Dataset Information

Exploring Food-Based Cultural Practices to Address Food Insecurity in Rural Appalachia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Health behaviors, like diet, are influenced by a person's culture and the society where they reside, contributing to the presence of health disparities within a unique region. Such disparities are evident in Central Appalachia where a unique cultural identity exists. Culture-based initiatives focused on improving food security and other nutritional challenges have had success in other diverse groups, yet similar interventions considering geographically tied culture, like Appalachia, are limited.

Aim

This study aims to identify specific aspects of Appalachian culture that address food insecurity to inform future initiatives that may improve adult dietary habits and food security status.

Methods

Qualitative data were collected from five focus groups in one rural Central Appalachian community in 2021 (n=59). Data were analyzed using Grounded Theory Approach.

Results

Four primary themes related to culture and food insecurity emerged: 1) Community decline and economic hardship 2) Shifts in multigenerational food traditions 3) Response to limited food access and 4) Community decline and economic hardship. Participants revealed adaptations they have made in the face of geographic isolation and poverty and the pride they take in providing for themselves and one another.

Conclusion

These findings indicate the people of Appalachia are unknowingly leveraging cultural practices to address food insecurity, yet the impact of these practices on nutritional status remains unknown. These results have implications for future studies and interventions in Appalachia which may have greater success by accounting for cultural influences compared to traditional approaches for reducing food insecurity in the region.

SUBMITTER: Batey L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10401894 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Exploring Food-Based Cultural Practices to Address Food Insecurity in Rural Appalachia.

Batey Lauren L DeWitt Emily E Brewer Dawn D Cardarelli Kathryn M KM Norman-Burgdolf Heather H

Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education 20230801 4

<h4>Background</h4>Health behaviors, like diet, are influenced by a person's culture and the society where they reside, contributing to the presence of health disparities within a unique region. Such disparities are evident in Central Appalachia where a unique cultural identity exists. Culture-based initiatives focused on improving food security and other nutritional challenges have had success in other diverse groups, yet similar interventions considering geographically tied culture, like Appal ...[more]

PMID: 37525988

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Project description:Despite the high prevalence of adolescent food insecurity in Ethiopia, there is no study which documented its association with suboptimal dietary practices. The objective of this study is to determine the association between adolescent food insecurity and dietary practices. We used data on 2084 adolescents in the age group of 13-17 years involved in the first round survey of the five year longitudinal family study in Southwest Ethiopia. Adolescents were selected using residence stratified random sampling methods. Food insecurity was measured using scales validated in developing countries. Dietary practices were measured using dietary diversity score, food variety score and frequency of consuming animal source food. Multivariable regression models were used to compare dietary behaviors by food security status after controlling for socio-demographic and economic covariates. Food insecure adolescents had low dietary diversity score (P<0.001), low mean food variety score (P<0.001) and low frequency of consuming animal source foods (P<0.001). After adjusting for other variables in a multivariable logistic regression model, adolescent food insecurity (P<0.001) and rural residence (P<0.001) were negatively associated with the likelihood of having a diversified diet (P<0.001) and frequency of consuming animal source foods, while a high household income tertile was positively associated. Similarly, multivariable linear regression model showed that adolescent food insecurity was negatively associated with food variety score, while residence in semi-urban areas (P<0.001), in urban areas (P<0.001) and high household income tertile (P = 0.013) were positively associated. Girls were less likely to have diversified diet (P = 0.001) compared with boys. Our findings suggest that food insecurity has negative consequence on optimal dietary intake of adolescents. Food security interventions should look into ways of targeting adolescents to mitigate these dietary consequences and provide alternative strategies to improve dietary quality of adolescents in Southwest Ethiopia.

Dataset Information

Exploring Food-Based Cultural Practices to Address Food Insecurity in Rural Appalachia.

Background

Aim

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Exploring Food-Based Cultural Practices to Address Food Insecurity in Rural Appalachia.

Similar Datasets

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