Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Healthy Eating and School Lunch Meals among Adolescents: A Qualitative Study

Payán, Denise D.; Sloane, David C.; Illum, Jacqueline; Farris, Tahirah; Lewis, LaVonna B.

doi:10.5993/ajhb.41.5.15

Cited by 34 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Other studies in adolescents have also described balance, variety [ 15 , 16 ], and appropriate portions [ 15 ] as important within a healthy diet. Similar to our findings, fruit and vegetables are generally considered by adolescents as healthy, whilst additional foods perceived as healthy vary [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Unhealthy foods specified in our study (takeaway foods, sugary foods, soft drinks) were similar to those specified by adolescents [ 10 , 15 , 16 , 19 , 21 ] and athletes [ 12 , 22 ] in other studies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The taste of unhealthy food appealed to participants, which has been widely established [ 10 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 20 ]. Male hockey players reported fast foods and sweets as tasting good [ 22 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Male hockey players reported fast foods and sweets as tasting good [ 22 ]. Affordability and convenience are frequently reported by adolescents as determinants of food choice [ 10 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 20 , 27 ]. In this study, participants described themselves as lacking energy after school and training, therefore opting for convenience foods, as well as perceiving less healthy foods to be the cheaper option.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceptions and Determinants of Eating for Health and Performance in High-Level Male Adolescent Rugby Union Players

Stokes

Hughes

Shaw³

et al. 2018

Sports

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Sports nutrition recommendations provide guidance on dietary strategies to optimise sports performance. However, research indicates that young athletes often find it difficult to follow these guidelines in practice. Limited research exists on the determinants that influence adherence to sports nutrition guidelines. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and determinants of eating for health and performance in high-level male adolescent rugby union players. Determinants were explored using semi-structured individual interviews in New Zealand high-level male rugby union players (n = 20, 16–18 years). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then underwent thematic analysis. Perceptions of eating for health and performance included balance and variety, appropriate portions, and specific foods. Both adolescent- and sport-specific determinants influenced the food choices of participants. Determinants relevant to adolescent lifestyles included the influence of significant others such as peers and family but also included the taste, cost, convenience, and availability of food. Sports-specific determinants revolved around the desire to enhance sports performance, motivation to perform, and team culture. The media (mainstream and social media), physical appearance, and feeling good were identified as both adolescent- and sport-specific factors influencing food choice. These findings highlight the importance of having support and positive role modelling to help young athletes make optimal food choices for health and performance. Strategies to further enable healthy eating practices should aim to strengthen the support available to young athletes in the home, school, and sporting environments and should include education on appropriate social media use to inform eating for health and performance.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceptions and Determinants of Eating for Health and Performance in High-Level Male Adolescent Rugby Union Players

Stokes

Hughes

Shaw³

et al. 2018

Sports

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“…Despite knowing the bene ts of eating plant based rather than meat, sensory factors such as taste, the food's appearance and recognition were brought forward as determining factors in their choice of foods. This mirrors previous research where the lack of availability and variety of preferred foods [38] and undesired aesthetics of foods [39] have been identi ed as barriers school food acceptance amongst children.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Barriers and Facilitators to Successful Implementation of Sustainable School Meals: A Qualitative Study of the OPTIMATTM-Intervention

Colombo

Elinder

Patterson

et al. 2021

Preprint

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BackgroundThere is an urgent need to align human diets with goals for environmental sustainability and population health. The OPTIMATTM-intervention study was developed to implement and evaluate a nutritionally adequate and climate-friendly 4-week lunch menu in Swedish primary schools. This study aimed to explore pupils' and kitchen staff’s experiences of the intervention and to identify barriers and facilitators to successful implementation of sustainable school meals.MethodsAn inductive qualitative method was used. Nine focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted, six with pupils in grades 5 (ages 10-11) and 8 (ages 14-15) (n=29) and three with kitchen staff (n=13). Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsFive main categories and 11 subcategories at a manifest level emerged. The five main categories were: 1) Experiences with the new menu, unfolding variations in how the new menu was received and kitchen staff’s experiences of working with it; 2) The meaning of diet sustainability, comprising pupils’ and kitchen staff’s perceptions about diet sustainability as a concept and part of their everyday lives; 3) Factors influencing plant-based food acceptance, covering aspects such as the influence of sensory factors, habits and peer pressure; 4) Opportunities to increase plant-based eating, including factors related to pupils’ and kitchen staff’s ideas for how to increase plant-based food acceptance; and 5) Need for a supportive environment to achieve dietary change, comprising pupils’ and kitchen staff’s thoughts on the importance of more knowledge, resources and involvement of stakeholders to eat more plant-based meals in schools.ConclusionsSuccessful implementation of sustainable school meals would require more knowledge among pupils and kitchen staff. Staff also need more training in cooking of sustainable meals. Barriers among pupils could be tackled by introducing new plant-based meals more gradually and by more carefully considering the seasoning, naming and aesthetics of dishes. An increased leadership support for change and involvement of stakeholders from multiple levels within society will be key in the transition to sustainable school meals at scale.Trial registrationThe trial registration for the OPTIMATTM-intervention may be found at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04168632 Fostering Healthy and Sustainable Diets Through School Meals (OPTIMAT)).

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“…The questions were semi-structured focus groups and interview topic guides (different guides and questions) adapted from those used in previous studies but modified and developed to suit the context of the study (48,49) . Guides were pilot-tested among students and stakeholders for face validity to confirm the feasibility for data collection.…”

Section: Study Design and Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of eating practices and physical activity among Malaysian adolescents in secondary schools: a qualitative study with multi-stakeholders

Mohammadi

Papadaki

et al. 2020

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To conduct formative research using qualitative methods among stakeholders of secondary schools to explore their perceptions, barriers and facilitators related to healthy eating and physical activity (PA) among Malaysian adolescents. Design: A qualitative study involving eight focus groups and twelve in-depth interviews. Focus groups and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data. Setting: Four secondary schools in Perak and Selangor states (two urban and two rural schools) in Malaysia. Participants: Focus groups were conducted with seventy-six adolescents aged 13–14 years, and in-depth interviews were conducted with four headmasters, four PA education teachers and four food canteen operators. Results: Stakeholders thought that adolescents’ misperceptions, limited availability of healthy options, unhealthy food preferences and affordability were important challenges preventing healthy eating at school. Low-quality physical education (PE) classes, limited adolescent participation and teachers’ commitment during lessons were perceived as barriers to adolescents being active at school. Affordability was the main challenge for adolescents from rural schools. Stakeholders perceived that a future school-based intervention should improve the availability and subsidies for healthy foods, provide health education/training for both adolescents and PE teachers, enhance active adolescent participation in PE and develop social support mechanisms to facilitate engagement with PA. Conclusions: These findings provide important insights into developing school-based lifestyle interventions to improve healthy eating and strengthening PA of Malaysian adolescents.

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Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Healthy Eating and School Lunch Meals among Adolescents: A Qualitative Study

Abstract: Our findings suggest the need to measure perceived and actual barriers to healthy eating among adolescents and to examine the effect of these barriers on dietary behavior. We provide programmatic and policy recommendations.

Cited by 34 publications

References 42 publications

Perceptions and Determinants of Eating for Health and Performance in High-Level Male Adolescent Rugby Union Players

Perceptions and Determinants of Eating for Health and Performance in High-Level Male Adolescent Rugby Union Players

Barriers and Facilitators to Successful Implementation of Sustainable School Meals: A Qualitative Study of the OPTIMATTM-Intervention

Perceptions of eating practices and physical activity among Malaysian adolescents in secondary schools: a qualitative study with multi-stakeholders

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