OFM HEALTH

THE PATRIARCHAL DECLINE OF

by Zachari Breeding, MS, RDN, CSO, LDN, FAND

Picture it. 1945. World War II has ended, and the troops are coming home. This means the return to “classic” family values, right? Nothing could be further from the truth. It was this period of time that the de-evolution of nutritional health and well-being began, to the eventual detriment of public health across the country. But how did it all begin?

Pre-war, gender roles were stringent, and frankly, men were content. Though many women went to work during WWI (1914-1918), many left their jobs as men returned from war. In the early 1930s, as the Great Depression wore on, women who did remain in the workforce were laid off—all because of societal norms and expectations that women were supposed to be wives, mothers, and homemakers.

Though resources were limited, cooking at home was ultimately the least expensive (and generally the most nutritious) option for most people. Of course, folks of color did not have the same level of employment opportunities and food access as those living in the white suburbs which ultimately resulted in worsening nutrition and increased risk of chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes.

During WWII (1939-1945), women began to enter the workforce again in significant ways—millions of jobs were created, and thousands joined the military. The typical positions held by women at this time—also known as “pink-collar jobs”— included teachers, secretaries, nurses, and librarians, just to name a few. Many of these jobs were temporary or part-time. At the same time, 16 million men left their jobs to join the war. This job deficit provided ample opportunities for women to break into the job market and find their own American Dream. Still, newspapers, magazines, and other forms of media perpetuated the societal feeling that it was a woman’s role to keep tidy homes, raise children, and have a hot meal prepared for the husband at the end of the working day.

The glass ceiling kept many women from obtaining employment in positions that would inherently keep them from their “duties” as wives and mothers. It was late into the war when food rations and finances ran tight for most families; this continued for years to come. As a result, one can find a series of recipes from this time period that focused on inexpensive ingredients including meatloaf (because ground beef was cheap), Jell-O with chicken or hot dogs, and Oslo meals (think old-school Lunchables).

As the war concluded, women felt empowered and motivated to continue reaching for work outside of the home. This period of U.S. history, known as the “roots of the revolution,” is characterized by an influx of women choosing higher education and careers. As women infiltrated the workforce, there was a continued expectation that a “career” was still a long shot.

Women attaining a college or graduate-degree education were encouraged to attain an “M.R.S. degree,” indicating the expectation that a woman’s true success was centered around marriage and service to a husband. As generations of men continued to push women into temporary or part-

time work, discourage higher learning, and promote aged ideals—meals began changing. The days of the woman of the house spending hours in the kitchen were dwindling. Women were not home as much as they used to be. After a long day at their own jobs, women were expected to continue to be the main caretaker of the house, the children, and the meals. You see where this is going: men wanted nothing to change, but things were changing; women were still expected to carry twice the workload at home, even as they spent less time at home. So the question was, what’s a woman to do? Enter, processed foods. No joke! This is what happened:

1945: WWII ends.

1946: The advent of instant mashed potatoes. 1948: McDonald’s enters the market as one of the biggest, modern, fast-food restaurants with their “Speedee Service System.” 1953: Banquet begins offering frozen meat pies. 1954: Stouffer’s and Banquet release complete frozen lines of entrees.

And so began America’s fascination with quick-and-easy food that entices the palate with fat, salt, and sugar. The insurgence of processed foods into the American diet is arguably the result of the male resistance to women entering the workplace and having less time to carry out their expected duties determined by male-driven society. The connection between nutrition and health was not wellresearched and even less well-reported during this time. The effects of fat on the heart, salt on blood pressure, and sugar on insulin resistance were concepts not even considered by the modern family during this time. The only intended goals were to make sure all members of the family were fed and full with good-tasting food in less time than a typical, homecooked meal.

The evidence is clear in today’s elderly population. Among those over the age of 70 (born 1950 or earlier), the most common causes of death include heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These three, leading causes of death are directly correlated with nutrition—especially poor eating habits over a long period of time. It’s no wonder nearly half of the overall causes of death in the U.S. are due to conditions related to poor nutrition: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney diseases, and cancer. Still, people of color are disproportionally impacted by these chronic illnesses because of continued segregation in the workplace, lower wages compared to white counterparts, and issues with food access. The influx of processed foods have taken over lower-income areas, creating food deserts where fast food restaurants significantly outnumber grocery stores.

Though there are many reasons why the world should not return to the way we lived right after WWII, shifts in how people view food are causing food manufactures (who aren’t going anywhere) to consider nutrition when developing new foods. Such food manufacturers have a much harder time these days developing foods with short ingredients lists while aiming to keep costs low.

To stay relevant, their aim is to highlight the healthpromoting impacts of their products (protein, fiber, probiotics, just to name a few). This shift has everything to do with the fact that, generally, people understand the way they eat can impact their health. Cooking at home has never been more popular thanks to home chefs on TV, cooking blogs, and modern appliances such as the air fryer and instant pot.

There is no question now that cooking fresh foods at home is healthier than microwaving a TV dinner or hitting up a fast-food joint. Still, the most important thing for any family remains the same—to enjoy a meal together. In doing so, let’s remember history and not relive it—there is a cost for convenience and a benefit to the appreciation of the origin of our food.