“The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]
Background: Evidence suggests that people living in poverty often experience inadequate nutrition with short and long-term health consequences. Whilst the diets of low-income households have been subject to scrutiny, there is limited evidence in the UK on the diet quality and food practices of house...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Emerald Open Research |
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| Online Access: | https://emeraldopenresearch.com/articles/3-3/v1 |
| _version_ | 1797996324358979584 |
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| author | Kate E. Pickett Katie J. Pybus Bob Doherty Maddy Power |
| author_facet | Kate E. Pickett Katie J. Pybus Bob Doherty Maddy Power |
| author_sort | Kate E. Pickett |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Evidence suggests that people living in poverty often experience inadequate nutrition with short and long-term health consequences. Whilst the diets of low-income households have been subject to scrutiny, there is limited evidence in the UK on the diet quality and food practices of households reporting food insecurity and food bank use. We explore lived experiences of food insecurity and underlying drivers of diet quality among low-income families, drawing upon two years of participatory research with families of primary school age children. Methods: We report on a mixed-methods study of the relationship between low income, food bank use, food practices and consumption from a survey of 612 participants, including 136 free text responses and four focus groups with 22 participants. The research followed a parallel mixed-methods design: qualitative and quantitative data were collected separately, although both were informed by participatory work. Quantitative data were analysed using binary and multinomial logistic regression modelling; qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results: Lower income households and those living with food insecurity struggle to afford a level of fruit and vegetable consumption that approaches public health guidance for maintaining a healthy diet, despite high awareness of the constituents of a healthy diet. Participants used multiple strategies to ensure as much fruit, vegetable and protein consumption as possible within financial constraints. The quantitative data suggested a relationship between higher processed food consumption and having used a food bank, independent of income and food security status. Conclusions: The findings suggest that individualised, behavioural accounts of food practices on a low-income misrepresent the reality for people living with poverty. Behavioural or educational interventions are therefore likely to be less effective in tackling food insecurity and poor nutrition among people on a low income; policies focusing on structural drivers, including poverty and geographical access to food, are needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:15:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd7b27e7964644d7ab59ebbc2b55ae8e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2631-3952 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:15:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerald Open Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd7b27e7964644d7ab59ebbc2b55ae8e2022-12-22T04:29:58ZengEmerald PublishingEmerald Open Research2631-39522021-02-01315149“The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]Kate E. Pickett0Katie J. Pybus1Bob Doherty2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6724-7065Maddy Power3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9571-1782Health Sciences, University of York, York, United KingdomHealth Sciences, University of York, York, United KingdomThe York Management School, University of York, York, United KingdomHealth Sciences, University of York, York, United KingdomBackground: Evidence suggests that people living in poverty often experience inadequate nutrition with short and long-term health consequences. Whilst the diets of low-income households have been subject to scrutiny, there is limited evidence in the UK on the diet quality and food practices of households reporting food insecurity and food bank use. We explore lived experiences of food insecurity and underlying drivers of diet quality among low-income families, drawing upon two years of participatory research with families of primary school age children. Methods: We report on a mixed-methods study of the relationship between low income, food bank use, food practices and consumption from a survey of 612 participants, including 136 free text responses and four focus groups with 22 participants. The research followed a parallel mixed-methods design: qualitative and quantitative data were collected separately, although both were informed by participatory work. Quantitative data were analysed using binary and multinomial logistic regression modelling; qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results: Lower income households and those living with food insecurity struggle to afford a level of fruit and vegetable consumption that approaches public health guidance for maintaining a healthy diet, despite high awareness of the constituents of a healthy diet. Participants used multiple strategies to ensure as much fruit, vegetable and protein consumption as possible within financial constraints. The quantitative data suggested a relationship between higher processed food consumption and having used a food bank, independent of income and food security status. Conclusions: The findings suggest that individualised, behavioural accounts of food practices on a low-income misrepresent the reality for people living with poverty. Behavioural or educational interventions are therefore likely to be less effective in tackling food insecurity and poor nutrition among people on a low income; policies focusing on structural drivers, including poverty and geographical access to food, are needed.https://emeraldopenresearch.com/articles/3-3/v1poverty food insecurity food banks diet public health food povertyeng |
| spellingShingle | Kate E. Pickett Katie J. Pybus Bob Doherty Maddy Power “The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] Emerald Open Research poverty food insecurity food banks diet public health food poverty eng |
| title | “The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full | “The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_fullStr | “The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full_unstemmed | “The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_short | “The reality is that on Universal Credit I cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children”: Moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_sort | the reality is that on universal credit i cannot provide the recommended amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day for my children moving from a behavioural to a systemic understanding of food practices version 1 peer review 2 approved |
| topic | poverty food insecurity food banks diet public health food poverty eng |
| url | https://emeraldopenresearch.com/articles/3-3/v1 |
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