Exploring dimensions of social capital in relation to healthy eating behaviours in the US rural south

Abstract

Objective: This study examined relationships between dimensions of social capital (SC) (social trust, network diversity, social reciprocity, and civic engagement) and fruit, vegetable, and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption among rural adults. Potential moderators (neighborhood rurality, food security, gender, race/ethnicity) were explored to develop a more nuanced understanding of the SC-healthy eating relationship. Design: Data were from a 2019 mailed population-based survey evaluating an 11-county initiative to address health equity. Participants self-reported health behaviors, access to health-promoting resources, and demographics. Logistic regression models were used to analyze relationships between predictors, outcomes, and moderators. Setting: Five rural counties, Georgia, USA. Participants: 1,120 participants. Results: Among participants who lived in the country (as opposed to in town), greater network diversity was associated with consuming ≥3 servings of fruit [OR=1.08; 95% CI 1.01, 1.17, p=.029], yet among participants who lived in town, greater civic engagement was associated with consuming ≥3 servings of fruit [OR=1.36; 95% CI 1.11, 1.65, p=.003]. Both food secure and food insecure participants with greater social reciprocity had lower odds of consuming 0 SSBs [OR=.92; 95% CI .86, .98, p=.014, OR=.92; 95% CI .86, .99, p=.037, respectively]. Men with greater social trust were more likely to consume 0 SSBs [OR=1.09; 95% CI 1.01, 1.18, p=.038], and Whites with greater network diversity were more likely to meet daily vegetable recommendations [OR=1.10; 95% CI 1.01, 1.19, p=.028]. Conclusions: Findings provide a basis for future qualitative research on potential mechanisms through which SC and related social factors influence healthy eating in rural communities.

Understanding the relationship between social capital, health, and well‐being in a southern rural population

“…The benefits conferred by belonging to tight‐knit communities can be protective against the challenges that are associated with rurality. However, the literature on healthy eating has generally found rural areas to be at a disadvantage due to food insecurity that is largely attributed to lack of access to healthy food options (lack of grocery stores, further travel distance to healthy options, and higher food prices) 38,51–53 . Close rural communities may attempt to fill this void by providing community members with access to resources to mitigate the effects of nutritional and health disparities 54,55 …”

“…However, there are also inconsistent and weak findings linking social capital and health, perhaps because of differences in measurement, 14,24,28,30,31 yet the preponderance of the literature finds a positive association between social capital and health. [32][33][34][35][36][37][38] Furthermore, there are concerns that the research literature emphasizes the benefits of social capital and ignores its "dark side," which can refer to the promotion of negative behaviors within groups (such as gambling, excessive alcohol consumption, or engagement in criminal activities) [32][33][34][35][36][37][38] or the exclusion of those outside the group from accessing resources that contribute to social and economic opportunities. Moreover, it is unclear whether the benefits of social capital are equally conferred across racial groups as in the United States.…”

“…However, the literature on healthy eating has generally found rural areas to be at a disadvantage due to food insecurity that is largely attributed to lack of access to healthy food options (lack of grocery stores, further travel distance to healthy options, and higher food prices). 38,[51][52][53] Close rural communities may attempt to fill this void by providing community members with access to resources to mitigate the effects of nutritional and health disparities. 54,55 The objective of this study is to examine how different forms of social capital relate to health and well-being among residents of 6 rural counties in the Southeastern United States and the extent to which race and rurality may impact how these relationships operate.…”

“…54,55 The objective of this study is to examine how different forms of social capital relate to health and well-being among residents of 6 rural counties in the Southeastern United States and the extent to which race and rurality may impact how these relationships operate. In keeping with the different aspects of social capital that are theorized to exist at the individual level, this study examined 3 dimensions of social capital as used in similar studies 38 : diversity of interaction (also referred to as network diversity), civic engagement, and voting behavior in relation to self-reported health, well-being, and physical health status. It was hypothesized that each dimension of social capital would be positively associated with well-being and health status.…”