(P26-003-23) Identifying and Defining Constructs for Assessment of Household- and Individual-Level Drivers of Food Choice

Objectives: Understanding drivers of food choice (DFC) is vital for guiding actions to improve diets in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). Existing research assesses the external food environment and food consumption in LMICs, but has limited measures of food choice behaviors and their drivers, and how to validly assess these behaviors and drivers is unclear. Understanding food choice constructs is essential to develop measures and protocols. We aimed to identify and define food choice constructs at the household and individual levels and identify existing measures and instruments to assess these constructs in LMICs.

Methods: We used three methods: 1) reviewed and synthesized models of food choice to develop a list of constructs for DFC and food choice behaviors at the household and individual levels in LMICs; 2) conducted thematic coding to define, group, and connect food choice constructs; and 3) reviewed peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify research measures, instruments, and protocols for each construct.

Results: Food choice constructs were identified: food choice behaviors (acquisition, preparation, food safety and storage, allocation, consumption behaviors, waste and disposal intrapersonal drivers of food behaviors (goals and priorities; habits and routines; time use; roles; identities; knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs; motivation and expectancies; preferences), sociocultural drivers (values, gender and women’s empowerment, social relationships, life course experiences), personal food environment (desirability, convenience, affordability, accessibility), material assets and resources (transportation; facilities; wealth; food, water, and housing security), and person-state drivers (biological features, physiological needs and conditioning, psychological components). A repository of research measures, instruments, and protocols was developed to design study protocols to assess DFC in LMICs and identify where instrument development is needed.

Conclusions: Constructs driving household and individual food choice and food choice behaviors were identified. These constructs are reflected in measures compiled in the repository. This information will help guide actions to improve diets in LMICs.

Funding Sources: Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia through the CGIAR Trust Fund