title: Whole grains and health: attitudes to whole grains against a prevailing background of increased marketing and promotion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore current awareness and perceptions of whole grain foods and perceived barriers and facilitators of whole grain consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups were conducted to investigate consumer attitudes to whole grains. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.
  
  
  METHODS
  Discussions were held throughout Northern Ireland with adults who were at least partly responsible for food shopping.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven focus groups were held (n 43; thirty-three females, ten males).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants were aware of the term 'whole grain' and had a basic level of awareness of their health benefits. Prominent barriers and facilitators of whole grain intake were related to perceptions of the sensory properties (most dominant factor) of whole grains; knowledge of how to locate, identify and use whole grains; and awareness of the health benefits, perceived cost and family influences. Parents of young children appeared to be altruistically motivated with many stating they wanted to ensure their children consumed whole grains in order to establish good eating habits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants were generally aware of the term 'whole grain'; however, even against a background of increased availability and promotion of whole grain foods, many key barriers to whole grain consumption were still evident. Alongside general education efforts, opportunities and challenges exist for the food industry to develop novel, but affordable, food products that are able to deliver whole grains in a wide variety of forms, including whole grains 'in disguise' for those who are most resistant to change.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism Group, Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Institute of Clinical Science B (First Floor), Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BJ, UK.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McMackin
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Jayne V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Woodside
authors.forename: Michelle C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: McKinley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002523:Edible Grain; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D019649:Food Industry; D005518:Food Preferences; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009660:Northern Ireland; D055696:Olfactory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult