Article Figures & Data
Tables
Recruitment Method No. Recruited a Response rate of 12%. Letters of invitation drawn from practice age/sex register 17a Community centres 18 Reception desk at health centre 9 Snowballing 2 Social Class Aged ≤ 30 y No. Aged > 30 y No. Total No. (%) I: Professional occupations 0 0 0 (0) II: Managerial and technical occupations 4 5 9 (20) IIIN: Skilled occupations (nonmanual) 3 6 9 (20) IIIM: Skilled occupations (manual) 3 10 13 (28) IV: Partly skilled occupations 3 4 7 (15) V: Unskilled occupations 6 2 8 (17) Total 19 27 46 (100)
Additional Files
The Article in Brief
A Question of Balance: A Qualitative Study of Mothers� Interpretations of Dietary Recommendations
Fiona Wood , and colleagues
Background Poor nutrition is an increasing problem for economically deprived families, and mothers play a key role in establishing children�s diets. This study explores mothers� understanding of health promotion recommendations for healthy eating.
What This Study Found While basic public health slogans and messages about a healthy diet may reach the lay public, that awareness does not necessarily translate to understanding and application in daily life. In this study in a Welsh working class community, public health messages about healthy eating � like the importance of eating a balanced diet � were known by mothers and adopted into everyday language. The messages, however, were interpreted in a superficial way and appeared ineffective at achieving lasting change in health behaviors.
Implications
- Confused interpretations of public health messages may limit people�s ability to bring about lifestyle change.
- While generic slogans are useful starting points, clinicians must offer patients more personalized, detailed advice on how how lifestyle changes can be achieved and sustained.
