Learning Perceptions of Adults at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease Participating in an Online Gardening and Nutrition Program: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Objectives There is evidence that teaching gardening skills to new gardeners may improve a range of health behaviors related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. Little is known about how participation in these programs may influence nutrition knowledge and values. The present study was a qualitative assessment of participant perceptions of learning during a 20-week, 10 session, Zoom-based gardening intervention. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted after the intervention was complete. Participants (n = 26) were asked what they learned about nutrition during the program and how it impacted their nutrition-related attitudes and values. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A codebook was established and data were coded and managed in Nvivo 1.5.2. Once coded, major themes were identified along with illustrative quotes. Results Participants had a mean age of 50 years and were majority white (83%). The following 3 themes emerged from the interviews: 1) Gaining an awareness of how to transform the eating environment: “For me to be reminded of reading nutrition labels on packages, the food plate, and trying to shoot for the goal of fruits and vegetables helped me immensely. I try to take the time to shop for things that are healthy, like grains, a variety of fruits and vegetables, especially whole foods.” 2) Applying gardening and cooking skills to create healthy habits: “I definitely feel confident in my ability to grow a wider variety of vegetables in my garden and know that they're good. Like the kale is something I never grew before. And I was so surprised by how many uses I have for it. And the zucchini, I was able to make it sauteed, baked, grilled… So I definitely incorporate more diverse vegetables.” 3) Transforming experiences that changed values: “I think that I'm only going to use the store to buy frozen fruits and vegetables, and take more initiative to build connections with the farmers in my area. Conclusions Our results suggest that participation in gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention produced a meaningful impact on learning. Participants established a new connection to food and nutrition and felt that they physically transformed their eating environments and acquired new habits. Funding Sources None.