Study reveals multiple barriers to micronutrient-rich diets among vulnerable consumers

Having access to enough food does not necessarily mean having access to a nutritionally adequate diet.

New research among people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage in Italy and Poland has found that multiple barriers—from high food prices and transportation difficulties to limited cooking facilities and culturally unsuitable food provision—can combine to make micronutrient-rich diets harder to achieve.

The qualitative study, led by the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) as part of the EU-funded Zero Hidden Hunger EU project, involved eight focus groups with 68 beneficiaries of charitable organizations in Trieste (Italy) and Olsztyn (Poland), including food assistance recipients, refugees and asylum seekers.

The work is published in the journal Foods.

Participants described economic, physical, time-related, informational, social, cultural and organizational barriers affecting their ability to access and consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals.

These included high prices and competing household expenses, transportation and work constraints, inadequate cooking or storage facilities, limited availability through food assistance, concerns about food quality, culturally incompatible food provision and difficulties accessing professional nutrition guidance.

Many of these barriers did not occur in isolation. Participants expressed preferences for obtaining micronutrients through foods they perceived as fresh, minimally processed, local or culturally appropriate, while affordability and availability could restrict their ability to act on those preferences.

“Socioeconomically disadvantaged people are disproportionately affected by micronutrient deficiencies,” said Dr. Katerina Palascha, senior research manager at EUFIC and lead author of the study. “However, very few studies in Europe have explored the reasons behind this.

“Our findings show that multiple barriers interact to compromise access to and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods, particularly when limited resources restrict people’s ability to act on their preferences for fresh, minimally processed or culturally appropriate foods.”

Different foods, different barriers

The challenges participants described were not the same across all micronutrient-rich foods. Affordability, availability, accessibility and acceptability barriers were reported particularly for foods including fruit, vegetables, fish and meat, suggesting that people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage may face different obstacles depending on the foods needed to build a varied, nutrient-rich diet.

Participants generally preferred obtaining vitamins and minerals from ordinary foods, expressed predominantly negative attitudes toward fortified foods and had mixed views on supplements.

The study found differences between the two research settings. Participants in Italy described challenges related to charitable food assistance, including limited availability, accessibility and low perceived food quality, as well as restricted access to professional advice about micronutrients. In Poland, participants highlighted difficulties accessing affordable, high-quality foods in retail settings and navigating nutrition information.

Refugees face additional obstacles

For refugees and asylum seekers, the research identified additional challenges associated with displacement and their living circumstances.

These included limited financial and food assistance, restrictions on accessing food or cooking facilities in temporary housing, provision of foods that did not match cultural preferences, difficulties navigating unfamiliar health care systems and mental health challenges associated with displacement and experiences of war.

The findings suggest that information campaigns alone are unlikely to address all the barriers identified. The researchers call for context-sensitive responses across areas including food assistance, social protection, public health, organizational food provision and nutrition communication.

The study did not measure participants’ dietary intake or micronutrient status and therefore cannot establish whether individual participants had inadequate nutrient intakes or deficiencies. Instead, it identifies perceived barriers that may increase vulnerability to inadequate micronutrient intake.

Provided by
EUFIC – European Food Information Council

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