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. 2011 Nov;22(4):1205-20.
doi: 10.1353/hpu.2011.0142.

A multilevel assessment of barriers to adoption of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) among African Americans of low socioeconomic status

Alain G Bertoni  1 , Capri G Foy, Jaimie C Hunter, Sara A Quandt, Mara Z Vitolins, Melicia C Whitt-Glover
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A multilevel assessment of barriers to adoption of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) among African Americans of low socioeconomic status

Alain G Bertoni et al. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2011 Nov.

Abstract

Background: We examined perceptions of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the food environment among African Americans (AA) with high blood pressure living in two low-income communities and objectively assessed local food outlets.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted with 30 AAs; participants discussed DASH and the availability of healthy foods in their community. Sessions were transcribed and themes identified. Fifty-four stores and 114 restaurants were assessed using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS).

Results: Common themes included poor availability, quality, and cost of healthy foods; tension between following DASH and feeding other family members; and lack of congruity between their preferred foods and DASH. Food outlets in majority AA census tracts had lower NEMS scores (stores: -11.7, p=.01, restaurants: -8.3, p=.001) compared with majority White areas.

Conclusions: Interventions promoting DASH among lower income AAs should reflect the food customs, economic concerns, and food available in communities.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores (NEMS-S) total score by racial composition of selected census tracts in Forsyth County, North Carolina, 2009.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Restaurants (NEMS-R) total score by racial composition of selected census tracts in Forsyth County, North Carolina, 2009.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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