The Obesogenic Household: Factors Influencing Dietary Gatekeeper Satisfaction with Family Diet

Abstract

The rise in obesity and its co‐morbidities has focused the attention of researchers on factors that influence the consumption of a healthy diet. Obesogenic (obesity‐promoting) environments are an important area of investigation and a significant opportunity for health interventions. In this research, we identify the home as just such an environment and argue that the dietary gatekeeper within the home has a significant influence on what a family eats and subsequently the health status of family members. We propose a model that relates dietary gatekeeper cognitions and food‐related capabilities to food acquisition and transformation practices and subsequent diet outcomes. An online survey was completed by 326 US and 323 Australian dietary gatekeepers to test the relationships in the model. Our results suggest improving dietary gatekeepers’ capabilities, including their cooking confidence and nutritional confidence, and their food acquisition and food transformation practices can have positive health benefits for gatekeepers and their families. Implications for health policymakers and food marketers are presented.

Country context, personal values and nutrition trust: Associations with perceptions of beverage healthiness in five countries in the Asia Pacific region

“…Achieving this requires insight into the factors that motivate beverage choices, particularly amongst household food providers. These gatekeepers have major influence on household dietary habits as they decide on the types of food and beverages that are purchased and consumed (Birch & Davison, 2001;Reid, Worsley, & Mavondo, 2015).…”

Pride in Technology‐Based Health Interventions: A Double‐Edged Sword

“…Last, behavioral intentions to control weight were measured on a four-week time reference (i.e., "On a scale from 1 to 5, please indicate what your intentions are to control your weight in the next 4 weeks") based on recommendations in the literature (Chandran & Morwitz, 2005). The survey was pretested with 50 British consumers (part of the same online panel) to examine their ability to complete the questionnaire, the time required, and the initial scale reliabilities (Reid, Worsley, & Mavondo, 2015), while also minimizing issues of common method bias, such as the reduction of item ambiguity (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Lee, & Podsakoff, 2003).…”

Changing Food Consumption Behaviors

“…Exploring the important but often understated role of an individual's environment, Reid, Worsley, and Mavondo (2015) focus on "dietary gatekeepers" in their research, rather than the end consumer. This work draws on important work into obesogenic environments (Swinburn, Eggar, & Raza, 1999;Wansink, Just, & Payne, 2009).…”