Nutritional behaviour of vulnerable population groups

Investigation of nutritional and living conditions as well as participation chances of vulnerable population groups

Single mothers, older women and men living alone, or people with a migration background: the focus of the research area "Nutritional behaviour of vulnerable population groups" is on those who are exposed to a variety of different stresses and whose options for countering them are limited. As a result, some of those affected are at risk of poverty. The lack of material and social resources in families often has a negative impact on children's nutritional behaviour or nutritional care.

Research on the nutritional behaviour of vulnerable groups must focus on their living conditions and thus on economic, social and cultural factors such as family and income situation, level of education and psychosocial stress. Equally, the focus must be on their nutrition-related socio-cultural participation chances, since vulnerable groups are often excluded from basic areas of social life.

A methodological focus of the research area is to establish access to affected persons and to develop research instruments that are appropriate for the target group.
The results are used, among others, to support transformation processes in the field of nutrition in line with sustainable development together with other research areas of the Department for Nutritional Behaviour (see also "Future-oriented nutritional behaviour").