| This research explored what healthy choices meant to NWT pre-teens. Reports have called for a greater focus to promote healthy lifestyles, prevention of illness, and develop individual responsibility for well-being. If youth are encouraged to make positive lifestyle choices early in life, this may aid in improving their health status as they age and help avoid lifestyle-related diseases.;The Territorial Government business plan (2004) identified an outcome of healthy educated people who contribute and take advantage of life's opportunities. This study, supports current efforts to understand the way healthy choices are made, and approached from a phenomenological perspective, where evidence was derived from stories of participants' life experiences. Stories were captured using photovoice. Sharing of the stories empowered pre-teens to identify what was most important to them about healthy choices and make meaning of the phenomenon. Unexpected outcomes identified opportunities to foster critical thinking skills in learning for preteen environments. |
