Psychosocial Determinants of Food Acquisition and Preparation in Low-Income, Urban African American Households

Overview

Journal Health Educ Behav

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialties Medical Education
Public Health
Social Sciences

Date 2018 Mar 29

PMID 29589482

Citations 6

Authors

JaWanna L Henry

Angela C B Trude

Pamela J Surkan

Elizabeth Anderson Steeves

Laura C Hopkins

Joel Gittelsohn

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Psychosocial factors are important determinants of health behaviors and diet-related outcomes, yet relatively little work has explored their relation to food-purchasing and preparation behaviors in low-income populations.

Aim: To evaluate the psychosocial factors associated with food-related behaviors.

Methods: Cross-sectional data collected from 465 low-income African American adult caregivers in the baseline evaluation of the B'more Healthy Communities for Kids obesity prevention trial. Questionnaires were used to assess household sociodemographic characteristics, food sources frequently used, and food preparation and food acquisition behaviors. Multiple linear regression models explored the associations between caregiver psychosocial variables and food-related behaviors, controlling for caregivers' age, sex, household income, household size, and food assistance participation.

Results: Caregivers purchased prepared food at carry-outs on average 3.8 times (standard deviation [ SD] = 4.6) within 30 days. Less healthy foods were acquired 2 times more frequently than healthier foods ( p < .001). Higher food-related behavioral intention and self-efficacy scores were positively associated with healthier food acquisition (β = 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.09, 1.4]; β = 0.04; 95% CI [0.02, 0.06]) and negatively associated with frequency of purchasing at prepared food sources (β = -0.4; 95% CI [-0.6, -0.2]; β = -0.5; 95% CI [-0.7, -0.3]), respectively. Higher nutrition knowledge was associated with lower frequency of purchasing food at prepared food venues (β = -0.7; 95% CI: [-1.2, -0.2]).

Discussion: Our findings indicate a positive association between psychosocial determinants and healthier food acquisition and food preparation behaviors.

Conclusion: Interventions that affect psychosocial factors (i.e., food-related behavioral intentions and self-efficacy) may have the potential to increase healthier food preparation and food-purchasing practices among low-income African American families.

Citing Articles

A Scoping Review of Household Factors Contributing to Dietary Quality and Food Security in Low-Income Households with School-Age Children in the United States.

Eicher-Miller H, Graves L, McGowan B, Mayfield B, Connolly B, Stevens W Adv Nutr. 2023; 14(4):914-945.

PMID: 37182740 PMC: 10334140. DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.05.006.

Improvements in Diet and Physical Activity-Related Psychosocial Factors Among African Americans Using a Mobile Health Lifestyle Intervention to Promote Cardiovascular Health: The FAITH! (Fostering African American Improvement in Total Health) App....

Cyriac J, Jenkins S, Patten C, Hayes S, Jones C, Cooper L JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021; 9(11):e28024.

PMID: 34766917 PMC: 8663698. DOI: 10.2196/28024.

Caregiver Status and Diet Quality in Community-Dwelling Adults.

Hossain S, Beydoun M, Evans M, Zonderman A, Kuczmarski M Nutrients. 2021; 13(6).

PMID: 34073304 PMC: 8227086. DOI: 10.3390/nu13061803.

A community feasibility study of a cooking behavior intervention in African-American adults at risk for cardiovascular disease: DC COOKS (DC Community Organizing for Optimal culinary Knowledge Study) with Heart.

Farmer N, Powell-Wiley T, Middleton K, Roberson B, Flynn S, Brooks A Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2020; 6:158.

PMID: 33088581 PMC: 7574184. DOI: 10.1186/s40814-020-00697-9.

'I should be disease free, healthy and be happy in whatever I do': a cross-country analysis of drivers of adolescent diet and physical activity in different low- and middle-income contexts.

Weller S, Hardy-Johnson P, Strommer S, Fall C, Banavali U, Chopra H Public Health Nutr. 2020; 24(16):5238-5248.

PMID: 33032672 PMC: 10195364. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980020001810.

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