HEALTHY EATING
6.2.2 Personal food categorisation (way/s in which common foods/drinks are categorised without food group prompting)
Personal food categorisation was investigated as a means of determining any differences and/or similarities between personal food categories and those implied by the proposed FBDGs and existing food guides used for nutrition education.
Interview participants were asked to place (categorise) the photographs of foods/drinks previously identified as common (known and frequently consumed) into piles according to their understanding of the word "similar". "Similar" was explained to and understood by participants as meaning "foods that belong together", "foods that are alike", "foods that are almost the same", and "foods that can be substituted for others". The word "group" was avoided when explaining the concept of "similar" so as to reduce any influence this might have on participants .illmiliar with the concept of "food groups".
The number of piles into which interview participants categorised common foods ranged from one pile (labelled "foods" - urban informal Black participant), and two piles (labelled
"keep in the cupboard" and "keep in the fridge" - rural Black participant), up to 48 piles (urban formal Black participant).
The average number of piles ranged from 10.9 (rural Black participants) to 16.1 (urban formal Indian participants). The most common number of piles ranged from 7 (urban informal Black participants) to 15 (urban formal Black and Indian participants), with 11 piles being the most common number for all participant groups (see Table 6.39).
Table 6.39 Interview participant categorisation of common foods into "similar" piles
CATEGORISATION ENUMERATOR AREAS
Rural Urban Urban Urban Urban
Black Informal Formal Formal Formal
Black Black Indian White
Range of piles 2-26 1 - 33 4 - 48 5 -31 5 - 23
Average no. of piles 10.9 12.9 15.3 16.1 12.5
Most common no. of piles 11 7, 10 15 9,14,15 9, II, 12 Food examples Names !!iven to most common food piles
mealie meal, rice, samp Staples/ Starchy/ Starchy/ Starchy Starchy Basic foods Staples Staples foods foods
bread/rolls Sandwiches Flour Flour Breads Breads
products products
bran/com flakes, oats Breakfast Breakfast
foods foods
green beans, pumpkin Vegetables/ Vegetables/ Vegetables/ Vegetables Vegetables
Salads Salads Salads
apples, bananas Fruits Fruits Fruits Fruits Fruits
maas, yoghurt Dairy/milk Dairy/Milk Dairy/Milk
chicken, chops Meats Meat Meats Meats Meats
products
dry beans, dhal Beans Beans/
Lentils
oil, holsum Fats/oils Fats/Oils Fats/Oils
coffee, beer, fruit juice Drinks & Drinks & Drinks & Drinks & Drinks &
Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol
aromat, salt, soup powder Seasonings Spices/ Spices/ Spices Spices/
Seasonings Seasonings Seasonings
marmite, jam Spreads Spreads Spreads Spreads Spreads
crisps, peanuts Snacks Snacks Snacks Snacks
sugar, boiled sweets Sweets/ Sweets/ Sweets Sweets
Sugars Sugars
jelly, custard Desserts Desserts Desserts Desserts
biscuits, scones Cakes
Names given to the most common piles of foods (n=ll) showed remarkable similarity across all enumerator areas (see Table 6.40).
Table 6.40 Most common personal food categories as cited by interview participants PERSONAL FOOD COMMON FOODS SELECTED PER CATEGORY CATEGORIES
(0=11)
Starchy foods/Staples/Cereals/ bread (white/brown), breakfast cereals, flour, meal ie-meal, Breads/Flour products meal ie-rice, oats, rice (white/brown), roti, samp
Beans dhal (split peas), lentils
Meats bacon, biltong, boerewors, chicken, chicken feet and heads, chicken livers, chops, eggs, hake, canned meat, mince, polony, snoek, tinned fish, viennas
Milk/Dairy cream, maas, milk (fresh, powdered, flavoured), yoghurt, yogi-sip Vegetables/Salads green beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower,
butternut/pumpkin/squash, chillies, mixed vegetables, onion, peas, peppers, spinach, sweetcorn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, imifino (wild spinach)
Fruits apples, apricots, bananas, oranges, peaches, pineapples Fats/Oils oil, white cooking fat (HoI sum)
Snacks/Sweets/Sugar/Cakes/ biscuits, cake, chocolate, cream crackers, crisps, custard, Desserts doughnuts, jelly, koeksister, snack bars, muffins, peanuts, pies,
popcorn, provitas, raisins, rusks, samoosa, sev 'n nuts, scones, boiled sweets, vetkoek
Spreads fish paste, honey, jam, marmite, peanut butter, syrup
Spices/Seasonings aromat, curry powder, garlic, ginger, salt, soup powder, spices, stock cubes
Drinks & Alcohol coffee, commercial beer, cooldrinks, fruit juice, spirits (whisky, cane), tea, water (plain/bottled), wine, Isizulu( Zulu beer)
A minority of participants «3.5%) suggested additional ways in which they might categorise "similar" foods (see Table 6.41). Participants from all enumerator areas mentioned categorising foods according to ingredients used in recipes (1.5% to 5.0%).
Categorising foods according to the mealtimes when foods are eaten was also popular, except amongst rural Black participants.
Table 6.41 Additional ways to categorise "similar" foods as cited by interview participants ADDITIONAL WAYS ENUMERATOR AREAS (% participants) (n-230) TO CATEGORISE Rural Urban Urban Urban Urban Overall
"SIMILAR' FOODS Black Informal Formal Formal Formal
Black Black Indian White (weighted (n=70) (n=40) (n=40) (n=40) (n=40) avera2es)
Ingredients in recipes 1.5 5.0 5.0 5.0 2.5 3.50
(casseroles, cakes)
Mealtimes 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 1.74
(breakfast, lunch, supper)
Food storage 2.5 5.0 1.30
(frozen, dry)
Nutrients 2.5 2.5 0.87
(proteins, fats, carbohydrates)
Menu items 2.5 2.5 0.87
(starter, main, dessert)
Dai ly grocery items 2.5 0.43
Across all enumerator areas, participants showed indecision in their personal categorisation of certain common foods (see Table 6.42). Much of this indecision pertained to four main areas, namely:
*
starchy food or vegetable - (namely, pasta, mealies, potatoes)*
starchy food, vegetable or legume - (namely, baked beans, dry beans, soya mince)*
vegetable - (namely, salad dressing, mayonnaise)*
dairy/animal food - (namely, cream, butter, margarine, coffee/tea whiteners/creamers)Table 6.42 Indecision about personal categorisation of certain common foods as cited by Black interview participants
FOODS ENUMERATOR AREAS (% participants) (n=150)
Rural Black (n-70) Urban Informal Black (n=40) Urban Formal Black (n=40)
Cate1!ory name % participants Category name % participants Category name % participants
Pasta/N oodles No group 100.0 Vegetable 17.9 Starchy 39.3
MeaHes (Corn) Starchy 33.3 Vegetable 50.9 Vegetable 60.0
Potatoes Starchy 32.4 Vegetable 55.2 Vegetable 62.5
Baked beans Vegetable 45.0 Beans 26.5 VegetablelBeans 21.6/24.3
Dry beans Starchy 15.4 StarchylBeans 23.1I21.2 Beans 30.6
Soya mince Spices 33.3 Spices 48.9 Spices 39.3
SUl!arlwhitcl Drinks 55.0 Tea/coffee 41.9 Drinks 30.8
Sue:ar (brown) Sugar/Tea/coffee 33.3/33.3 Tea/coffee 52.6 SugarlDrinks 31.3/18.8
Condensed Tea/coffee 60.0 Tea/coffee 35.3 Dairy 25.0
milk
Creamer/ Drinks 65.4 Tea/coffee 52.0 DrinkslDairy 40.7/22.2
Whitener
Amahewu Drinks 20.0 Drinks 47.2 Drinks 58.8
(maize drink)
Maas Dairy 20.6 DairylDrinks 25.4/28.8 DairylDrinks 40.0/34.3
Milk (fresh,) Drinks 57.1 DrinkslDairy 37.5/ Dairy 63.2
20.8
Yoe:hurt Dairy/DrinkslDessert 21.4/21.4/21.4 DairylDrinks 19.5119.5 DairvlDrinks/Dessert 17.7/23.5/20.6
Buttermilk No group 100.0 Dairy 28.6 Dairy 33.3
Cheese Spreads 57.1 Cheese 20.0 Spreads 27.0
(vellow)
Cheese Not eaten Not eaten Spreads 28.9 Dessert 40.0
(cottae:e)
Cream No group 100.0 Dairy 37.5 Dairy/ 31.3/
Dessert 31.3
Ice-cream Dessert 20.0 Dessert 28.2 Dessert 40.0
Butter Sandwich 50.0 S preads/F ats 22.2116.7 Spreads 50.0
Mare:arine Spreads 45.9 Spreads 41.9 Spreads 42.1
Mavonnaise Vegetables 35.0 Vegetables 22.9 Vegetables 30.6
Salad dressine: No group 100.0 Spices 40.0 Vegetables 34.8
Avocado Spreads 40.0 Fruit 42.9 Vegetable/Fruit 42.9/38.1
Continued over pagel
Continuation of Table 6.42
Indecision about personal categorisation of certain common foods as cited by urban formal Indian and White interview participants
FOODS ENUMERATOR AREAS (% participants) (n-230)
Urban Formal Indian (n=40) Urban Formal White (n=40)
Category name % participants Catef!orv name % participants
PastalN ood les Starchy 37.0 Starchy 50.0
Mealies -iCorn) Vegetable 62.1 Vegetable 95.2
Potatoes Vegetable 87.2 Vegetable 79.5
Bakel1 beans Beans 28.9 Vegetable/Beans 33.3/16.7
Dry beans Beans 40.0 Beans 25.0 --
Soya mince MeatsN egetable/Spices 18.2/18.2118.2 Beans/Spices 50.0/50.0
Sue:ar (white) Drinks 46.2 Drinks/Sugar 33.3/33.3
Sue:ar (brown) Sugar 33.3 SugarlDrinks 42.1142.1
Condensed milk Dairy 50.0 Sweets 33.3
Creamer/ Drinks 43.8 Tea/coffee 66.7
Whitener
Amahewu Dairy 66.7 Not eaten Not eaten
(maize drink)
Maas Dairy 100.0 Dairy 75.0
Milk (fresh,) Dairy 56.3 Dairy 78.9
Yoe:hurt Dairy 74.1 Dairy 71.0
Buttermilk No group 100.0 Dairy 33.0
Cheese (vellow) Dairy 58.3 Dairy 61.5
Cheese (cottae:e) Dairy 66.7 Dairy 73.3
Cream Dairy 72.7 Dairy 87.5
Ice-cream Dairy 36.7 Dairy 38.9
Butter Dairy 46.2 DairylFats 37.5/37.5
Mar2arine Dairy 47.2 Fats 38.2
Mayonnaise Salads 34.4 Fats 42.9
Salad dressine: Salads 58.3 Fats 39.1
Avocado Fruit 89.7 Fruit 87.5
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