Women’s Perception and Readiness regarding Adoption of A Healthy and Sustainable Diet: A Cross-Sectional Study in Enugu City, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: There is little knowledge about healthy and sustainable diets (HSDs) in Africa. This study assesses women’s readiness to adopt HSDs and its associated factors in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional household survey in 2021, which assessed women’s (n =450) food choice motives, perceived benefit, and readiness to adopt HSDs. The diets were categorised as pre-contemplation and contemplation (PC/C), preparation and relapse (P/R), and action and maintenance (A/M) stages. Odds ratios (OR) were generated using multinomial logistic regression. Results: Almost 57% of the women perceived HSD to be of high benefit. About 19%, 21%, and 60% of the women were in the PC/C, P/R and A/M, respectively. Low perceived benefit (OR=4.30, 95%CI: 2.30-8.05, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=6.35, 95%CI: 2.53-15.93, P<0.001), low education (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.39-5.44, P=0.004), and age <35 years (OR=2.48, 95%CI: 1.02-6.07, P=0.046) predicted being in the PC/C stage. Low perceived benefit (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.63-4.63, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=5.35, 95% CI: 2.40-11.92, P<0.001), low level of education (OR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.05-3.42, P=0.033), and being poor (OR=2.90, 95%CI: 1.05-7.97, P=0.039) predicted being in the P/R stage. Being <35 (OR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.28-0.87, P=0.014) and having low taste consideration (OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.12-0.72, P=0.008) predicted being in the A/M stage. Conclusions: Readiness to adopt HSDs needs to be improved in Enugu, Nigeria. For this purpose, respective nutrition education interventions might be implemented regarding progress in HSDs.