Abstract
Background: Demographic transition is causing an increasingly aged society, which has a significant impact on public health strategies. Increases in the size of the elderly cohort create a wider stratification and pose specific challenges. Nutrition and diet are one key issue. This study aims to describe food-related practices, beliefs, and representations of non-institutionalized older adults in rural communities in Extremadura (Western Spain). Method: The ethnographic-based fieldwork was conducted from January to July 2019. Empirical material was collected through different research relationships (semi-structured interviews and informal conversations) and direct observation in various locations in Extremadura―involving a variety of agents associated with different aspects of the nutritional process. Results: Data analysis revealed four major themes: (1) Limitations on choice and quality of food available; (2) food preferences and cooking methods; (3) the role of nostalgia in the construction of taste preferences; and (4) perceptions of what “healthy” food is and how respondents relate to the advice provided by health professionals. Conclusions: Nutritional choices among the group studied presented significant differences from medical advice―which was seen as a series of “bans” that did not carry enough authority to alter the symbolic value attached to their traditions.
Highlights
As with many other countries, Spain is undergoing a process of demographic transition [1], characterized by an increasingly aged population
Our analysis showed the existence of barriers to the access and acquisition of food among older individuals living in the rural areas studied, and how these affected their dietary patterns
Access to food is one of the main barriers to a healthy diet for older adults living in rural areas
Summary
As with many other countries, Spain is undergoing a process of demographic transition [1], characterized by an increasingly aged population. Projections in European countries estimate that, by 2064, 33% of the population will be over 65 years old [2], while the dependency ratio for that same date will double present levels (30.5% as of 1 January, 2018) [3]. Those values are significant in countries like Spain, where average life expectancy at birth has doubled since the first half of the 20th century [4,5]. Conclusions: Nutritional choices among the group studied presented significant differences from medical advice—which was seen as a series of “bans” that did not carry enough authority to alter the symbolic value attached to their traditions
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