Changes in food habits and motivation for healthy eating among Pakistani women living in Norway: results from the InnvaDiab-DEPLAN study.

OBJECTIVE

Pakistani women in Oslo have high risk of overweight and type 2 diabetes. The objective is to present the effect of an intervention study on Pakistani women's intentions to change dietary behaviour and changes made in dietary intake.

DESIGN

The intervention group received culturally adapted lifestyle education, including diet and physical activity. The questionnaire, applied before and after the 7-month intervention, included FFQ and questions on intentions to change.

SETTING

Oslo, Norway.

SUBJECTS

A total of 198 Pakistani women, aged 25-63 years, randomised into control and intervention groups.

RESULTS

There was a shift in distribution of intentions to change the intake of selected foods in the intervention group after the intervention, resulting in significant differences between the groups. The daily intake of vegetables, fruits and fruit juice had increased (P = 0.043), and the intake of red meats (P = 0.001), full fat milk/yoghurt (P = 0.027) and sugar-rich drinks (P <or= 0.007) was reduced in the intervention group. The differences between intervention and control after the intervention were significant for sugar-rich drinks (P <or= 0.022). More women in the intervention group used olive and rapeseed oil and fewer used 'vegetable' oil after than before intervention (P < 0.011). Differences between intervention and control were significant (P = 0.001) for rapeseed oil. Comparing those who attended at least 60 % of the group sessions with the control group resulted in minor changes in these estimates.

CONCLUSIONS

Culturally adapted education has the potential to change Norwegian-Pakistani women;s intentions to make their diet healthier, and also to induce some beneficial, however modest, self-reported changes in diet.