Programs intending to improve nutrition often fall short of expectations. One exception, however, occurred during the rationing years of World War II when citizens were encouraged to incorporate protein-rich organ meats into their protein deficient diets. Unfortunately, most of the insights resulting from these efforts remained unpublished or in limited distribution. For the first time, selected studies from this era are synthesized according to how they restructured social norms, changed perceptions of taste, and encouraged food substitution behavior. Behaviorally-driven implications from these “lost lessons” are discussed in the context of the empirical contributions they made in defining what makes an unfavorable food acceptable.

Summary

Lost Lessons from WWII
What Organ Meats Tell Us About Fruits and Vegetables

Recently, many programs and campaigns to change eating habits, such as the “Five Fruits and Vegetables a Day,” have met with costly, and disappointing results. Why do these programs fail? The answer may lie in recently declassified WWII research. In an academic article published in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, researchers examine the challenges associated with changing peoples eating habits.

Due to numerous food shortages during World War II, there were efforts to increase the use of readily available foods like organ meats.

The researchers found that when food appears on the table the family usually eats it despite their own preferences. The mother was the gatekeeper for the family’s food needs. She played a central role in developing and regulating the family’s dietary needs and preferences. Programs and campaigns designed to encourage the adoption of new foods need not waste time trying to convince the whole family, when the gatekeeper controls the majority of the family’s dietary needs. When your mother told you to “eat all your vegetables,” who knew she was acting as the nutritional “gatekeeper” for the family.*

In addition, researchers found that an “all or nothing” approach was not successful for introducing unfamiliar foods to the diet. Rather by gradually introducing new foods into the diet, the foods became more acceptable. By adding new foods, like fruits and vegetables, into the rotation with familiar foods, a gradual acclimation occurs. Suggesting that if mom gradually adds brussel sprouts to an occasional meal, the family is more likely to accept them, rather than if mom adds them to all of the family’s meals.

The basic insights from 60 years ago can help structure successful healthy eating programs today.

“Insights on how to assimilate unfamiliar foods are useful to individuals, health professionals and marketers who want to help consumers replace less nutritious foods with more nutritious foods,” said Dr. Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab.

This could include replacing sweet snacks with fruit, or meat protein with soy protein or high-fat foods with low-fat foods.

For more information see Wansink, Brian (2002), “Changing Eating Habits on the Home Front: Lost Lessons from World War II Research,” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 21:1 (Spring), 90-99. Acknowledgement: Reprinted with permission from Journal of Marketing, published by the American Marketing Association www.marketingpower.com/content1053.php.

Contact:
Brian Wansink, PhD
Food and Brand Lab, Director
110 Warren Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Email: foodandbrandlab@cornell.edu

*This study was conducted at the University of Illinois, former location of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab.

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