Harnessing adolescent values to motivate healthier eating

Abstract

What can be done to reduce unhealthy eating among adolescents? It was hypothesized that aligning healthy eating with important and widely shared adolescent values would produce the needed motivation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled experiment with eighth graders (total n = 536) evaluated the impact of a treatment that framed healthy eating as consistent with the adolescent values of autonomy from adult control and the pursuit of social justice. Healthy eating was suggested as a way to take a stand against manipulative and unfair practices of the food industry, such as engineering junk food to make it addictive and marketing it to young children. Compared with traditional health education materials or to a non–food-related control, this treatment led eighth graders to see healthy eating as more autonomy-assertive and social justice-oriented behavior and to forgo sugary snacks and drinks in favor of healthier options a day later in an unrelated context. Public health interventions for adolescents may be more effective when they harness the motivational power of that group’s existing strongly held values.

Mere social knowledge impacts children's consumption and categorization of foods

“…Future research is necessary to determine whether messages about a food's popularity influence adolescents’ eating. However, a recent study (Bryan et al., ) points to one kind of social messaging tactic that does appear to be effective in changing adolescents’ behavior in the food domain: Namely, presenting information that appeals to adolescents’ social values (see Yeager et al., in press, for discussion). Future examination of both the messengers and messages that most effectively guide children's and adolescents’ eating behavior across development is an important endeavor.…”

“…Future research is necessary to determine whether messages about a food's popularity influence adolescents' eating. However, a recent study (Bryan et al, 2016) points to one kind of social messaging tactic that does appear to be effective in changing adolescents' behavior in the food domain:…”

Country context, personal values and nutrition trust: Associations with perceptions of beverage healthiness in five countries in the Asia Pacific region

“…This could involve a focus on the self-enhancement properties of healthier drink choices (as opposed to less healthy choices), and the need to maintain health in order to stay fit, have fun and be successful. Another approach, which has demonstrated success with adolescent consumers, could be to expose the manipulative tactics of industry marketing (Bryan et al, 2016). This is likely to appeal to hedonists, as this value is linked to self-direction and a focus on the importance of freedom of choice and expression (Schwartz, 2012).…”

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

“…However, it seems clear that simple rinse-and-repeat messages to eat healthy via pyramids and plates are far from effective. Rather, emerging research shows that when the topic of healthy nutrition and the food environment is presented to youth from as a food justice and power inequity issue, interest is piqued [427]. This may be especially true in youth from SES disadvantaged communities.…”