rick Reilly 39th; The Teammates: A Portrait of a Friendship about a winning baseball team by David Halberstam 42nd; and Every Second Counts by Lance Armstrong 49th. In 2004, My Life by Bill Clinton was the best selling book of the year; American Soldier by General Tommy Franks was 16th; Kevin Phillips’s American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush 18th; Timothy Russert’s Big Russ and Me: Father and Son. Lessons of Life 20th; Tony Hendra’s Father Joe: The Man who Saved my Soul 23rd; Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton 27th; Cokie Roberts’s Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised our Nation 31st; Kitty Kelley’s The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty 42nd; and Chronicles, Volume 1 by Bob Dylan was 43rd. In 2005, auto/biographical texts were well down the list with only The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion at 45 and The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeanette Walls at 49. In 2006, there was a resurgence of life writing with Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck: and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman at 9; Grisham’s The Innocent Man at 12; Bill Buford’s food memoir Heat: an Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany at 23; more food writing with Julia Child’s My Life in France at 29; Immaculée Ilibagiza’s Left to Tell: Discovering God amidst the Rwandan Holocaust at 30; CNN anchor Anderson Cooper’s Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters and Survival at 43; and Isabella Hatkoff’s Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship (between a baby hippo and a giant tortoise) at 44. In 2007, Ishmael Beah’s discredited A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier came in at 8; Walter Isaacson’s Einstein: His Life and Universe 13; Ayaan Hirst Ali’s autobiography of her life in Muslim society, Infidel, 18; The Reagan Diaries 25; Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI 29; Mother Teresa: Come be my Light 36; Clapton: The Autobiography 40; Tina Brown’s The Diana Chronicles 45; Tony Dungy’s Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices & Priorities of a Winning Life 47; and Daniel Tammet’s Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant at 49. Acknowledgements A sincere thank you to Michael Webster at RMIT for assistance with access to Nielsen BookScan statistics, and to the reviewers of this article for their insightful comments. Any errors are, of course, our own. References Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). “About Us.” Australian Story 2008. 1 June 2008. ‹http://www.abc.net.au/austory/aboutus.htm>. 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The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is one of the largest efforts of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote healthy dietary behavior practices among the low income adults and youths in the US. Although the program is shown to be effective in achieving its stated goals, the cost effectiveness of the money spent on EFNEP remains largely unknown. This dissertation analyzes the costs and effectiveness of the EFNEP, and is organized in three essays. The first essay investigates the effectiveness of the adult EFNEP and evaluates the returns to scale on the money spent in this program by utilizing an indirect production function approach. Results indicate that the program has increasing returns to scale at the National level, although a significant variation exists across the states. The second essay develops a framework for conducting the cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) for the youth EFNEP. The CEA framework is then applied to the data from Virginia youth EFNEP to estimate the cost effectiveness ratio (CER). The CER is estimated to be about $75 per behavior improvement. The third essay examines the outcomes and the attributes of the youth EFNEP program using the Rasch model type measurement model.  Findings suggest that the youth EFNEP is effective in achieving its stated program goals. In addition, the program related characteristics are found to be important attributes of effective programs. Overall, this dissertation has important policy implications for improving the (cost) effectiveness of nutrition education programs. "
Ph. D.