Women’s Perception and Readiness regarding Adoption of A Healthy and Sustainable Diet: A Cross-Sectional Study in Enugu City, Nigeria

Daniel Ogbuabor; Alphonsus Ogbuabor; Nwanneka Ghasi

doi:10.18502/jnfs.v9i2.15413

Daniel Ogbuabor Department of Health Administration and Management, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria
Alphonsus Ogbuabor Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Enugu State University Science and Technology, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria
Nwanneka Ghasi Department of Management, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jnfs.v9i2.15413

Keywords: Access to healthy foods; Diet; Food and nutrition; Consumer behaviour; Food preferences; Transtheoretical model.

Abstract

Background: There is little knowledge about healthy and sustainable diets (HSDs) in Africa. This study assesses women’s readiness to adopt HSDs and its associated factors in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional household survey in 2021, which assessed women’s (n =450) food choice motives, perceived benefit, and readiness to adopt HSDs. The diets were categorised as pre-contemplation and contemplation (PC/C), preparation and relapse (P/R), and action and maintenance (A/M) stages. Odds ratios (OR) were generated using multinomial logistic regression. Results: Almost 57% of the women perceived HSD to be of high benefit. About 19%, 21%, and 60% of the women were in the PC/C, P/R and A/M, respectively. Low perceived benefit (OR=4.30, 95%CI:
2.30-8.05, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=6.35, 95%CI: 2.53-15.93,
P<0.001), low education (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.39-5.44, P=0.004), and age <35 years (OR=2.48, 95%CI: 1.02-6.07, P=0.046) predicted being in the PC/C stage. Low perceived benefit (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.63-4.63, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=5.35, 95% CI: 2.40-11.92, P<0.001), low level of education (OR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.05-3.42, P=0.033), and being poor (OR=2.90, 95%CI: 1.05-7.97, P=0.039) predicted being in the P/R stage. Being <35 (OR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.28-0.87, P=0.014) and having low taste consideration (OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.12-0.72, P=0.008) predicted being in the A/M stage. Conclusions: Readiness to adopt HSDs needs to be improved in Enugu, Nigeria. For this purpose, respective nutrition education interventions might be implemented regarding progress in HSDs.