The Limits Of Nutritionalism In The Practice Of Nutritional Science

The effectiveness of the rapidly advancing science of nutrition has been proven in practice and has played an major role in promoting human health,but it has also created other problems: modern nutritional science usually takes a reductionist approach to the study of food,understanding food at the abstract level of its chemical composition and elements,examining food according to specific categories such as quantifiable vitamins,fats,proteins,etc.,encouraging people to make food choices based on nutrient content in their diet,linking specific nutrients to physical health and building a "nutritionally balanced" diet.This kind of reductionist thinking,influenced by social trends such as the supremacy of science,looks at food in isolation from its nutritional content but ignores the context in which it is found,and is known as nutritionalism.Nutritionalism is derived from and inseparable from the study of nutritional science,and is the result of the exaggerated precision of the reductive research methods and the utility of their findings that dominate nutritional science and are exploited by interested parties.This paper critiques and reflects on nutritionism by analysing the reductionist paradigm in nutritionism and its limitations,on the premise that nutritionism emerged and exists at the current level of science and technology,but without denying that future technological breakthroughs may bring advances to dissipate the problem.The paper argues that the reductionist paradigm of nutritionism has limitations of quantified logic and de-contextualisation,which are magnified by the involvement of power.In this regard,the paper targets possible ways to overcome nutritionism: firstly,the single paradigm of reductionist research should be changed and reductionism should be combined with holism,with emphasis on reductionist research methods while not neglecting the influence of other factors.Secondly,one should be wary of the involvement of power in nutritionism,as the attributes of nutrition science naturally dictate that it carries more social and cultural factors,and therefore one should be more cautious of nutrition findings that may be distorted or exploited for certain purposes.Thirdly,traditional dietary concepts should be integrated with modern dietary concepts,taking into account their strengths and complementing their weaknesses,seeing both the reasonable and unreasonable sides of each,not being biased or superstitious,and treating them critically,giving full play to the respective strengths of both dietary concepts.Finally,it focuses on the multifaceted meanings of food beyond its physiological and nutritional functions,working towards overcoming nutritionism,building a healthy diet for modern people and pursuing a good life.