Year: 2023 | Month: November | Volume: 13 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 89-99
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20231112
Assessment of Food Choices and Food Preparation Practices as a Marker for Readiness to Change Eating Habits among Women Aged 19-60 Years in Lesotho: A Cross-Sectional Study
Mamotsamai Ranneileng
Faculty of Health Sciences, National University of Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Women in Lesotho may not consider changing their nutritional practices and lifestyles, because they may not be aware that there is anything that needs changing. This could be due to the fact that women in Lesotho experience many nutritional challenges and are survivors of a complex nutritional environment which predisposes them to negative socio-demographic factors which in turn predispose them to malnutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess food choices, food preparation methods and perceptions of personal control among women aged 19-60 in Maseru and Berea districts in Lesotho.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed and implemented among 206 women aged 19-60 in Maseru and Berea districts in Lesotho who were randomly selected using a sampling frame. Food choices, food preparation methods and perceptions of personal control were assessed using a knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices (KABP) questionnaire designed by the researcher. The theories of health behaviour including, the stages of change, and theory of reasoned action /planned behaviour were used as the framework of the questionnaire. Each questionnaire was completed in an interview with each participant.
Results: Results reveal that 71.4% of the participants had one member of the family employed, 33.3% of these reported a monthly family income of between M100 and M500; running water only available to 27.8%; water access predominantly a communal tap (63.9%).
Only 35.7% compiled a budget for food every month and sometimes (35.7%), while 80.4% reported never compiling a budget; a few drew a list of foods to buy each week (38.4%), sometimes (34.1%) and never (53.7%) or each month (38.4%). Moreover, 87.7% believed in their own power to make decisions about the food they ate, 79.1% had an intention to eat a healthy diet; 78.4% believed in the information from a nurse while 47.8% believed everything that the radio or television said about food. Moreover, 56.7% did not always eat according to their culture.
Conclusion: The study concluded that participants were at different levels of readiness in relation to differing health behaviours. The participants were at a pre-contemplation stage of readiness when it comes to making healthy food choices, but they were at a transitional stage from contemplation to action when it came to other actions; were at an action stage when it comes to food safety and hygiene. Results further show that participants had negative perceptions of personal control regarding their intentions to make healthy food choices and perform healthy food actions. These mixed stages of readiness and negative perceptions may have been due to beliefs in the subjective norm.
Key words: Food choices, food practices, Readiness to change, Intentions and attitudes