Barriers to Healthy Nutrition and Food Preparation Practices of Rural Families

Abstract

The increased incidence of obesity is a major concern and intervention efforts to thwart this trend in low income minority populations continue. Good nutritional habits and behavioral practices are important for healthy weight management and maintenance. This project was conducted to gain insight the personal and contextual factors, and barriers, impacting food preparation and consumption in rural families'. Focus groups were conducted with 100 low income parents from rural communities to collect cultural perspectives and to identify barriers to healthy eating and food preparation practices. Statements were extracted and categorized from the focus group transcripts. Analysis of the data resulted in themes including general food purchases, preparation practices, and barriers to good nutrition. Food preparation was based primarily on family history and tradition; example ‘fired fish Fridays’, and ‘family member preferences’. Advertising and children in charge were discussed by most of the participants as being significant barriers to healthy eating. Surprisingly, many of the families dining out decisions were determined by daily specials offered at local fast food restaurants with little thought given to the nutritional value of meals.Funding for this project was made possible by 1P20MD0002295 from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.