Healthy eating: what does it mean to adolescents?

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate the meanings of "healthy" and "unhealthy" eating and the importance of healthy eating among adolescents. DESIGN Twenty-five structured focus groups were conducted. SUBJECTS These focus groups consisted of 203 adolescent girls and boys enrolled in three senior high schools and one junior high school. VARIABLES MEASURED The variables measured were adolescents' self-report of perceptions of healthy and unhealthy eating and their descriptions of the importance of healthy eating to adolescents. ANALYSIS Data analysis was done by general content coding and specific content coding. RESULTS Adolescents have a significant amount of knowledge regarding healthy foods and believe that healthy eating involves moderation, balance, and variety. Despite this knowledge, they find it difficult to follow healthy eating recommendations and frequently consume foods that they perceive as unhealthy. Barriers to healthy eating include a lack of time, limited availability of healthy foods in schools, and a general lack of concern regarding following healthy eating recommendations. IMPLICATIONS These findings suggest that healthy eating messages based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are reaching adolescents, but interventions are needed that assist adolescents with the translation of this knowledge into healthy behaviors. Interventions should help make healthy eating easy for youth to apply and explain the consequences of unhealthy eating in terms that they value, stressing meaningful short-term benefits.