Maintenance of changes in food intake and motivation for healthy eating among Norwegian-Pakistani women participating in a culturally adapted intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate maintenance of changes in food intake and motivation for healthy eating at follow-up 2 data collection after a lifestyle intervention among Pakistani immigrant women. DESIGN: A culturally adapted lifestyle intervention, aiming at reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Data collection including FFQ and questions on intentions to change dietary behaviour was completed at baseline, right after the 7 ± 1 month intervention (follow-up 1) and 2-3 years after baseline (follow-up 2). SETTING: Oslo, Norway. SUBJECTS: Pakistani women (n =198), aged 25-60 years, randomized into control and intervention groups. RESULTS: From follow-up 1 to follow-up 2 there was a shift from action to maintenance stages for intention to reduce fat intake (P < 0.001), change type of fat (P = 0.001), increase vegetable intake (P < 0.001) and reduce sugar intake (P = 0.003) in the intervention group. The reduction in intakes of soft drinks with sugar, fruit drinks with sugar and red meats, and the increase in intakes of vegetables and fish from baseline to follow-up 1 were maintained (significant change from baseline) at follow-up 2 in the intervention group. The intake of vegetables was higher (P = 0.019) and the intake of fruit drinks with sugar lower (P = 0.023) in the intervention group compared with the control group at follow-up 2. CONCLUSIONS: The culturally adapted intervention had the potential of affecting intentions to change food behaviour among Pakistani immigrant women long after completion of the intervention and also of leading to long-term maintenance of beneficial changes in diet.