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

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 ۲۰۲۱, which assessed women’s (n =۴۵۰) 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 ۵۷% of the women perceived HSD to be of high benefit. About ۱۹%, ۲۱%, and ۶۰% of the women were in the PC/C, P/R and A/M, respectively. Low perceived benefit (OR=۴.۳۰, ۹۵%CI: ۲.۳۰-۸.۰۵, P<۰.۰۰۱), low health concern (OR=۶.۳۵, ۹۵%CI: ۲.۵۳-۱۵.۹۳, P<۰.۰۰۱), low education (OR=۲.۷۵, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۳۹-۵.۴۴, P=۰.۰۰۴), and age <۳۵ years (OR=۲.۴۸, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۰۲-۶.۰۷, P=۰.۰۴۶) predicted being in the PC/C stage. Low perceived benefit (OR=۲.۷۵, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۶۳-۴.۶۳, P<۰.۰۰۱), low health concern (OR=۵.۳۵, ۹۵% CI: ۲.۴۰-۱۱.۹۲, P<۰.۰۰۱), low level of education (OR=۱.۹۰, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۰۵-۳.۴۲, P=۰.۰۳۳), and being poor (OR=۲.۹۰, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۰۵-۷.۹۷, P=۰.۰۳۹) predicted being in the P/R stage. Being <۳۵ (OR=۰.۵۰, ۹۵%CI: ۰.۲۸-۰.۸۷, P=۰.۰۱۴) and having low taste consideration (OR=۰.۲۹, ۹۵%CI: ۰.۱۲-۰.۷۲, P=۰.۰۰۸) 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.

Keywords:

Access to healthy foods , Diet , Food and nutrition , Consumer behaviour , Food preferences , Transtheoretical model.