Empowering senior citizens for healthy nutrition in Germany: A pilot study

Main goal of this study was to analyse how empowerment processes and bottom‐up activities aimed at healthier food choices and food environment could be initiated among a group of senior citizens (between 60 and 75 years old). The intervention was set up as a pilot study in a rural community (15,000...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & social care in the community 2018-09, Vol.26 (5), p.675-684
Main Authors: Curbach, Janina, Warrelmann, Berit, Brandstetter, Susanne, Lindacher, Verena, Rueter, Jana, Loss, Julika
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citizens
community health promotion
community participation
Consciousness
Content analysis
Eating behavior
Empowerment
Evaluation
Food
Group formation
Healthy food
Intervention
Leadership
Nutrition
Older people
Pilot projects
Rural communities
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Summary:Main goal of this study was to analyse how empowerment processes and bottom‐up activities aimed at healthier food choices and food environment could be initiated among a group of senior citizens (between 60 and 75 years old). The intervention was set up as a pilot study in a rural community (15,000 inhabitants) in the federal state of Bavaria, South Eastern Germany. A process evaluation documented how group formation and empowerment processes developed during the course of the intervention. Extensive field notes were taken in 27 meetings, interviews (n = 13) and focus groups (n = 4) were conducted with participants and key persons at different points of the intervention. Data were analysed using content analysis. The intervention succeeded in motivating senior citizens to participate in regular meetings over 11 months. During the intervention, the group members’ awareness of factors influencing their eating behaviour increased. Furthermore, they developed ideas to improve the community's food environment and accomplished duties needed to implement these ideas. However, initiating empowerment processes, especially in terms of fostering leadership and transferring responsibility, took longer than expected and could be realised only partially. The findings support a further use and evaluation of the empowerment approach for addressing nutritional aspects among senior citizens.
ISSN:0966-0410
1365-2524
DOI:10.1111/hsc.12580