Attitudinal Determinants of diet and lifestyle among African and Caribbean women living in the UK : study design and rationale

Diets of African and Caribbean women

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe the rationale and design of a cross-sectional study that investigated the influence of attitudinal factors on diet and lifestyle of African and Caribbean women living in the UK. The results of the study will be presented elsewhere. African and Caribbean women are at high risk of obesity which exacerbates health inequalities. In the UK, little work has been carried out to better understand attitudinal factors that contribute towards obesity, lifestyle and health practice amongst this group.

Methods: The study applied a comprehensive questionnaire to capture socio-demographic data and explore general attitudes towards diet and lifestyle of African and Caribbean women. Dietary data were collected using triple-pass 24-hour recalls. In addition, all participants had anthropometric measures, blood pressure and biochemical indices assessed using standardised methods.

Discussion:  Potential strengths and limitations of the current study design, exploring health, diet, and lifestyle habits and the contextual influence on these practices among African and Caribbean in the UK are discussed. Findings from this study will contribute to the understanding of food and health practices, the role of socio-cultural factors and potential barriers and facilitators to the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, which could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, all of which have increased prevalence in these communities