Environmental influences on small eating behavior change to promote weight loss among Black and Hispanic populations

Abstract

Small eating behavior changes are proposed as more feasible to achieve and maintain than larger changes used in traditional behavioral weight loss studies. However, it is unclear whether overweight Black and Hispanic adults in a low-income urban setting experience small changes as feasible and what might influence feasibility. Participants' experiences in a 12-week pilot weight loss intervention were explored qualitatively to determine the feasibility of making small eating behavior changes in this population. After the intervention (69% retention), semi-structured interviews with 46 men and women (mean age 51, 50% Non-Hispanic Black, 43% Hispanic) revealed that making small eating changes was a process shaped by participants' intrapersonal and interpersonal eating environments. Participants responded to intrapersonal and interpersonal eating environmental challenges by adapting small change strategies, navigating eating environments, and negotiating household eating practices. Findings highlight how even small eating behavior changes called for adaptation, navigation, and negotiation of complex eating environments in daily life. These findings were used to improve the trial that followed and underline the importance of feasibility studies to inform community trials. Findings also add to understanding of contextual challenges and the skills needed to implement small changes in a low income, ethnic minority population.

Socio-economic and demographic factors associated with snacking behavior in a large sample of French adults

“…Individuals aged 30y and more are more likely to be in the workforce compared with younger adults or individuals aged 60y or more and the workplace has been associated with snacking [ 40 ]. Indeed, self-control imposed by work, emotional affects, daily hassles, and working hours along with social context of eating and availability of foods at work could lead working adults to snack during the day, even in the absence of physiological hunger [ 41 – 44 ]. Higher nutritional quality of snacks of middle-aged individuals are linked to higher contribution of fruits, hot beverages, and lower contribution of fatty and sweet products to the energy intake of daily snacks in these age classes (data not shown).…”

Can Mindfulness Address Maladaptive Eating Behaviors? Why Traditional Diet Plans Fail and How New Mechanistic Insights May Lead to Novel Interventions

“…Other researchers have developed “small changes” or “behavioral nudge” interventions that focus on reducing triggers in the environment that tax willpower ( Hill, 2009 ). Although these environmental strategies show promise (e.g., Eldridge et al, 2016 ), it is impossible to manipulate or otherwise control the environments everywhere one goes.…”

Distal and proximal predictors of snacking at work: A daily-survey study.

“…First, our study adds to the emergent literature on the role of organizational variables for employee eating behavior (Sliter, 2013) by highlighting how organizational eating climate relates to employees’ food-choice motives and snacking behavior. For instance, in a qualitative study, Eldridge et al (2016) described how the organizational food and eating culture can influence snacking behavior at work. Quantitative studies, however, have mainly looked at broad measures of diet quality, without a specific emphasis on snacking (Ribisl & Reischl, 1993; Sliter, 2013), or have focused on work hours and job-related affect as predictors of snacking (Jones et al, 2007), neglecting the broader organizational environment.…”