The study of food habits is extremely complex. Three main elements are part of this study which are so closely interrelated that it is difficult to sort out their origins andtheir level of action : food practices, thefood production system and the « style » of food consumption. Food habits and food « styles » are the result of forces working in different directions. Our paper is intended to review the developments and results of research on economic and social dynamics in the field of food consumption which still appears as a rather unexplored sector but it offers similar difficulties to those of other sectors. Different axiological principles, methodologies and techniques are used to analyse food habits. Often, these analyses follow general lines, methodologies and principles used in other branches of knowledge.
