Research On Food Choices

On day one of the INGENEAS Global Symposium in Lusaka, one of the thematic sessions featured Emily Lloyd, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health U.S. Borlaug Global Food Security Fellow.
In 2016, Emily conducted a research in Mbala, Northern Zambia on what is important to rural Zambians in the foods they produce and consume.
The outcome of the qualitative research brought out salient issues pertaining to gender, nutrition based on the food choices that that people make.
The researched participants revealed that they make food choices based on their food values which are themselves influenced by the contexts in which they live. These include cost, gender and age dynamics,
According to Emily, each person’s influencing factors and values were perculiar because they are shaped by cultures, economies, life experiences, preferences and other people.
“For example, in high-income countries, people tend to value convenience and taste while in low- and middle-income countries people often prioritize cost and nutrition. Few food choice motives studies in sub-Saharan Africa have been conducted to date,” she said.