Research suggests that roles may affect women's health promoting behavior. This study was designed to discover, understand and develop hypotheses about the ways in which women's social roles influence their attitudes and beliefs about personal nutrition care. In-depth interviews were conducted with 36 married mothers, both employed and homemakers, at three different life stages. Interviews were analyzed using the constant comparative method of qualitative analysis. These data suggest that social roles influence women's attitudes about personal nutrition care in both positive and negative ways; this influence is modified by women's changing interpretations of their family roles at different life stages. The results have important implications for the prevention of chronic disease among women.