Low-Income Children's Reported Motivators of and Barriers to Healthy Eating Behaviors: A Focus Group Study

2011 ◽  
Vol 103 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 941-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lillian B. Kaye ◽  
Carolyn M. Tucker ◽  
Marie A. Bragg ◽  
Angela C. Estampador
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Healthy Eating Behaviors

scholarly journals Assessment of Cooking Matters Facebook Platform to Promote Healthy Eating Behaviors among Low-Income Caregivers of Young Children in the United States: A Pilot Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2694
Author(s):  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Jill Panichelli ◽  
Leigh Ann Hall
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Healthy Eating Behaviors

How best to deliver healthy-eating education through social media among a low-income population remains understudied. To assess the impact of the Cooking Matters (CM) Facebook page on healthy eating behaviors among low-income caregivers, we conducted a pre–post survey of new CM Facebook followers in early 2020. A convenience sample was recruited at baseline from WICShopper app users and the CM Facebook page. The recruited sample included 397 low-income caregivers of a child younger than 6 who never followed CM Facebook. Among the baseline caregivers, 184 completed the follow-up survey. Paired t-test and McNemar–Bowker tests were conducted to compare the outcomes pre- and post-following CM Facebook. A binary indicator was developed to measure whether the outcomes were improved (1 = Improved; 0 = Not improved). Multi-variable logistic regressions were applied to examine the relationship between whether the outcome was improved with reference to the baseline socio-demographics. No significant differences were detected between pre and post outcomes overall (p > 0.05), except improvement in feeding healthy meals within the budget available (p < 0.05). However, improvement in select outcomes was more significant in men and single-parent households. The CM Facebook page could be an important platform to influence low-income caregivers of young children.

scholarly journals Actively Involving Middle School Students in the Implementation of a Pilot of a Behavioral Economics–Based Lunchroom Intervention in Rural Schools

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 675-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natoshia M. Askelson ◽  
Patrick Brady ◽  
Grace Ryan ◽  
Cristian Meier ◽  
Cristina Ortiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Economics ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Environmental Interventions ◽  
School Based ◽  
Service Staff ◽  
Policy Systems ◽  
Healthy Eating Behaviors

School-based interventions can play an important role in improving childhood and adolescent nutrition and preventing obesity. Schools offer a unique opportunity to implement policy, systems, and environmental interventions targeting healthy eating behaviors. An intervention was piloted in six middle schools featuring behavioral economics–based changes to the lunchroom, communication training, and communicate cues for food service staff. The pilot study employed a multicomponent evaluation with students and food service directors and staff including a lunchroom assessment, online surveys, production records, and interviews. Five schools increased their scores on the lunchroom assessment tool, and four schools increased the number of servings produced of healthy food items. Interviews with food service directors indicated the interventions was feasible and well received. School-based policy, systems, and environmental interventions targeting healthy eating behaviors may play a role in preventing obesity in children and adolescents.

scholarly journals Promoting a Healthy Post-Collegiate Lifestyle: An Evaluation of the Moving On! Transition Program for Student-Athletes

2018 ◽  
pp. 54-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin J Reifsteck ◽  
DeAnne D Brooks ◽  
Jamian D Newton ◽  
Lenka H Shriver
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Autonomous Motivation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Perceptions

Former student-athletes may face challenges in maintaining physical activity and engaging in healthy eating after transitioning out of collegiate athletics. Maladaptive adjustments following athletic transitions can result in detrimental outcomes for former student-athletes, ranging from physical health concerns to negative psychosocial consequences. In contrast, positive transitions can promote optimal health and wellbeing. The Moving On! program was developed in recognition of the unique challenges faced by student-athletes and the importance of making healthy transitions out of college sports. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Moving On! program’s influence on several relevant theoretical constructs that influence health behaviors, including student-athletes’ self-perceptions and self-determined motivation for maintaining physical activity and healthy eating, along with their self-efficacy and intentions for engaging in these health-related behaviors after college. NCAA student-athletes in their final year of competition were recruited from two institutions. Participants (N = 20) completed the Moving On! program along with pre- and post-test surveys and focus group interviews. Survey results revealed positive changes in nutrition-related self-perceptions (t(19) = 2.406; p = 0.026; g = 0.38) and self-efficacy for healthy eating behaviors (t(19) = 3.022; p = 0.007; g = 0.70). No significant changes were observed for exercise identity (p = 0.845), physical activity self-efficacy (p = 0.114), or autonomous motivation for exercise (p = 0.108) and health eating (p = 0.264). Focus group responses indicated that student-athletes’ experiences in the program fostered positive shifts in their self-perceptions, enhanced their self-determined motivation, and reinforced their intentions for engaging in physical activity and healthy eating in the future. Implications for future research and program implementation are discussed.

A scale for restaurant customers’ healthy menu choices: individual and environmental factors

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
EunHa Jeong ◽  
SooCheong (Shawn) Jang ◽  
Carl Behnke ◽  
James Anderson ◽  
Jonathon Day
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Healthy Eating Behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the dimensions of restaurant customers’ engagement or disengagement with healthy eating in terms of individual and environmental factors to develop a scale. The results identified the underlying constructs of customers’ individual motives for and perceived barriers to healthy eating, as well as environmental elements of restaurants that encourage or discourage healthy eating. Design/methodology/approach To develop an appropriate set of measures to assess factors influencing customers’ healthy eating behaviors at restaurants, the current study undertook the five steps of scale development suggested by Churchill (1979): specifying the domain of constructs, generating a pool of initial measurement items, assessing content adequacy, administering questionnaires (an online survey method) and purifying and finalizing the measurement (via exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using 410 samples and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using 423 samples). Findings The results revealed ten individual factors (health, body image, weight control, feeling better, unappealing food, cost perception, lack of knowledge, state of mind (stress), lack of self-control and negative influences) and five environmental factors (healthy indications, social impact, availability of healthy menu, price policy and unhealthy indications) influencing customers’ healthy eating behaviors at restaurants. Originality/value This study developed an appropriate set of measures to assess individual and environmental factors influencing restaurant customers’ healthy eating behaviors, along with identifying underlying sub-constructs. The reliability and validity of the scale and the factor structure are presented and potential applications and theoretical contributions of the scale are provided as well.

scholarly journals Racial/Ethnic Differences in Diet Quality and Eating Habits Among WIC Pregnant Women: Implications for Policy and Practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alla M. Hill ◽  
Danielle L. Nunnery ◽  
Alice Ammerman ◽  
Jigna M. Dharod
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Healthy Eating Index ◽  
American Women

Purpose: One of the major federal food assistance programs, the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), serves approximately 1.5 million low-income pregnant women per year; however, limited information is available on their dietary habits. This is critical because low-income women are at higher risk of gaining excess weight during pregnancy. Thus, the study objectives were to (1) determine the overall diet quality of WIC pregnant women and (2) examine diet quality and eating behaviors by race/ethnicity and other sociodemographics. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Setting: One of the 3 WIC offices in a north-central county in North Carolina, USA. Sample: Pregnant women (n = 198) in the second trimester. Measures: Interviews included sociodemographics, food security, diet, and eating behaviors. Diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010 scores. Analysis: Descriptives, bivariate analysis, and multivariate analysis. Results: Average participant age was 26 years, and the mean HEI-2010 score was 56 of maximum score of 100. Specifically, African American women consumed significantly lower servings of whole grains (β = −1.71; 95% CI: −3.10 to −0.32; P < .05) and dairy (β = −1.42; 95% CI: −2.51 to −0.33; P < .05) compared with non-Hispanic white women. Hispanic women scored higher in daily intake of fruits (β = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.17-1.79; P < .05) and for consuming empty calories in moderation (β = 1.57; 95% CI: 0.06-3.09; P < .05). Frequency of intake of fast foods/outside meals was higher among African American women (57%, P = .025). Conclusion: Efforts are warranted to promote optimal nutrition among WIC pregnant women. Specifically, African American women are highly vulnerable to poor dietary habits during pregnancy. Further investigation of barriers/facilitators for healthy eating is necessary to address nutrition disparities among WIC pregnant women.

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