The Assessment of Food Management Behaviours that Influence the Diet Quality of Mother-led Families in Nova Scotia
Loading...
Date
2010-04-14T13:44:29Z
Authors
Currie, Kristin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
We have shown in previous research that food management strategies adopted by lowincome
families may account for the difference in diet quality within households that have
similar economic and structural characteristics. By studying these familial food policies we can
better understand how internal and external factors influence diet quality, particularly for
vulnerable populations, which may help to develop successful programs and health initiatives
aimed at achieving and maintaining diet changes that reflect the recommendations in Eating Well
with Canada's Food Guide.
The objective of this research was to validate the Food Management Assessment Tool; a
tool designed to assess diet quality and food management strategies used by low-income
households. The goal was to design a tool that could be implemented and interpreted by a health
care practitioner with little or no nutrition background. This required three methodological
objectives to develop and validate estimation tools to assess, 1) if a meal contains 30% of food
energy from fat; 2) if a food item is a limiting food; and, 3) if a non limiting food item is high in
fat. Participants included 48 low-income mother-led families with at least two children between
the ages of 2-14 living in Nova Scotia. The mothers completed one 20-60 minute face-to face
interview in which they described the supper meal consumed by each family member and
completed an interview administered questionnaire designed to assess Food Management
Strategies.
The data was interpreted using Family Systems Theory. Results found that low-income
families that use healthy food management strategies were 13 times more likely to have good
diet quality than those that do not use healthy food management strategies. The overall Food
Management Score includes components on healthy eating, formal meal structuring, meal
planning and on whether or not the family is mother driven, as opposed to child driven. This research was the first to develop an index score able to identify and classify families based on the
functionality of their environment in relation to diet quality. Practitioners can use the tool we
developed to assess clients and to develop, monitor and evaluate programs.
Description
Keywords
Fatherless families -- Nutrition -- Nova Scotia , Diet -- Economic aspects -- Nova Scotia , Nutrition surveys -- Nova Scotia