TY - JOUR
T1 - Need States Based on Eating Occasions Experienced by Midlife Women
AU - Vue, Houa
AU - Degeneffe, Dennis
AU - Reicks, Marla
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by NIH-NIDDK R21 award No. DK067296-01.
PY - 2008/11
Y1 - 2008/11
N2 - Objective: To identify a comprehensive set of distinct "need states" based on the eating occasions experienced by midlife women. Design: Series of 7 focus group interviews. Setting: Meeting room on a university campus. Participants: A convenience sample of 34 multi-ethnic women (mean age = 46 years). Phenomenon of Interest: Descriptions of eating occasions by "need states," specific patterns of needs for the occasion. Analysis: Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for common themes using qualitative data analysis procedures. Findings: Eight need states suggested a hypothetical framework reflecting a wide range in emotional gratification. Need states with a low level of emotional gratification were dominated by sets of functional needs, such as coping with stress, balancing intake across occasions, meeting external demands of time and effort, and maintaining a routine. Food was a means for reinforcing family identity, social expression, and celebration in need states with high levels of emotional gratification. Occurrence of need states varied by day and meal/snack occasion, with food type and amount dependent on need state. Conclusions and Implications: Eating occasions are driven by specific sets of needs ranging from physical/functional to more emotional/social needs. Addressing need states may improve weight intervention programs for midlife women.
AB - Objective: To identify a comprehensive set of distinct "need states" based on the eating occasions experienced by midlife women. Design: Series of 7 focus group interviews. Setting: Meeting room on a university campus. Participants: A convenience sample of 34 multi-ethnic women (mean age = 46 years). Phenomenon of Interest: Descriptions of eating occasions by "need states," specific patterns of needs for the occasion. Analysis: Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for common themes using qualitative data analysis procedures. Findings: Eight need states suggested a hypothetical framework reflecting a wide range in emotional gratification. Need states with a low level of emotional gratification were dominated by sets of functional needs, such as coping with stress, balancing intake across occasions, meeting external demands of time and effort, and maintaining a routine. Food was a means for reinforcing family identity, social expression, and celebration in need states with high levels of emotional gratification. Occurrence of need states varied by day and meal/snack occasion, with food type and amount dependent on need state. Conclusions and Implications: Eating occasions are driven by specific sets of needs ranging from physical/functional to more emotional/social needs. Addressing need states may improve weight intervention programs for midlife women.
KW - eating occasions
KW - midlife women
KW - need states
KW - prevention of weight gain
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jneb.2007.09.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jneb.2007.09.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 18984495
AN - SCOPUS:54849426633
SN - 1499-4046
VL - 40
SP - 378
EP - 384
JO - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
JF - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
IS - 6
ER -