Assessing the determinants of food choices among adolescents in India

In India, the rising risk of overweight and obesity among adolescents is a significant public health concern, primarily associated with their frequent consumption of nutrient-poor snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fast foods. Identifying the determinants of their food choices is crucial for developing effective nutrition promotion strategies. This study aimed to identify the determinants of food choices among adolescents in two metro cities in North and South India using a cross-sectional, mixed-methods approach. The study involved adolescents (n = 869) studying in 8 th and 9 th grades from randomly selected government and private schools, utilizing a pre-tested questionnaire and virtual food preference flip cards (quantitative phase), along with in-depth interviews with adolescents, teachers, and parents (n = 11) (qualitative phase). A four-level socio-ecological model was adopted to categorize the determinants associated with adolescent’s food choices. The findings revealed that taste (51%) was the primary determinant driving adolescents to choose outside foods, followed by peer influence (31%) and trendy foods (27%). In-depth interviews further highlighted the impact of social media, parental influence, celebrity endorsements, popular food trends, and marketing incentives such as toys and coupons on adolescents’ food choices. The study provides a springboard for future research into the development of a nutrition-friendly choice architecture to encourage adolescents to make healthy food choices. Public health policy should utilize these determinants to transform the existing food environment of adolescents

Food choice · Food consumption · Health promotion · Healthy food · Incentive · Preference · Public health · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

• Individual and Environmental Influences on Adolescent Eating Behaviors

  Open Access•Mary Story, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer et al.•Journal of the American Dietetic…•2002

  Incluir item

• The Influence of Parental Dietary Behaviors and Practices on Children’s Eating Habits

  Open Access•Lubna Mahmood, Paloma Flores‐Barrantes et al.•Nutrients•2021

  Incluir item

• Nudging consumers towards healthier choices

  Open Access•Tamara Bucher, Clare Collins et al.•British Journal of Nutrition•2016

  Incluir item

• Thematic analysis

  Victoria Clarke, Braun•The Journal of Positive Psychology•2017

  Incluir item

• Parental Food Choices and Engagement in Raising Children’s Awareness of Sustainable Behaviors in Urban Poland

  Open Access•Ewa Halicka, Joanna Kaczorowska et al.•International Journal of…•2021

  Incluir item

• Developing and applying a socio-ecological model to the promotion of healthy eating in the school

  Open Access•Nick Townsend, Charlie Foster•Public Health Nutrition•2013

  Incluir item

• Going global

  Open Access•Nida Shaikh, Nida I Shaikh et al.•Public Health Nutrition•2016

  Incluir item

• Applying the socio-ecological model to understand factors associated with sugar-sweetened beverage behaviours among rural Appalachian adolescents

  Open Access•Brittany A McCormick, Kathleen J Porter et al.•Public Health Nutrition•2021

  Incluir item

• Food Choices in the Context of Globalizing Food Options among Adolescents in Rural Southern India

  Open Access•Rebecca E Jones, Shailaja Patil et al.•Ecology of Food and Nutrition•2022

  Incluir item

• Gender Dynamics in Schooling

  Open Access•Kamlesh Narwana, Sharmila Rathee•Indian Journal of Gender Studies•2019

  Incluir item

• The Family Meal Framework

  Open Access•Georgia Middleton, Rebecca K Golley et al.•Appetite•2022

  Incluir item

• What influences urban Indian secondary school students' food consumption? – A qualitative study

  Open Access•Neha Rathi, Lynn Riddell et al.•Appetite•2016

  Incluir item

• Promoting consumption of fruit in elementary school cafeterias. The effects of slicing apples and oranges

  Open Access•Mark E Swanson, Mark Swanson et al.•Appetite•2009

  Incluir item

• Food in my life

  Open Access•Kora Uhlmann, Helen Ro et al.•Appetite•2023

  Incluir item

• Does exposure to socially endorsed food images on social media influence food intake

  Open Access•Lily Hawkins, Claire Farrow et al.•Appetite•2021

  Incluir item

• Digital Junk

  Becky Freeman, Bridget Kelly et al.•American Journal of Public Health•2014

  Incluir item