scholarly journals Facilitators and barriers to healthy eating in a worksite cafeteria: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalia Stern ◽  
Ilian Blanco ◽  
Lucy A. Olmos ◽  
Joel J. Valdivia ◽  
Archana Shrestha ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Worksite-based nutrition interventions can serve as access points to facilitate healthy eating and translate existing knowledge of cardiometabolic disease prevention. We explored perceptions, facilitators, and barriers for healthy eating in a cafeteria at a large worksite in Mexico City. Methods We conducted an exploratory qualitative study in a large department store in Mexico City with ~ 1500 employees. We conducted eight focus group discussions (FGD) with 63 employees stratified by job category (sales, maintenance, shipping, restaurant, cafeteria, administrative staff, and sales managers). Employees were invited to participate in the FGD if they were at the store at the day and time of the FGD for their job type. FGDs were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the thematic method. This process involved the researches´ familiarizing themselves with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing the themes, defining and naming themes, and then interpreting the data. Results Employees defined healthy eating as eating foods that are fresh, diverse, and prepared hygienically. The most commonly reported facilitators of healthy eating at the worksite were availability of affordable healthy food options and employees’ high health awareness. Major barriers to healthy eating included unavailability of healthy foods, unpleasant taste of food, and preference for fatty foods and meat. For lower-wage workers, affordability was a major concern. Other barriers included lack of time to eat work and long working hours. Conclusion A broad range of factors affect healthy eating at the cafeteria, some related to nutrition and some related to the employees type of job. Availability of healthy, hygienic, and tasty food at an affordable price could lead to healthier food choices in the worksite cafeteria. These strategies, along with work schedules that allow sufficient time for healthy eating, may help improve dietary behaviors and health of employees.

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Sidor ◽  
Răzvan M. Cherecheș ◽  
Veronica A. Costea

AbstractBackground and Aims: This study aimed to identify adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes towards healthy eating and their needs and preferences towards school-based nutrition interventions, thus investigating the “must have” components on school-based nutrition interventions than can improve adolescents’ dietary patterns.Material and Methods: To reach the proposed aims, we used a qualitative strategy of inquiry, by conducting semi-structured focus groups. We collected data in two urban schools from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. 32 adolescents aged 11 to 14 years old attended focus group discussions. Focus group discussions were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: A viable strategy to deliver effective nutrition interventions for adolescents needs to address adolescents' interests and concerns, use visuals and stories to present nutrition related information, increase adolescents' self-efficacy in choosing healthy foods, train adolescents in having a balanced diet, promote healthy eating as acceptable for peers, and involve parents in nutrition interventions through home-based activities.Conclusions: Improving adolescents' nutrition related knowledge and behavior and creating supportive environments is not sufficient in improving adolescents' dietary patterns. Practitioners should aim at designing school-based nutrition interventions addressing adolescents' specific needs and rely on the needs assessment process as a major component of the design.


Heart Asia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e010956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Archana Shrestha ◽  
Prajjwal Pyakurel ◽  
Abha Shrestha ◽  
Rabin Gautam ◽  
Nisha Manandhar ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e031404
Author(s):  
Dipesh Tamrakar ◽  
Archana Shrestha ◽  
Anjana Rai ◽  
Biraj Man Karmacharya ◽  
Vasanti Malik ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo explore the perceptions, enablers and barriers to employees’ healthy eating in a hospital site.DesignA qualitative study including focus group discussion and in-depth interview, data were analysed using thematic analysis method.SettingThe study was carried out among employees of Dhulikhel Hospital-Kathmandu University Hospital, located about 30 km east of Nepal's capital Kathmandu.ParticipantsFocus group discussions were conducted among the 33 participants, who were divided into four groups: (a) support staff (drivers, cook, laundry, gardeners and ward boys), (b) hospital administrators and managers, (c) health personnel (doctors, nurses and assistants) who work 8–12 hours shifts and (d) health personnel who work during office hours. Nine in-depth interviews were conducted among six canteen operators and three managers.ResultsThe major factors for promoting healthy eating were identified as the availability of affordable healthy food options in the cafeterias, a commitment to such promotion by the cafeteria manager, operators, staff and hospital administration and the level of education of the employees. The most commonly reported barriers for healthy eating were the unavailability of healthy options, including the lack of food supply from local market, the higher cost of healthy foods, individual food preferences and limited human resources in the cafeteria.ConclusionThe availability of affordable healthy foods, supply of healthy foods from the market, commitment from cafeteria managers, hospital administrators and health awareness among cafeteria operators may promote healthy eating among employees in a Nepali hospital setting.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuraini Amirah Salhadi ◽  
Mohd Ramadan Ab Hamid ◽  
Noor Suzana Osman ◽  
Norazmir Md Nor

The prevalence of obesity around the world is increasing yearly. Dietary intake, physical inactivity, and sedentary lifestyle are the common causes of obesity. This situation has created an urge to improve a healthy eating environment in the community. Eating outside is more common nowadays especially during working hours. Workers normally will have their meal at the cafeteria. Their dietary intake is directly affected by the availability of food choices at the cafeteria. Thus, a qualitative study was conducted to identify the perceptions of healthy cafeteria among food operators in Selangor, Malaysia. Eleven food handlers at three selected cafeterias were recruited by a convenience sampling based on the inclusion criteria of the study. The respondents consist of three full-time managers, five full-time food handlers, and three full-time cleaners. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the aid of video and audio recording. The phenomenon of interest was to explore the perceptions, suggestions, challenges and limitation of healthy cafeteria practice among cafeteria operators. The interview transcripts were analysed verbatim based on the objectives and identified themes of the study. Themes include food safety, food handling course, food availability, methods of cooking, foods’ hygiene and sanitation. Findings showed that most of the respondents have the similar understanding of healthy cafeteria in which includes healthy menu and clean environment. The respondents also have the knowledge on food safety. The challenges faced by the food handlers were making sure every staff has the correct understanding of healthy foods, using the safe kitchen utensils and financial constraint. Regarding promoting healthy cafeteria environment, the respondents suggested to provide printed educational materials, serve healthy menu selections, organise healthy eating campaign and provide appropriates kitchen utensils. This study revealed that training on food safety and education on healthy food choices are important to provide a healthy eating environment.Keywords: Obesity; Healthy Cafeteria, Food Safety; Healthy Eating.ISSN: 2398-4287© 2017. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.


2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela R. Wendorf ◽  
Samantha T. Bilkey ◽  
Diana Wollach ◽  
Kayla Ehlert ◽  
Lorianne Woolverton ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Joreintje Dingena Mackenbach

Abstract I reflect upon the potential reasons why American low-income households do not spend an optimal proportion of their food budgets on fruits and vegetables, even though this would allow them to meet the recommended levels of fruit and vegetable consumption. Other priorities than health, automatic decision-making processes and access to healthy foods play a role, but solutions for the persistent socio-economic inequalities in diet should be sought in the wider food system which promotes cheap, mass-produced foods. I argue that, ultimately, healthy eating is not a matter of prioritisation by individual households but by policymakers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rayan Korri ◽  
Sabine Hess ◽  
Guenter Froeschl ◽  
Olena Ivanova

Abstract Background The war in Syria caused the forced displacement of millions of Syrians to neighboring countries. Lebanon is the host country with the largest overall number of Syrian refugees per capita. Adolescent refugee girls experience a unique level of vulnerability during human emergencies and are at increased risk of suffering from poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to learn about the SRH perceptions and experiences of refugee adolescent girls living in Bourj Hammoud, an urban setting in Lebanon. Methods We employed a qualitative design with eight focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with 40 Syrian Arab and Syrian Kurdish adolescent girls between January and March 2020. Every FGD consisted of five participants aged 13 to 17 years. A semi-structured guide was used covering multiple themes: menstruation, puberty, SRH awareness, and sexual harassment. FGDs were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The participants discussed adolescent girls’ health and named six elements of good health, such as healthy activities and self-protection. The majority of the FGD participants reported a lack of awareness about menstruation when they experienced it for the first time and the social stigma associated with menstruation. When defining puberty, they indicated its social link to a girl’s readiness for marriage and her need to become cautious about sexual harassment. Most FGD participants had very poor knowledge of the female reproductive system. Mothers were the most approached persons to receive information on SRH issues; however, the girls indicated a wish to receive advice from specialists in a comfortable and private atmosphere. All the girls reported that either they themselves, or an acquaintance, had experienced some type of sexual harassment. The girls rarely reported those incidents due to fear of being blamed or subjected to mobility restrictions, or forced to drop out of school. Conclusions The findings show the refugee girls need for satisfactory knowledge on SRH issues and interventions to prevent sexual and gender-based violence that take into consideration the complexity of urban settings.


2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 21-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Everett ◽  
Angie Mejia ◽  
Olivia Quiroz

The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Coalition is a community-based health promotion program begun in 2006 in North Portland's Portsmouth neighborhood. The program seeks to promote community health and prevent childhood obesity by addressing barriers at local, regional and policy levels, with particular attention to the built environment. This article describes the findings of a program evaluation based on interviews with school staff and Latino parents. Important themes include the impact of the closure of a neighborhood school, access to grocery stores with affordable healthy foods, and concern about school meals. The comprehensive approach of programs like HEAL, which uses the socio-ecological model of health promotion, lends itself well to the participation of applied social scientists.


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