Abstract
Objectives: Obesity and obesity related diseases such as hypertension and type-2 diabetes (diabetes) are a global health epidemic, and are especially severe in Pacific Islander populations. The objective of this study is to identify the beliefs, experiences and influences related to diet quality within a Marshallese Pacific Islander community in Arkansas. Methods: A mixed method design was chosen to obtain a more comprehensive view of participant’s diet quality beliefs, experiences and influences and overcome the limitations of a single design. From November 2017 to February 2018, a purposive sample of 40 participants took part in the mixed methods study via focus groups. Results: As we sought to understand beliefs, experiences and influences related to diet quality, four a priori qualitative themes were identified: (1) Socio-cultural determinants of diet quality; (2) Preferential determinants of diet quality; (3) Economic determinants of diet quality; and (4) Nutritional knowledge of diet quality. Conclusion: Similar to other studies of Pacific Islander communities in Hawaii and the United States affiliated Pacific Islands, Marshallese participants discussed numerous sociocultural, preferential, economic and nutritional knowledge determinants to diet quality. Understanding the beliefs, experiences and influences related to diet quality will fill an important gap in the literature for Marshallese in Arkansas and help inform interventions, practices and policies that can reduce obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
Highlights
Obesity and obesity related diseases such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes are a global health epidemic, and are especially severe in Pacific Islander populations [1]
The research question guiding this study was: What are the beliefs, experiences and influences related to diet quality within the Marshallese community in Arkansas? Understanding the beliefs, experiences and influences related to diet quality will fill an important gap in the literature for Marshallese in Arkansas and help inform interventions, practices and policies that can reduce obesity, hypertension, and diabetes
The discussion groups allowed Marshallese participants to use their own words to describe beliefs, experiences and influences related to diet quality
Summary
Obesity and obesity related diseases such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes (diabetes) are a global health epidemic, and are especially severe in Pacific Islander populations [1]. The Center for Disease and Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health Interview Survey documented that 44% of Pacific Islanders surveyed in 2017 were obese, compared to 37% of African Americans and 32% of Hispanic/Latino. Only 19% of Pacific Islanders reported healthy body mass indexes (BMI). The 2010 CDC survey showed that high percentages of Pacific Islander respondents had experienced heart disease (20%), hypertension (41%), stroke (16%), and diabetes (24%) - higher than any other racial/ethnic group [1]. The limited studies with Pacific Islander populations in Hawaii and the United States (US) affiliated Pacific Islands show that Pacific Islanders experience barriers to proper diet quality such as economic, taste preferences, availability of healthy food choices, and a lack of culturally appropriate dietary modifications [2,3,4]
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