Chained_Water
12-12-06, 12:07 PM
A woman's place is still in the kitchen even when she works full-time outside the home, researchers have discovered.
A study by Newcastle University's Human Nutrition Research Centre has found that 75% of women do most of the family cooking and food shopping.
Despite the rise of celebrity chefs, men viewed cooking as an occasional hobby or a chance to show off, it said.
However, when it comes to slaving over a hot stove on a daily basis, women still bear the main responsibility.
The study of nearly 200 men and women in their 30s found that among the women, 79% were mainly responsible for their household's food shopping and 72% were mainly responsible for preparing and cooking food.
'Unnecessary treats'
The reasons given for this ranged from women having more time to shop and cook, to the belief that women made healthier food choices.
Some women said they did the shopping because they thought could do it faster than their partner, who was often tempted by "unnecessary treats".
Lead researcher Dr Amelia Lake said: "Women have made great progress in terms of equal opportunities over the last few decades so it surprised us to find that many women, even in this relatively young age group, assumed the traditional female role of chief cook and food shopper.
"Celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay have helped change the image of cooking as 'women's work' and many cook books are aimed at men.
"Yet our research suggested men like to use cooking as a chance to show off occasionally, while women are left with the day-to-day chores."
She added that men's culinary showpieces included barbecues, Sunday lunches and speciality dishes such as curries.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/6171297.stm
A study by Newcastle University's Human Nutrition Research Centre has found that 75% of women do most of the family cooking and food shopping.
Despite the rise of celebrity chefs, men viewed cooking as an occasional hobby or a chance to show off, it said.
However, when it comes to slaving over a hot stove on a daily basis, women still bear the main responsibility.
The study of nearly 200 men and women in their 30s found that among the women, 79% were mainly responsible for their household's food shopping and 72% were mainly responsible for preparing and cooking food.
'Unnecessary treats'
The reasons given for this ranged from women having more time to shop and cook, to the belief that women made healthier food choices.
Some women said they did the shopping because they thought could do it faster than their partner, who was often tempted by "unnecessary treats".
Lead researcher Dr Amelia Lake said: "Women have made great progress in terms of equal opportunities over the last few decades so it surprised us to find that many women, even in this relatively young age group, assumed the traditional female role of chief cook and food shopper.
"Celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay have helped change the image of cooking as 'women's work' and many cook books are aimed at men.
"Yet our research suggested men like to use cooking as a chance to show off occasionally, while women are left with the day-to-day chores."
She added that men's culinary showpieces included barbecues, Sunday lunches and speciality dishes such as curries.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/6171297.stm