Table 1 Themes and data sources
Theme | Related codes from interviews | Related data from observations |
|---|---|---|
1) Behaviours are shaped by someone’s context | Habits / traditions Food motives: - Habit / routine / used to (from the past) - Going along with the social context / someone else chooses | Not directly observed. However, during the collective eating activities, there was limited choice in what to eat, and participants ate whatever was served (going along with the context). |
2) Living alone influences (determinants of) eating behaviour via multiple ways | Food motives: - Price / budget - Easy / quick / saving energy (dishes) - Living alone / feeling alone Social context of a meal Loneliness | From conversations during collective eating activities: - The influence of living alone on life. - Sociability as a reason to attend the collective eating activity. |
3) There is a salient norm that people do not interfere with others’ eating behaviour | First association / interest eating and drinking Food motives: - Because someone else tells me (not) to Paying attention to the behaviour of others / talking with other about eating and drinking (Not) comparing own behaviour with others | From conversations during collective eating activities: - Some older adults did seem to pay attention to others’ eating behaviour during the activity. - The few conversations about eating were superficial, mostly about the foods on the table. - Seeing or hearing about certain foods could raise someone’s interest to try it themselves (e.g. to try a meal service that someone else was talking about). |
4) Older adults make limited use of social support (both formal and informal) for grocery shopping and cooking, except for organised eating activities in the neighbourhood | Informal support with meal preparation Formal support with meal preparation Grocery shopping | Observed while visiting the collective eating activities and the occasions of grocery shopping: - Multiple facilities nearby - Many older adults make use of it From conversations at the weekly market: - The weekly market was not only visited for grocery shopping, also to have a walk outside. |