Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping review
Unhealthy diets are a major threat to population health and are especially prevalent among those with a low socioeconomic status (SES). Health promotion initiatives often rely on nutrition information interventions (NIIs), but are usually less effective among adults with a low SES than in their high...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Nutritional Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2048679022000428/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811155972890034176 |
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| author | Tim van Meurs Joost Oude Groeniger Willem de Koster Jeroen van der Waal |
| author_facet | Tim van Meurs Joost Oude Groeniger Willem de Koster Jeroen van der Waal |
| author_sort | Tim van Meurs |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Unhealthy diets are a major threat to population health and are especially prevalent among those with a low socioeconomic status (SES). Health promotion initiatives often rely on nutrition information interventions (NIIs), but are usually less effective among adults with a low SES than in their high-SES counterparts. Explanations for this lower effectiveness are set out in extant studies. These have been conducted across a wide range of disciplines and subject fields and using a variety of methodological approaches. We have therefore conducted a scoping review to identify and synthesise the following: (1) explanations suggested in studies carried out in high-income countries for why NIIs are (in)effective among adults with a low SES and (2) whether these suggested explanations were studied empirically. Eight databases were searched for relevant studies published since 2009 across various disciplines. This identified 4951 papers, 27 of which were included in our review after screening. Only fifteen of these proposed an explanation for the (in)effectiveness of NIIs among adults with a low SES. The following four main themes were uncovered: health literacy, economic resources, social resources and convenience. Ten studies tested their explanations empirically, but the results were inconsistent. The reasons why NIIs are (in)effective among low-SES adults are therefore still largely unclear. Also, current literature predominantly relies on individualistic explanations, most notably focusing on psychological and economic attributes. Consequently, if the effectiveness of NIIs among low-SES populations is to be improved, future studies should examine a wider range of explanations and test them systematically and empirically. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:42:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-301f1beb25f741bdaf279f8624d2401e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2048-6790 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:42:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Nutritional Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-301f1beb25f741bdaf279f8624d2401e2023-03-09T12:38:45ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Nutritional Science2048-67902022-01-011110.1017/jns.2022.42Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping reviewTim van Meurs0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7103-4337Joost Oude Groeniger1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0691-1679Willem de Koster2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9250-2072Jeroen van der Waal3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7565-8155Department of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062PA Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDepartment of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062PA Rotterdam, the Netherlands Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015GD Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDepartment of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062PA Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDepartment of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062PA Rotterdam, the NetherlandsUnhealthy diets are a major threat to population health and are especially prevalent among those with a low socioeconomic status (SES). Health promotion initiatives often rely on nutrition information interventions (NIIs), but are usually less effective among adults with a low SES than in their high-SES counterparts. Explanations for this lower effectiveness are set out in extant studies. These have been conducted across a wide range of disciplines and subject fields and using a variety of methodological approaches. We have therefore conducted a scoping review to identify and synthesise the following: (1) explanations suggested in studies carried out in high-income countries for why NIIs are (in)effective among adults with a low SES and (2) whether these suggested explanations were studied empirically. Eight databases were searched for relevant studies published since 2009 across various disciplines. This identified 4951 papers, 27 of which were included in our review after screening. Only fifteen of these proposed an explanation for the (in)effectiveness of NIIs among adults with a low SES. The following four main themes were uncovered: health literacy, economic resources, social resources and convenience. Ten studies tested their explanations empirically, but the results were inconsistent. The reasons why NIIs are (in)effective among low-SES adults are therefore still largely unclear. Also, current literature predominantly relies on individualistic explanations, most notably focusing on psychological and economic attributes. Consequently, if the effectiveness of NIIs among low-SES populations is to be improved, future studies should examine a wider range of explanations and test them systematically and empirically.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2048679022000428/type/journal_articleEffectivenessHealth inequalitiesHealth informationHealth literacySocial inequalities |
| spellingShingle | Tim van Meurs Joost Oude Groeniger Willem de Koster Jeroen van der Waal Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping review Journal of Nutritional Science Effectiveness Health inequalities Health information Health literacy Social inequalities |
| title | Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping review |
| title_full | Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping review |
| title_fullStr | Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping review |
| title_short | Suggested explanations for the (in)effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status: a scoping review |
| title_sort | suggested explanations for the in effectiveness of nutrition information interventions among adults with a low socioeconomic status a scoping review |
| topic | Effectiveness Health inequalities Health information Health literacy Social inequalities |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2048679022000428/type/journal_article |
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