Multilevel Influences on Fat, Sugar, Salt, Fruit, and Vegetable Consumption Behaviors Among Urban Indians

Application of the Social Ecological Model

Bibliographic Data

ID16915838
AuthorsJasvir Kaur (0000-0002-2351-2856, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research), M Kaur (0000-0003-2450-3115, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, corresponding author), Venkatesan Chakrapani (0000-0001-9998-9135, Centre for Sexuality and Health Research and Policy), Rajesh Kumar (0000-0001-9750-3437, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research)
Year2020
Volume10
Issue2
Publication date2020-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/2158244020919526
OpenAlexW3025896032
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited37

Designing effective interventions for achieving desired dietary behavior changes requires an in-depth study of people’s behaviors situated in sociocultural and interpersonal contexts. Guided by the Social Ecological Model, we explored the individual, family, and social-structural-level influences on dietary behaviors related to consumption of fat, sugar, salt, fruits, and vegetables among urban adults in India. We conducted 10 focus groups with a sample of men and women in diverse socioeconomic groups. Data were explored using framework analysis. Social Ecological Model helped in identifying multilevel influences that facilitated or hindered healthy dietary behaviors: Individual-level influences—awareness of dietary recommendations, self-efficacy, risk perception, and perceived benefits and costs; Family-level influences—family members’ preferences, family norms, family support, and the home environment; and Social-structural influences—societal norms, culture, media, cost, availability and accessibility of fruits and vegetables, and government policies. Overall, the findings indicated the need for a range of multilevel interventions that are more likely to promote and sustain healthy dietary behaviors—for example, improving awareness about dietary recommendations (individual level), promoting positive family norms through involvement of family members (family level), and restricting the use of fat, sugar, and salt in packaged food, and supportive policies for promoting consumption of fruits and vegetables (structural level)

Business · Environmental health · Focus group · Interpersonal communication · Multilevel model · Population · Psychological intervention · Social influence · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Structural equation modeling · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Social Psychology · Marketing

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Open DOIOpen Access