we-DELIVER: Holistic service delivery to older people in local government through ICTs - Tirelo Bosha Funding Proposal

The North-West University's we-DELIVER project aims to map information about resources and services available to older people in three pilot communities associated with the North-West University of South Africa. Information collected will be collated in a database and made available to older people and those working with older people via appropriate Information and Communications Technologies. we-DELIVER is funded through Tirelo Bosha, a public service improvement programme and partnership between the South African Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and the Belgian Development Agency. This document is the proposal document that was submitted to the NWU's ethics committee for approval of the research after the funder had confirmed that the original application was successful.<br

Questionnaire.

Unhealthy food choices and consumption, coupled with sedentary lifestyles among consumers, intensify public health concerns regarding the quadruple disease burden, despite Primary Health Care (PHC) policy. However, the current relationship between consumer knowledge about healthy foods and following a healthy lifestyle needs to be explored. Our study, therefore, aimed to determine the association between consumers’ subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and various healthy lifestyle choices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employed consumers (N = 157) from South African corporate settings. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to determine associations between subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and healthy lifestyle choices. Our findings showed that most participants scored high on making healthy lifestyle choices relating to avoiding smoking (69.5%) and limiting drinking alcohol (68.7%) but less so for food and sleep (44.4%) while neglecting exercise, relaxation (13.7%), and choices that require dedicated effort (25.2%). On average, participants had high levels of subjective (mean = 3.59; 5-point Likert scale) knowledge and objective knowledge about healthy foods (88.4−95.9% correct responses). However, their objective knowledge about weight and cholesterol had severe deficiencies (36.7%). SEM confirmed an association between subjective knowledge and most healthy lifestyle choice categories, while income contributed to dedicated effort lifestyle choices. By contrast, objective knowledge did not associate with such choices. Our structural model suggests that subjective knowledge about healthy foods contributes to healthy lifestyle choices. Therefore, subjective knowledge and the objective knowledge deficiencies we identified among corporate consumers can serve as a valuable starting point for informed education to promote PHC policy and healthy lifestyle choices.</div

Final structural model explaining the association between subjective knowledge of healthy foods and healthy lifestyle habits.

Final structural model explaining the association between subjective knowledge of healthy foods and healthy lifestyle habits.</p

Demographics of the sample (<i>n</i> = 157).

Unhealthy food choices and consumption, coupled with sedentary lifestyles among consumers, intensify public health concerns regarding the quadruple disease burden, despite Primary Health Care (PHC) policy. However, the current relationship between consumer knowledge about healthy foods and following a healthy lifestyle needs to be explored. Our study, therefore, aimed to determine the association between consumers’ subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and various healthy lifestyle choices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employed consumers (N = 157) from South African corporate settings. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to determine associations between subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and healthy lifestyle choices. Our findings showed that most participants scored high on making healthy lifestyle choices relating to avoiding smoking (69.5%) and limiting drinking alcohol (68.7%) but less so for food and sleep (44.4%) while neglecting exercise, relaxation (13.7%), and choices that require dedicated effort (25.2%). On average, participants had high levels of subjective (mean = 3.59; 5-point Likert scale) knowledge and objective knowledge about healthy foods (88.4−95.9% correct responses). However, their objective knowledge about weight and cholesterol had severe deficiencies (36.7%). SEM confirmed an association between subjective knowledge and most healthy lifestyle choice categories, while income contributed to dedicated effort lifestyle choices. By contrast, objective knowledge did not associate with such choices. Our structural model suggests that subjective knowledge about healthy foods contributes to healthy lifestyle choices. Therefore, subjective knowledge and the objective knowledge deficiencies we identified among corporate consumers can serve as a valuable starting point for informed education to promote PHC policy and healthy lifestyle choices.</div

Confirmatory factor analysis for healthy lifestyle habits.

Confirmatory factor analysis for healthy lifestyle habits.</p

Data.

Unhealthy food choices and consumption, coupled with sedentary lifestyles among consumers, intensify public health concerns regarding the quadruple disease burden, despite Primary Health Care (PHC) policy. However, the current relationship between consumer knowledge about healthy foods and following a healthy lifestyle needs to be explored. Our study, therefore, aimed to determine the association between consumers’ subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and various healthy lifestyle choices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employed consumers (N = 157) from South African corporate settings. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to determine associations between subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and healthy lifestyle choices. Our findings showed that most participants scored high on making healthy lifestyle choices relating to avoiding smoking (69.5%) and limiting drinking alcohol (68.7%) but less so for food and sleep (44.4%) while neglecting exercise, relaxation (13.7%), and choices that require dedicated effort (25.2%). On average, participants had high levels of subjective (mean = 3.59; 5-point Likert scale) knowledge and objective knowledge about healthy foods (88.4−95.9% correct responses). However, their objective knowledge about weight and cholesterol had severe deficiencies (36.7%). SEM confirmed an association between subjective knowledge and most healthy lifestyle choice categories, while income contributed to dedicated effort lifestyle choices. By contrast, objective knowledge did not associate with such choices. Our structural model suggests that subjective knowledge about healthy foods contributes to healthy lifestyle choices. Therefore, subjective knowledge and the objective knowledge deficiencies we identified among corporate consumers can serve as a valuable starting point for informed education to promote PHC policy and healthy lifestyle choices.</div

Descriptives for healthy lifestyle habits.

Unhealthy food choices and consumption, coupled with sedentary lifestyles among consumers, intensify public health concerns regarding the quadruple disease burden, despite Primary Health Care (PHC) policy. However, the current relationship between consumer knowledge about healthy foods and following a healthy lifestyle needs to be explored. Our study, therefore, aimed to determine the association between consumers’ subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and various healthy lifestyle choices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employed consumers (N = 157) from South African corporate settings. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to determine associations between subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and healthy lifestyle choices. Our findings showed that most participants scored high on making healthy lifestyle choices relating to avoiding smoking (69.5%) and limiting drinking alcohol (68.7%) but less so for food and sleep (44.4%) while neglecting exercise, relaxation (13.7%), and choices that require dedicated effort (25.2%). On average, participants had high levels of subjective (mean = 3.59; 5-point Likert scale) knowledge and objective knowledge about healthy foods (88.4−95.9% correct responses). However, their objective knowledge about weight and cholesterol had severe deficiencies (36.7%). SEM confirmed an association between subjective knowledge and most healthy lifestyle choice categories, while income contributed to dedicated effort lifestyle choices. By contrast, objective knowledge did not associate with such choices. Our structural model suggests that subjective knowledge about healthy foods contributes to healthy lifestyle choices. Therefore, subjective knowledge and the objective knowledge deficiencies we identified among corporate consumers can serve as a valuable starting point for informed education to promote PHC policy and healthy lifestyle choices.</div

Descriptives for objective knowledge of healthy foods.

Descriptives for objective knowledge of healthy foods.</p

Spearman’s correlations (<i>r</i>) of income, healthy lifestyle choices and subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods.

Spearman’s correlations (r) of income, healthy lifestyle choices and subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods.</p

Constructs, factors and questionnaire items.

Unhealthy food choices and consumption, coupled with sedentary lifestyles among consumers, intensify public health concerns regarding the quadruple disease burden, despite Primary Health Care (PHC) policy. However, the current relationship between consumer knowledge about healthy foods and following a healthy lifestyle needs to be explored. Our study, therefore, aimed to determine the association between consumers’ subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and various healthy lifestyle choices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employed consumers (N = 157) from South African corporate settings. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to determine associations between subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods and healthy lifestyle choices. Our findings showed that most participants scored high on making healthy lifestyle choices relating to avoiding smoking (69.5%) and limiting drinking alcohol (68.7%) but less so for food and sleep (44.4%) while neglecting exercise, relaxation (13.7%), and choices that require dedicated effort (25.2%). On average, participants had high levels of subjective (mean = 3.59; 5-point Likert scale) knowledge and objective knowledge about healthy foods (88.4−95.9% correct responses). However, their objective knowledge about weight and cholesterol had severe deficiencies (36.7%). SEM confirmed an association between subjective knowledge and most healthy lifestyle choice categories, while income contributed to dedicated effort lifestyle choices. By contrast, objective knowledge did not associate with such choices. Our structural model suggests that subjective knowledge about healthy foods contributes to healthy lifestyle choices. Therefore, subjective knowledge and the objective knowledge deficiencies we identified among corporate consumers can serve as a valuable starting point for informed education to promote PHC policy and healthy lifestyle choices.</div