A qualitative analysis exploring preferred methods of peer support to encourage adherence to a Mediterranean diet in a Northern European population at high risk of cardiovascular disease

Table 1 Participant Characteristics summarised for each focus group

Focus Group	Number attending	Gender	Geographical Area	Extent of Deprivation by Assembly Area	Mean Age (yrs)	Mean BMI	UE n (%)	Retired n (%)	Mean MDS (SD)	Knew about Med diet n (%)	Would consider making changes to diet n (%)
1	5	Male	West Belfast	76	53.8	35	0 (0)	1(20)	2.8 (1.48)	1 (20)	5 (100)
2	7	Female^a	West Belfast	76	54.7	33^c	4(57)	0 (0)	1.6 (1.81)	2 (29)	6 (86)
3	5	Male^a	West Belfast	76	64.6	31	0 (0)	4 (80)	0.6 (0.55)	0 (0)	5 (100)
4	6	Female	Urban mix	–	72	26	1 (17)	5 (83)	4 (1.41)	4 (67)	6 (100)
5	2	Female	West Belfast	76	56	29^c	1 (50)	0 (0)	3.5 (0.71)	2 (100)	2 (100)
6	5	Female^a	Holywood	3	56.2	26	1 (20)	0 (0)	2.4 (1.14)	2 (40)	5 (100)
7	6	Male	Urban mix	–	65.8	28^c	0 (0)	5 (83)	2.7 (0.52)	5 (83)	6 (100)
8	6	Female	Whiteabbey	59	62.5	30	0 (0)	4 (67)	2.3 (1.97)	4 (67)	5 (83)
9	3	Female	Randalstown^b	5	70.3	28^c	1 (33)	2 (67)	1.3 (1.16)	1 (33)	3 (100)
10	4	Male	Randalstown^b	5	59.3	27	2 (50)	2 (50)	1 (0.82)	0 (0)	4 (100)
11	11	Female^a	Kilcoo^b	7	75.1	25^c	5 (46)	5 (46)	2.3^c (1.42)	1 (10)	9 (82)
12	7	Male	Urban mix	–	64.6	29	0 (0)	4 (57)	2.3^c (1.97)	5 (71)	7 (100)

^aIndicates a previously existing group. ^b Indicates a rural area. ^c Indicates that this data was missing for some participants, the average has been calculated from the incomplete data. UE unemployed, MDS Mediterranean Diet Score out of possible 8 points for high consumption of fish, vegetables, wholegrain, nuts and fruit, moderate consumption of red wine and low consumption of red meat. Extent of deprivation shows the percentage of an area’s population living in the most deprived super output areas in the Northern Ireland [46], therefore higher percentages denote a higher level of deprivation. This could not be calculated for the mixed groups

ISSN: 1471-2458