General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/about/ebr-terms Participants: Employees (n=29, 51.7% women), aged 24-58 years.
Phenomenon of interest:Ability to follow the MedDiet; preferences for goal setting if asked to follow the MedDiet; intervention content.Analysis: Data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Participants perceived that adhering to some MedDiet recommendations would be challenging and highlighted cost, taste and cooking skills as adherence barriers. Behaviour change preferences included a tailored approach to goal-setting, reviewing goal progress via a website/smartphone app and receiving expert feedback via an app/website/text/face-to-face session. Desirable features of an internet-based MedDiet application included recipes, interactivity, nutritional information, shopping tips, cost-saving information and a companion smartphone app. Engaging social support was deemed important to facilitate adherence.
Conclusions and implications:An internet-based, work-place MedDiet intervention should address adherence barriers, utilise a tailored approach to setting and reviewing goals and activate social support to facilitate adherence. These findings provide insights to planning to promote the MedDiet in non-Mediterranean regions.(Abstract word count: 200 words)