| The incidence of obesity among adolescents has increased over the past 30 years leading to an increase in chronic disease, such as type 2 diabetes, in this age group. Food choice is a part of the weight management equation. The purpose of this study was to explore, describe, and understand factors that influence adolescent food choice decisions, in particular consumption of fruits and vegetables, to give insight into adolescents' decision-making process and to influence changes to school curriculum and health promotion programs. The results of this study were analyzed within the framework of cognitive development theories by Bandura, Erikson, Kohlberg, and Piaget. A qualitative, exploratory study design was employed using a random, purposeful sample of 32 adolescents, from 4 different ethnic groups, in Grades 9 through 12 at a high school in California. Individual interviews were conducted using guiding questions. Emergent themes were extracted and categorized from interview data into a hierarchy of internal and external factors that influence adolescent food choice. The most influential external factors identified by the participants were family, especially the female head of household, and availability of food when they were hungry. Adolescent decision making and food choice was not influenced by ethnicity, age, grade level, or GPA. Family, availability, taste, and friends were influences on food choice decisions. This study may lead to positive social change by providing guidance to health education curriculum developers in creating nutrition curriculum for the Health Science 1 class at this high school, a useful model to encourage more healthy food choices in the school cafeteria, as well as incentives for more nutrition education in other high schools in the local school district. |
