Healthy Older Adults’ Motivation and Knowledge Related to Food and Meals

Abstract

The population over 60 years old is growing rapidly in Norway and in many other countries, and researchers often focus on elderly people and various diseases. This article examines the healthy elderly who are active in their daily lives to understand their motivation and knowledge about food and meals. The method used was CurroCus® group interviews, or fast focus groups. Nine CurroCus® groups were conducted, lasting for 37 to 56 minutes (average = 45 minutes). Altogether, 76 persons participated, ranging in age from 60 to 87 years; participants were predominantly female (>80%). The article discusses two areas: motivation and knowledge regarding food and meals. The collected empirical data were recorded, transcribed, and entered into NVivo 11.0. Interviews were analysed using a grounded theory approach. The results show that the respondents are concerned with six main areas: food intake, purchasing pattern, meal knowledge, community, service experience, and sensory triggers. The main contribution of this article is increased insights into healthy older adults’ interpretation of their motivation for healthy food and inspiring meals based on their extensive knowledge of the topics discussed. Future research will require more knowledge of various loneliness strategies and their effects. Government responsibility should focus on older people’s nutrient intake in the near future. Different sensory stimuli must be investigated in order for more people to help avoid malnutrition.