A deeply entrenched problem in most societies is gender food discrimination. While not commonly talked about, it can be seen in the patterns of meal distribution within the family.
Male children and adult males are usually the first to eat and are served more or higher-quantity portions
Maha Dev Makwano
In most families, particularly in rural as well as low-income regions of Pakistan, customary food habits are practiced without realizing their nutritional effects. A typical practice I remember from my childhood was having the same dish served for breakfast that was cooked the evening before for dinner. All of us be it a three-year-old kid or a seventy-five-year-old grandfather, used to have the same reheated food. Then, we thought that reheating was making the food fresh once again. But we do know now that reheating some foods, like cooked rice and spinach, can do more harm than good.
Nowadays, research suggests that inappropriate reheating of some foods may cause bacterial proliferation and the development of contaminants. For instance, Bacillus cereus, which is a common contaminant in rice, will survive the heat and form poisons if rice is not cooled and reheated correctly. Spinach, which contains nitrates, has the potential to convert into nitrites and other toxic substances when reheated. Even though the food may appear fresh and taste good, it may become a silent poison, and most vulnerable family members may be at risk, such as children and the elderly. Reheating also deprives food of important nutrients, undermining the very reason for saving the food in the first place.
Another field study and nutrition intervention practice observed is repeating a single food at every meal. In most homes, families prepare a vegetable once a time and use it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is not necessarily because of poverty, but rather a lack of awareness of dietary variety. Especially in rural communities, individuals exist on staple foods like rice and wheat (in the form of rotis), with little intake of vegetables, fruits, or protein foods. Low dietary diversity is one of the primary causes of hidden hunger, a type of malnutrition in which micronutrient requirements are not satisfied even with high caloric consumption.
A deeply entrenched problem in most societies is gender food discrimination. While not commonly talked about, it can be seen in the patterns of meal distribution within the family. Male children and adult males are usually the first to eat and are served more or higher-quantity portions. Female children, adolescent girls, and women—particularly in poor communities—usually eat last of the male family members, and they eat what is left behind in the pots. The thing is, even if they don’t realize it, what are they doing with themselves? While studies continue to investigate the prevalence of this phenomenon, field observations convincingly attest to its universality among different age groups.
In urban areas, internet-based marketing and food delivery websites and services at the doorsteps have added a new level to unhealthy dietary practices, specifically among children and women of urban families. They promote highly processed, low-nutrient food by offering visually satisfying advertisements, promotions, offers, and assured timings of delivery. Young adults and working professionals habitually order these to save time, unaware of the possible sacrifice and compromises to their health, and what they are saving using the services is time, and they will not get it back to retain their health. These foods are most often rich in salt, sugar, and Trans fats, and have been linked to increased levels of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes even among children and the young.
Another issue related to food has been the collapse of food safety and regulatory bodies, authorities, and departments. There have been numerous cases when packaged drinking water, milk products, and children’s foods have been banned and taken away from the markets due to contamination or poor quality, not up to the standards set by the regulatory authorities. Such products return to the shelves within weeks, and it casts severe doubts on the efficacy and accountability of the regulatory agencies. What are Pakistan’s food production and marketing parameters? How frequently are inspections conducted? What is the punishment for violators? Lack of transparency and enforcement is threatening public health. Children are especially susceptible. When the milk products for the infants and toddlers are banned, the acts are formed and the substitutes cannot use the word milk substitute in their branding, then why are the children above five years ignored, and why is the available food products for the school-going age not as per the standards of the regulatory authorities? Even more than 80% companies may not fulfil the registration requirements, and they may not have the complete registration for the functional use they have.
They are pampered by their families, who let them decide what they want to eat or even decline meals altogether. Yet, children have no idea of the concept of a balanced diet, food groups, or the significance of nutrition. Without appropriate information, they are likely to adopt unhealthy food habits for life. There has to be an immediate need for family awareness and nutrition education in schools. In spite of all that, much of the population feels that they are consuming healthy only because they are having three meals a day. Meal frequency, however, does not account for nutritional sufficiency. Most homes still do not have even a basic understanding of what a balanced diet is. Nutritional education is lacking not only in homes but also in schools, communities, and even in the healthcare field. Now this is our role, we all must come forward in the field of awareness regarding the healthy family care practices, and we must contribute to shred the burden of the nation.
Read: Malnutrition Crisis in Tharparkar
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Maha Dev Makwano is a writer and development and humanitarian practitioner. He contributes to public dialogue on health and nutrition through newspaper commentary, and writes for English and Sindhi newspapers and magazines. He can be reached at mahadevmakwano@gmail.com
