Perceptions of Introducing Brown Rice into the Diet of Iranians in Lenjan County, Isfahan, Iran

Objective: To understand Iranian women’s perceptions of brown rice and to assess their willingness to substitute the commonly consumed white rice for brown rice in their own and family diets. Design: A cross sectional survey was used to examine women’s perceptions of brown rice and assess their willingness to substitute brown rice for white rice in their diets. As part of the study, participants gained knowledge about the health and nutritive benefits of brown rice, tasted different brown rice dishes and given the opportunity to cook it in their own homes following cooking guidance and recipes. Setting: Lenjan County, Isfahan, Iran. Subjects: 106 (n) Iranian women over 18 years living in the Lenjan area who cook and eat rice. Results: The study revealed that most participants (59.4%) had little awareness about brown rice or its nutritive properties and the majority (79.2%) had never tasted it before. It was found that despite frequent consumption of white rice most participants (95%) and their families liked the taste of the brown rice and would cook and eat it on a regularly basis if available locally. Conclusions: The present study suggests that brown rice replacement in the diet of Iranians would be culturally acceptable as participants liked its overall taste and wanted to eat healthy food. A dietary intervention to change the staple rice quality in Iran has the potential to improve population health and have an impact on reducing diet-related diseases