Heart disease among post-menopausal women: acceptability of functional foods as a preventive measure.
This study reports the results of eight focus group interviews with post-menopausal women (50-59 years, N=73) in Denmark and United Kingdom regarding their views on heart disease among women and the potential acceptability of functional foods as a means of prevention. Although, heart disease was recognised as a serious health problem and its occurrence among women recognised, it was predominantly conceived as a health problem affecting men and as being largely due to the relatively unhealthy lifestyles of men. Only a very small minority of participants were aware of the contribution of menopause to heart disease among women. Functional foods were generally not conceived as a means of prevention that is commensurate with the serious character of heart disease. It emerged from ranking tasks that functional foods do not constitute a product category as such. They occupy an anomalous position between 'food' on the one hand and 'medicine' on the other. Participants tend to dislike the idea of a 'personal' food not intended to comprise part of a shared meal in the household, and also tend to distrust health claims promoted by the food industry. This study indicates a need for further research in these areas.
Department of Human Nutrition and Centre for Advanced Food Studies: Sociology of Food Research Group, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, DK-1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark. skb@kvl.dk
Sara
S
Korzen-Bohr
Katherine
K
O'Doherty Jensen
D001364:Awareness; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D058870:Food, Organic; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D012306:Risk; D006113:United Kingdom; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*