Factors influencing obesogenic behaviours of adolescent girls and women in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A qualitative evidence synthesis

Abstract

Summary This systematic review synthesized the qualitative evidence on factors influencing obesogenic behaviours in adolescent girls and women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). This qualitative evidence synthesis followed the framework synthesis approach to extract, analyse and synthesize data. Electronic searches were conducted in the Web of Science, SCOPUS, CABI Abstracts, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. Studies were eligible if they were conducted in LMICs, of qualitative nature, and reported obesogenic behaviours of female adolescents (10–19 years of age) or women of reproductive age (15–49 years of age). The review resulted in 71 included studies from 27 different countries. Thirty‐two studies focused on dietary behaviours, 17 on physical activity and 22 on both behaviours. Gender norms and failures to recognize the importance of healthy behaviours across the life cycle were important factors. The abundance and promotion of affordable but unhealthy food, food safety concerns, taste preferences and social desirability of foods drive consumption of unhealthy foods. Busy lives and limited exercise spaces keep girls and women from being physically active. Obesogenic behaviours of adolescent girls and women of reproductive age are influenced by factors at individual, social, physical and environmental levels and require diverse solutions to address these factors in LMICs.

Navigating the local foodscape: qualitative investigation of food retail and dietary preferences in Kisumu and Homa Bay Counties, western Kenya

“…This qualitative study provides a useful perspective on the relationship between food retail and dietary preferences across various levels of influence in Kisumu and Homabay Counties in Western Kenya. Consistent with other findings [ 23 , 24 ]. The results of this study demonstrate that the influences on dietary preference and local foodscapes are multifaceted.…”

Factors Influencing Adolescents' Dietary Behaviors in the School and Home Environment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…Studies have shown the different roles that parents play in food consumption. Mothers preparing food at home have been described as a positive influence, whereas high-income parents who are too busy to prepare food may become negative role models (33)(34)(35). In our sample, adolescents from households with more assets also perceived that both healthy and unhealthy foods were available in their households.…”

“…The differences between private and government-school adolescents in terms of their dietary diversity and purchasing of SSBs could be explained by the socio-economic status of their families, which we assessed using the number of assets or the amount of pocket money the adolescents receive. Parents who give pocket money without spending stipulations could create financial autonomy, but the lack of supervision could also potentially worsen the unhealthy dietary behaviors of adolescents (33). Studies have shown the different roles that parents play in food consumption.…”

How do food safety concerns affect consumer behaviors and diets in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic review

“…Food is unsafe when it is exposed to any hazard that makes it harmful to health, including bacterial, viral, parasitic and/or chemical toxins (FAO/WHO, 2003). Evidence suggests that financial gain or convenience of food preparation outweigh the risk associated with consuming a product (Grace et al, 2010), while fear of poor food hygiene could outweigh concerns about the nutritional quality of food (Nago et al, 2012;Trubswasswer et al, 2020). The latter finding is worrisome as food safety and nutrition are potentially closely linked and concerns limiting the consumption of fresh FFV could make packaged (often ultra-processed) food, the perceived safer option (Grace and McDermott, 2015;Trubswasser et al, 2020).…”

“…The latter finding is worrisome as food safety and nutrition are potentially closely linked and concerns limiting the consumption of fresh FFV could make packaged (often ultra-processed) food, the perceived safer option (Grace and McDermott, 2015;Trubswasser et al, 2020). While homecooked food is considered the safer and healthier option in LMIC settings (Rao et al, 2007;Trubswasswer et al, 2020), eating out of home continues to increase especially in the urban context (Reardon et al, 2021). Street food has become increasingly popular as it is perceived as accessible, affordable, and convenient, but can carry great risk if food safety management is not in place (Abrahale et al, 2019;Asiegbu et al, 2016;Gupta et al, 2018;Hoffmann et al, 2019).…”