Feeding China's Little Emperors

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Until recently, Chinese children had little say in their diets, but this has changed dramatically, particularly in urban areas and affluent villages. Increased incomes and a burgeoning consumer culture have empowered children as consumers, leading them to favor snack foods, soft drinks, and fast food from Western chains like McDonald’s and KFC. Many children, especially only children, now influence their families' food choices, marking a significant shift in childhood dynamics in China. This book explores how the evolution of children’s eating habits, driven by China's market economy and global integration, has altered family life and relationships. Since the 1980s, declining fertility rates and rising family incomes have coincided with an influx of products marketed as “children’s food.” This commercialization has reached even remote villages, where children surprise parents with requests for trendy items. As a result, many parents, raised in a different era, worry about their children's nutrition and health. Contributors from various fields examine the impact of new food options on children's health, the consumption of prestige foods, and the social implications for communities, including adaptations by fast-food chains. They also address the generation gap in food attitudes, the role of religion and nutrition, initiatives promoting breastfeeding, and how nationalism and traditional medicine influence children's food product