Action Research on Advocating Use of Fortified Foods in the Free-Living Population of Urban Vadodara using Diffusion of Innovation Model

Abstract

Worldwide, unaffordable healthy diets, dependability over staple food items, and lack of knowledge have been the major cause of malnutrition. Government programs, promoting dietary diversity and supplementation have not given promising results in improving the micronutrient status of the population. Government of India, along with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India have chosen five vehicles, namely, rice, wheat flour, salt, milk, and oil for the fortification process to combat the micronutrient deficiency. Fewer studies aimed at creating advocacy about fortified foods among the free living population and stake holders. The present study undertook the advocacy for fortified foods amongst the free living population using the Diffusion of Innovation Model (DIM) for the purchase of fortified foods. An E- Intervention using graphics, audios and videos were given to the participants on WhatsApp for 1 month. The results in the study have shown significant difference in the awareness, perception and purchase of fortified foods for all the five staples post intervention, which provides enough evidence that the proposed strategy for creating awareness and promoting purchase of fortified foods amongst the selected participants was highly effective. Use of different E-communication channels can be used by researchers at large for creating the awareness about the safe consumption of fortified foods. Besides this, conducive environment is needed for fortification program to be a success, which will ensure the proper supply and demand to make the food fortification program viable.