I realized that nutrition is a gender issue a while back when we invited Dr. Tomas Fernandez to speak to our students on nutrition. His son was our student and he was heading a nutrition research study. I remember his discussing their research findings and saying that women usually eat last. Often females serve the “head of the family” first then the children. Females get to eat the last and often consume what the children reject. He commented that this might mean a smaller amount of poor quality food. This would be a sadder situation if she were pregnant. I wonder how far we have moved away from that situation.
“Women’s Nutrition Issues”, in fact declares: “Women have special nutritional needs due to hormonal changes that occur with menstruation, pregnancy, lactation and menopause, all of which alter the recommended daily intake of nutrients. Of the many diseases that affect women, five have scientific-based connection to nutrition: iron deficiency anemia, osteoporosis, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.”
The article recommends “red meat, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, and fortified breads and cereals” to prevent iron deficiency during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It also recommends “green leafy vegetables, oranges and orange juices, dried beans and peas and fortified breads and cereals to have folic acid to prevent birth defects. It stresses the big dose of calcium needed both for pregnancy and breastfeeding.
For pre-menstrual syndrome, it suggests “a combination of good nutrition, exercise, and stress management” for relief.
For women undergoing menopause, wherein “a woman’s metabolism slows down and weight gain can occur” – “exercise and careful food choices” could reduce these.
Then, there is osteoporosis – “women are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.” Women will be prone to this if their diets are “low in calcium, vitamin D, or magnesium or higher intakes of caffeine, alcohol, sodium, phosphorus, or protein.” Instead – walking, hiking, climbing is suggested, together with “cheese, yogurt, milk, canned fish with bones, dark green leafy vegetables.”
The article reminds us of studies which “suggest excessive fat intake may increase breast-cancer risk. Diets that include adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, and other fiber-rich food may protect women against breast cancer.”
In the case of heart disease which “begins to rise once a woman reaches menopause, and it increases rapidly after age sixty-five”, anti-oxidants are suggested – again “found in fruits and vegetables”.
We can do a great deal to take control of our bodies and promote our well-being through the proper management of our diets. But nutrition consciousness is not only a matter for individual women. It’s a family concern as well as a social concern. It is linked to development because we are dealing with our human capital. Many studies have shown that good nutrition is a factor in the good performance of our students.
Ruth Oniang’o and Edith Mukudi in Nutrition and Gender declare that there is direct relationship between ensuring equality for women, nutrition, and development.
Scientific American had already asserted that the best investment of a government is the resources appropriated to the education of women. They have said this because investing in the education of women is also allocating resources for the health and nutrition of their families, the education of their children, and their socio-economic status. It does not only improve the condition of women but also actually generates a series of positive social changes.
Ruth and Edith on the other hand claim that: “Substantial evidence demonstrates that more equal access to and control over assets (for women) raises agricultural output, increases investment in child education, improves visits to health facilities for infants, raises household food security and accelerates child growth and development.”
Because females are often the main care giver of children, well-nourished females are crucial to society because: “malnutrition in mothers jeopardizes the quality of care giving they can offer their children.”
Edith and Ruth point out that with good nutrition, girls perform better in school and more easily actively work for empowerment. They urge those concerned about women and development to work for policies sensitive to the issue of gender equality and the nutrition of women.
What happens to females also affect our nutrition. Researchers have raised the question, “What happens to the quality of nourishment when mothers are not preparing the food and children resort to street food?” They have asked, “How is the nutrition of women and their families affected when women work and have higher income?” All these points confirm what the Magna Carta of Women stresses the mainstreaming of gender in the various social endeavors.