Independent decision making of adolescents regarding food choice

Abstract

The adolescence period is the stage in the life cycle in which individuals begin to develop independent decision making related to their social environment including their dietary intake. The period is fundamental in the development of longer term eating habits that may be reflected in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the decision‐making process of adolescents and their dietary behaviour in the achievement of a balanced diet and to determine the underlying factors that may affect these choices. To meet this aim, a three phase data collection was utilized. In phase 1, a baseline questionnaire (n = 239) measured factors affecting dietary behaviour and the barriers in the achievement of a balanced diet. Phase two employed and measured respondents’ (n = 235) independent decision making by rating nineteen menu choices which reflected all options of dietary guidelines. This was analyzed through conjoint analysis. In phase three a subsample (n = 55) from the first two phases completed a food map which determined underlying reasons for food decisions and choice behaviour. Results revealed that when adolescents are given free choice they tend to follow an unbalanced diet with some diets raising concerns for their current and future health. Fifty‐seven percent of respondents displayed serious concerns in their dietary choice of which 18% were identified as requiring immediate intervention. The most noticeable factors affecting dietary choice were the desire to eat foods high in fat and carbohydrates and low in fruit and vegetable consumption. Food‐mapping indicated prior knowledge and attitudes had no effect on the choices made but that that behaviour of parents in the preparation of meals at home and peers in the selection of snack choices had the most influence on the unbalanced diet.

The association between beverage consumption pattern and dental problems in Iranian adolescents: a cross sectional study

“…Adolescence has been recognized as an important period of life in terms of food-related behaviors. During this period, adolescents spend more time with their friends and also make many food choices independently [1]. Avoiding healthy meals and consuming unfavorable sugar-containing beverages are frequent behaviors that impair health during this period [2].…”

Dance Is for All: A Social Marketing Intervention with Children and Adolescents to Reduce Prejudice towards Boys Who Dance

“…In the case of adolescents, although with lower expression, the intervention also affected the attitudes towards dance. As expected, adolescents’ intention to join dance activities was significantly improved, but not that of children’s, possibly because adolescents are more independent in their decisions than children [ 1 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. Although it was only statistically significant for three variables in the children’s group and two variables in the adolescents’ group, this result offers a relevant contribution to support the argument of the effectiveness of the SMI.…”

“…In addition to the mentioned influencers of intention, when focusing on children and adolescents, it is important to consider the degree of autonomy to make decisions about a behavior. Parents have more influence on the decision-making process at an earlier age [ 1 , 41 , 42 ], whereas in adolescence, individuals start to win more independence in the decision-making process [ 43 ]. Therefore, the authors predict that:…”

Perception of oral health and medical conditions as possible predictors of oral health status in visually impaired adolescents: a cross‐sectional study

“…Adolescence is the age of experiencing autonomy. Therefore, it is a critical period in which adolescents socialize more and act more independently with respect to their health-related issues [ 21 ] With a common increase in BMI during adolescence [ 22 ], the consumption of junk food and drinks high in sugar increases during this period [ 23 ], especially soft drinks [ 24 , 25 ]. The pattern of beverage intake in Iranian adolescents is not favorable [ 26 ].…”