Article

Dietary change: what are the responses and roles of significant others?

School of Nutrition, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (impact factor: 1.69). 40(2):80-8. DOI:10.1016/j.jneb.2007.04.374
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT This study examined the impact of one person's dietary change on the experiences of a significant other with whom they regularly shared meals.
Qualitative constant comparison approach using semistructured interviews.
Community-based.
Forty-two participants were recruited using a stratified purposive sampling strategy.
Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using NUD*IST, version 4.0 software (Qualitative Solutions and Research, Melbourne, Australia, 1997) and manual coding.
Most dietary changers had modified their diets in response to a disease diagnosis (eg, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypoglycemia, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), ulcer, allergies). Others had changed their diets for personal reasons (eg, weight loss, vegetarian diets). The dietary changes included dietary fat reduction, conversion to vegetarian or vegan diets, restriction of total kilocalorie intake, and elimination or reduction of specific food items. Significant others described a range of emotional responses to the dietary change, including cooperation, encouragement, skepticism, and anger. Significant others' descriptions of the roles that they played in the dietary change were positive (enabling), neutral (neither enabling nor inhibiting), or negative (inhibiting). Most significant others played positive roles; few played neutral or negative roles.
Understanding dietary change from the perspective of significant others can enable nutrition professionals to develop strategies to promote dietary modifications as a shared activity.

0 0
 · 
0 Bookmarks
 · 
35 Views
  • Source
    Article: Using the family to combat childhood and adult obesity.
    Kenneth J Gruber, Lauren A Haldeman
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: The purpose of this article is to emphasize the value of the family as a source of behavior change, particularly with respect to attaining achievable goals of weight loss and regular physical activity for youth and their families. We present a review of the literature, providing support for the value of the family in influencing children to form good diet and exercise behaviors and as a source of support and motivation for individuals seeking to lose or control their weight and to start and maintain a physically active lifestyle. Recognizing the importance of family behavior in the development of weight control and weight loss activities is essential. Future work should focus on identifying measurable parameters of family-level weight control behaviors and ways to apply those parameters to help create new interventions that use the strengths of the family for achieving weight control goals.
    Preventing chronic disease 08/2009; 6(3):A106. · 1.82 Impact Factor
Data provided are for informational purposes only. Although carefully collected, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The impact factor represents a rough estimation of the journal's impact factor and does not reflect the actual current impact factor. Publisher conditions are provided by RoMEO. Differing provisions from the publisher's actual policy or licence agreement may be applicable.

Keywords

cardiovascular disease
 
dietary change
 
dietary changers
 
dietary changes
 
dietary fat reduction
 
person's dietary change
 
positive roles
 
Qualitative constant comparison approach
 
semistructured interviews
 
shared activity
 
significant others
 
Significant others' descriptions
 
specific food items
 
stratified purposive sampling strategy
 
total kilocalorie intake
 
Understanding dietary change
 
vegan diets
 
vegetarian diets
 
Verbatim transcripts
 
version 4.0 software