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Motivators of and Barriers to Engagement in Healthy Eating Behaviors among non-Hispanic Black Adults

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Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

The objective of this study was to determine if non-Hispanic Black adults’ levels of endorsement of motivators and barriers related to healthy eating are significantly associated with their level of engagement in healthy eating and their perceived importance of healthy eating and if these investigated variables differ by gender, income, and/or age.

Method

An assessment battery was completed by a cross-sectional sample of 207 non-Hispanic Black adults in Bronx, NY (54.1 % female; age: M = 38, SD = 14.12). Participants were recruited by culturally diverse data collectors at community-based locations within Bronx.

Results

Building healthy eating into a routine was a significant motivator of healthy eating (p < 0.001), and having low self-control over eating behaviors was a significant barrier to healthy eating (p < 0.05). Importance ratings of healthy eating were positively associated with motivators to engaging in healthy eating (routine: p < 0.001; availability of healthy foods: p < 0.001; addressing medical issues: p < 0.001; convenience of eating healthy foods: p < 0.01). There were age and income differences in several motivators and barriers.

Implications

Intervention programs to increase healthy eating among adults similar to those in this study may benefit from including a focus on increasing self-control of eating behaviors and incorporating healthy eating into one’s routine.

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Acknowledgments

Thank you to PepsiCo for providing the grant funding to support the research reported in this paper. The research funder had no involvement in the study design, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, or in the writing of the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

The Institutional Review Board at the university where the research team is based granted the approval of the present study.

Statement of Human Rights and Informed Consent

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. No signed inform consent form was required because participants’ responses were anonymous.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Counseling and Psychological Services, University at Albany, State University of New York, 400 Patroon Creek Blvd. Suite 104, Albany, NY, 12206, USA

    Sarah E. M. Nolan

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

    Carolyn M. Tucker, Delphia J. Flenar, Tya M. Arthur & Tasia M. Smith

Authors
  1. Sarah E. M. Nolan
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  2. Carolyn M. Tucker
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  3. Delphia J. Flenar
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  4. Tya M. Arthur
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  5. Tasia M. Smith
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah E. M. Nolan.

Appendices

Appendix 1. Health Behaviors Importance Rating Form

Directions: Do NOT write your name on this questionnaire. Please think about how important it is to you to do each of the behaviors listed below on a daily basis.

On a scale of 0 to 7, with “0” meaning “Not at all important” and “7” meaning “Extremely important,” how important is it to you to do each of these behaviors on a daily basis? For each question, please fill in one circle, like this: ●

figure b

Appendix 2. The Health Promoting Behavior Log

Directions: Do NOT write your name on this questionnaire. Think about your behaviors over the past week. How many days out of the past week did you do each of the behaviors listed below? For each question, please fill in one bubble (like this: ).

figure c

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Nolan, S.E.M., Tucker, C.M., Flenar, D.J. et al. Motivators of and Barriers to Engagement in Healthy Eating Behaviors among non-Hispanic Black Adults. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 3, 473–483 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-015-0164-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-015-0164-1

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