Awareness and consumption of indigenous foods for health benefits in Gauteng, South Africa

Rapid urbanization and globalization in South Africa over the past two decades have shifted diets from traditional Indigenous Foods (IFs) to processed, Western-style foods. This study aimed to assess urban South Africans' awareness of the health benefits of IFs and explore the potential for promoting these foods for improved health. A descriptive quantitative survey was conducted in nine Gauteng municipalities with 780 participants aged 18 and older. Respondents completed a questionnaire on their knowledge and consumption of the 18 official South African indigenous foods, including whether health influenced their choices. The most consumed IF was sorghum (20.3%). However, health-related consumption was low for all 18 IFs, with pearl millet (3.33%) and sorghum (2.56%) leading. Half of the respondents (50.5%) rated their knowledge of IFs' health benefits as poor, and 56.1% expressed interest in improving their understanding. Additionally, 59.6% indicated they would increase IF consumption if informed about their health benefits. Sociodemographic factors, including race and household size, influenced awareness and interest, with Black participants showing the highest levels of knowledge and interest (26% and 67.3% of them, respectively). Participants with poor knowledge were 10.7 times (95% CI 5.4-21.1) more likely to seek information than those with excellent knowledge. Those wishing to improve their understanding were 55.3 times (95% CI 17.7-173.3) more likely to increase IF consumption. The study reveals significant knowledge gaps and underscores the need for targeted educational interventions to promote IFs as healthful dietary options. Addressing these gaps could help increase IF consumption, thereby helping to mitigate non-communicable diseases linked to poor dietary choices in Gauteng.