GUESS WHOS COOKING - THE ROLE OF MEN IN MEAL PLANNING, SHOPPING, AND PREPARATION IN US FAMILIES

Objectives To determine the role of men in meal-related tasks in house holds with both a male and female head, and to identify households in which the man is more likely to be involved in these tasks. Design Dat a collected as part of the US Department of Agriculture's 1994 Continu ing Survey of Food Intakes of Individuals were analyzed. Subjects/sett ing All analyses were restricted to sampled persons who were identifie d as a male head of household residing in a household that also had a female head (N=1,204). Statistical analyses Frequency distributions we re calculated and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results Approximately 23%, 36%, and 27% of men reportedly were involved in me al planning, shopping, and preparation, respectively. Men in lower inc ome and smaller households were more likely to be involved in each of the meal activities. Younger men and men in households in which the fe male head of household worked full-time were more likely to be involve d in meal planning and preparation. Implications Current education eff orts to improve family nutrition tend to target the female rather than the male head of household. Our findings confirm that this focus is a ppropriate for most dual-headed households.