Heart disease among post-menopausal women: acceptability of functional foods as a preventive measure

This study reports the results of eight focus group interviews with post-menopausal women (50-59 years, N=73) in Denmark and United Kingdom regarding their views on heart disease among women and the potential acceptability of functional foods as a means of prevention. Although, heart disease was recognised as a serious health problem and its occurrence among women recognised, it was predominantly conceived as a health problem affecting men and as being largely due to the relatively unhealthy lifestyles of men. Only a very small minority of participants were aware of the contribution of menopause to heart disease among women. Functional foods were generally not conceived as a means of prevention that is commensurate with the serious character of heart disease. It emerged from ranking tasks that functional foods do not constitute a product category as such. They occupy an anomalous position between 'food' on the one hand and 'medicine' on the other. Participants tend to dislike the idea of a 'personal' food not intended to comprise part of a shared meal in the household, and also tend to distrust health claims promoted by the food industry. This study indicates a need for further research in these areas.