Photovoice project focusing on Ghana food needs
PEOPLE in Ghana have captured images of what drives what they eat and drink as part of a collaborative international project involving Loughborough University academics.
It is hoped the ‘photovoice’ project, led by Professor Paula Griffiths, of the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, will increase understanding of food drivers, give people a platform to share their stories and encourage policymakers to take action to improve the food environment.
The work is part of two larger research projects – being led by the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield – that have brought together universities in Ghana and the UK to investigate drivers of dietary changes in Ghana.
From young children influencing dinnertime meals, to poor sanitation in streets, to vendors that take precautions to keep food fly-free; participants photographed a variety of subjects and scenarios.
Males and females of different ages, levels of education and socio-economic backgrounds were also interviewed by the project team to capture a wide range of views.
Professor Griffiths said: “Our early findings suggest that in Ghanaian cities there are some factors that are the same as the UK in driving food choices, such as cost of food, preference for certain foods and who we eat our food with. However, there are also differences.
“At this stage, it is clear that the support people receive from family and friends is crucial in shaping their diets.
“Family members seem to influence food choice in a number of ways; by being in
charge of the cooking of meals, by providing advice on the type of foods consumed and on the source of provisioning of these foods, and by following family’s food preferences and needs.”