Cultural Norm and Picky Eating: Food Environment and Purchases of the B40 in PPR Lembah Subang, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Keywords:
Stunting, cultural norm, picky eating, urban poorAbstract
Addressing child malnutrition in Malaysian bottom 40 (B40) communities requires understanding the in-home dynamics. This qualitative case study explores how cultural norms and children's picky eating influence food environment and purchases among 29 residents in PPR Lembah Subang. Bridging a research gap, findings reveal that parents navigate a complex tension: while aspiring to cultural and nutritional ideals, financial constraints and children's refusal of certain foods often compel them to purchase less healthy, yet accepted, items. This illuminates the practical trade-offs families make, offering vital insights for designing culturally sensitive interventions to improve child nutrition in urban poor contexts.
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