‘Have you had your bowl of rice?’: a qualitative study of eating patterns in older Taiwanese adults

Aim. The purpose of this study was to explore the eating patterns of older Taiwanese adults. Background. The number of older adults in Taiwan is increasing and they have been shown to have poor nutritional status. However, little attention has been directed at uncovering eating patterns among this population as part of their aging process. Design. To explore older Taiwanese adults’ eating patterns, a qualitative research design was chosen. Methods. Eating patterns of older Taiwanese adults were explored in narrative interviews conducted from April–June 2007. Of the 156 participants who participated in a larger correlational, cross‐sectional study, 58 agreed to answer one open‐ended question about their eating patterns. All interviews were tape‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results. Analysis of interview data identified three major categories: ‘eating and old age’, ‘eating and faith’ and ‘eating and family harmony’. Subcategories in each major category included ‘achieving good health’, ‘upholding old customs’; ‘depending on God/fate’, ‘enjoying later life’; and ‘following the family eating rules’, ‘self‐sacrificing for the family’, respectively. Conclusions. Older Taiwanese people adopt eating patterns not only for health reasons, but also in keeping with their faith and the need to preserve family harmony. This research supports and contributes to understanding the eating patterns of older adults in Taiwan. Relevance to clinical practice. Disseminating these findings may increase nurses’ awareness of nutrition issues in older adults. Older Taiwanese adults’ eating patterns centred on family values. Nursing intervention programmes, therefore, should address key family members involved in food preparation. Our findings also suggest that older adults followed old customs in their eating practices. Nurses are suggested to acknowledge and respect these customs as special food needs of older adults.