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Wheaton N, Alston E, Versace VL, Field M, Wong Shee A, Jacobs J, Backholer K, Allender S, Nichols M, Needham C, Bolton KA, Blake MR, Stewart F, Close E, Alston L. Diet-Related Disease Prevention in a Rural Australian Setting: Understanding Barriers, Enablers, and the Role of Rural Health Services in Supporting Changes in Local Rural Food Environments. Nutrients 2023; 15:4979. [PMID: 38068837 PMCID: PMC10708407 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Bold and comprehensive action is needed to prevent diet-related diseases in rural areas, which includes improving food environments to enable healthier dietary practices. Rural health services are integral to the health of rural populations, yet their role in community disease prevention is not swell understood. This study sought to understand health service, local government, and food outlet stakeholders' perspectives on (1) the drivers of unhealthy retail environments in a rural setting; (2) the role of rural health services in supporting changes in local food environments; and to (3) identify characteristics of potential interventions. Two Group Model Building workshops were held with health service and local government leaders (n = 9), and interviews were conducted with local food outlet participants (n = 13). Key themes included 'enablers to healthier food environments', 'barriers to healthier food environments', 'Rural health services are a leading broker of knowledge for healthy food environments', and 'characteristics of desirable healthy food environment interventions.'. Rural health services can play a key role in addressing the current barriers to healthy food environments in rural areas. Effective promotion of healthier diets in rural populations will require consideration of key stakeholder perspectives and the development of further evidence on the role that rural health services can play in improving the healthiness of food environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Wheaton
- Deakin Rural Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Warnambool, VIC 3284, Australia; (V.L.V.); (M.F.); (A.W.S.); (L.A.)
| | - Emily Alston
- Research Unit, Colac Area Health, Colac, VIC 3250, Australia; (E.A.); (F.S.); (E.C.)
| | - Vincent L. Versace
- Deakin Rural Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Warnambool, VIC 3284, Australia; (V.L.V.); (M.F.); (A.W.S.); (L.A.)
| | - Michael Field
- Deakin Rural Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Warnambool, VIC 3284, Australia; (V.L.V.); (M.F.); (A.W.S.); (L.A.)
- Research Unit, Colac Area Health, Colac, VIC 3250, Australia; (E.A.); (F.S.); (E.C.)
| | - Anna Wong Shee
- Deakin Rural Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Warnambool, VIC 3284, Australia; (V.L.V.); (M.F.); (A.W.S.); (L.A.)
- Grampians Health, Ballarat, VIC 3350, Australia
| | - Jane Jacobs
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (J.J.); (K.B.); (S.A.); (M.N.); (C.N.); (K.A.B.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Kathryn Backholer
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (J.J.); (K.B.); (S.A.); (M.N.); (C.N.); (K.A.B.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Steven Allender
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (J.J.); (K.B.); (S.A.); (M.N.); (C.N.); (K.A.B.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Melanie Nichols
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (J.J.); (K.B.); (S.A.); (M.N.); (C.N.); (K.A.B.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Cindy Needham
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (J.J.); (K.B.); (S.A.); (M.N.); (C.N.); (K.A.B.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Kristy A. Bolton
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (J.J.); (K.B.); (S.A.); (M.N.); (C.N.); (K.A.B.); (M.R.B.)
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - Miranda R. Blake
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (J.J.); (K.B.); (S.A.); (M.N.); (C.N.); (K.A.B.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Fletcher Stewart
- Research Unit, Colac Area Health, Colac, VIC 3250, Australia; (E.A.); (F.S.); (E.C.)
| | - Evelyn Close
- Research Unit, Colac Area Health, Colac, VIC 3250, Australia; (E.A.); (F.S.); (E.C.)
| | - Laura Alston
- Deakin Rural Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Warnambool, VIC 3284, Australia; (V.L.V.); (M.F.); (A.W.S.); (L.A.)
- Research Unit, Colac Area Health, Colac, VIC 3250, Australia; (E.A.); (F.S.); (E.C.)
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