Barriers of healthy eating in a workplace in Iran: A Qualitative study

Introduction: Most people spend a majority of their life at work and typically have a meal during the working day. This present study aimed to provide the deep understanding of the perception of workers of the barriers to healthier food choices in a company.Method: Using a semi-structured question guide, forty semi-structured interviews conducted between ۲۰۱۸ and ۲۰۱۹. Participants were ۳۰ male workers as well as ۱۰ managers and experts who were selected to the current study from an automobile company in Iran. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Constant comparative analysis of the data was conducted with Nvivo۹ software .Results: The main barriers of healthy eating related to three following themes: (i) Unhealthy eating habits that include unhealthy food choices, and inappropriate ways of eating foods; (ii) Exclusive work-oriented organizations which encompassed three subthemes - inefficient management, poor availability to resources and limited educational systems; (iii) Inappropriate organizational norms and values which included two subthemes - unhealthy nutritional demands and expectations.Conclusion: The result may stimulate policy makers for planning workplace interventions and also creating health - oriented environments in the future.

کلیدواژه ها:

employees ، nutritional habits ، eating behaviors ، workers ، barriers ، workplace