Dinner in France: An Enduring Dietary Synchronism

Thibault De Saint Pol
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Thibault De Saint Pol: Crest

No 2006-13, Working Papers from Center for Research in Economics and Statistics

Abstract: In this paper we study the place dinner occupies in the evening inFrance and in particular its scheduling with respect to other activities. Theanalysis uses data from time-use surveys conducted by the French Institutefor Statistics (Insee) in 1986 (N=9975) and 1998 (N=8251). In order to takeadvantage of the sequential nature of time-use data, we apply OptimalMatching Analysis, a method borrowed from molecular biology by AndrewAbbott. In conjunction with cluster analysis, this method allows us todistinguish between ten types of organization of evenings and to analyse howdinner is fitted in with other activities in the evening schedule. Thesedifferent types are highly correlated with gender, age and social class. Incontrast to arguments suggesting the end of traditional organization ofmealtimes, the comparison between the results of 1986 and 1998demonstrates a great stability of the dinner sequence and a continuingimportance of mealtimes whatever the social group we consider incontemporary France.

Pages: 32
Date: 2006
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