Digital Repository

Food Beliefs and Practices in Urban Poor Communities in Accra: Implications for Health Interventions

Show simple item record

dc.contributor.author Boatemaa, Sandra
dc.contributor.author Badasu, Delali Margaret
dc.contributor.author Aikins, Ama de-Graft
dc.date.accessioned 2023-02-16T12:29:57Z
dc.date.available 2023-02-16T12:29:57Z
dc.date.issued 2018
dc.identifier.uri https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5336-6
dc.identifier.uri http://41.204.63.118:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/51
dc.description Research Article en_US
dc.description.abstract Background: Poor communities in low and middle income countries are reported to experience a higher burden of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and nutrition-related NCDs. Interventions that build on lay perspectives of risk are recommended. The objective of this study was to examine lay understanding of healthy and unhealthy food practices, factors that influence food choices and the implications for developing population health interventions in three urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana. Methods: Thirty lay adults were recruited and interviewed in two poor urban communities in Accra. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed thematically. The analysis was guided by the socio-ecological model which focuses on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, structural and policy levels of social organisation. Results: Food was perceived as an edible natural resource, and healthy in its raw state. A food item retained its natural, healthy properties or became unhealthy depending on how it was prepared (e.g. frying vs boiling) and consumed (e.g. early or late in the day). These food beliefs reflected broader social food norms in the community and incorporated ideas aligned with standard expert dietary guidelines. Healthy cooking was perceived as the ability to select good ingredients, use appropriate cooking methods, and maintain food hygiene. Healthy eating was defined in three ways: 1) eating the right meals; 2) eating the right quantity; and 3) eating at the right time. Factors that influenced food choice included finances, physical and psychological state, significant others and community resources. Conclusions: The findings suggest that beliefs about healthy and unhealthy food practices are rooted in multi-level factors, including individual experience, family dynamics and community factors. The factors influencing food choices are also multilevel. The implications of the findings for the design and content of dietary and health interventions are discussed. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher BMC Public Health en_US
dc.subject Food Beliefs en_US
dc.subject Healthy Eating en_US
dc.subject Unhealthy Eating en_US
dc.subject Socio-ecological Model en_US
dc.subject Ghana en_US
dc.title Food Beliefs and Practices in Urban Poor Communities in Accra: Implications for Health Interventions en_US
dc.type Article en_US


Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record

Search Ensign Digital Repository


Advanced Search

Browse

My Account