Conceptualizations of Nutrition and Food Choice Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

ObjectiveThe latest Zimbabwe National Nutrition Strategy highlights that malnutrition is one of the most serious health problems affecting women of child‐bearing age in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, adolescence is a critical phase for improving nutrition status, yet little is understood about adolescent girls' and young women's perspectives on nutrition, a key component to aid in improving nutritional status. The research study took an emic approach to understand and describe how adolescent girls and young women (14–24 years) in Harare, Zimbabwe conceptualize nutrition and how these conceptualizations inform their food choice behaviors.MethodsSemi‐structured, in‐depth, qualitative interviews were conducted in both Shona and English with adolescent girls and young women aged 14–24 years (N=48) who lived in two low‐income high‐density communities in Harare. Data were analyzed thematically using NVivo 10 software.ResultsNutrition was mainly conceptualized in terms of the characteristics and utility of food with adolescent girls and young women in the study conceptualizing nutrition across four themes; health, nutritious food (Chikafu chinovaka muviri ‐ Food that builds the body), affordability and availability of nutritious food, and food that fills you up. Participants aged 14–20 years primarily conceptualized nutrition in terms of a balanced diet, while those aged 21–24 years emphasized health and the affordability and availability of nutritious food. Most participants identified traditional home‐cooked meals such as sadza (maize staple food), rice with peanut butter, fruits, pumpkin leaves, and wild vegetables as the main sources of nutrition. The affordability and availability of nutritious food also impacted participants' meal planning. Although most participants aged 14–20 years described that other family members mostly decided what they ate, they were the ones who cooked most of the family meals. Among participants who chose what to cook, they described how planning for meals occurred daily and this was dependent on what food was available in the home. Most also described how, besides the readily stocked staple foods like sadza, they purchased additional food ingredients daily.ConclusionsFuture approaches to improve nutritional status among adolescent girls and young women in Zimbabwe should acknowledge the socio‐cultural views concerning nutrition and target social networks and the additional structural environmental influences on food choice behaviors. Study findings will be used to inform approaches to strengthen efforts to improve the nutritional status of adolescent girls and young women in Zimbabwe.Support or Funding InformationThis research was funded by the Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences.