Sociological study on the relationship between religion and nutrition

Dietary patterns are among the significant indicators that reflect people's religious thoughts and cultural backgrounds. Since it is possible to put forward an idea about their religious thoughts based upon how they take nourishment, it can be said that dietary habits play a major role in the construction of religious identity. Building identity through diet constitutes a significant dimension of both historical religions and new religious movements. Although the rituals such as fasting, sacrifice and prayer in many religions are practically similar to each other, on the other hand, diets may differ according to factors such as geography, economic conditions, acculturations, and all of these may transform with the developments in the modern age. Concordantly, it cannot be considered as a big claim to say that there is no religion on earth that does not interfere with the food habits of its members. In this study, nutrition and religion relations were scrutinized within the context of the formation provided by the literature review in the samples of five Middle Eastern religions, five Indian and Far Eastern religions and five New Religious Movements. The obtained findings were analyzed in the sociological context. In the study, it has been concluded that nutrition has ceased to be a routine act through religion and it has transformed into an identity fact. Besides, it has been determined that religions have operationalized nutrition as an invitation method. This study aims to establish a perspective on how nutrition and religion relations develop, how they affect each other and the effects of this interaction in history. In addition, the effects of diets that vary according to religions, and various rituals which constitute an important factor of nutrition on human health have been examined. Within this context, it has been analyzed how religion, as a social institution, affects the health institution over nutrition. Furthermore, the effects of the norms put forward by religions on the production and consumption of some nutrition were examined, and the indirect or direct effects of religions on the economic institution by the reason of their approaches to food habits are also studied with a descriptive and analytical approach. Moreover, within the context of the religious authorities' efforts to support the dietary restrictions or recommendations dictated by religious motives with scientific discourses, an indirect and concise view of the religion-science relationship in modern society has been offered. It is hoped that this study will avail researchers who will study issues such as religious nutrition practices, food habits and diets, dietary prohibitions and the role of nutrition in the construction of religious identity.