The barriers and enablers of healthy eating among young adults

A missing piece of the obesity puzzle: A scoping review

Dados Bibliográficos

ID23314992
AutoresA E Munt (School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Charles Perkins Centre The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia), Alexandra Munt (0000-0002-9049-1821, The University of Sydney), Stephanie R Partridge (0000-0001-5390-3922, The University of Sydney), Margaret Allman‐Farinelli (0000-0002-6478-1374, The University of Sydney, autor correspondente)
Ano2017
Volume18
Fascículo1
Páginas1-17
Data de publicação2017-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoObesity Reviews (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1467-7881 • E-ISSN: 1467-789X
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/obr.12472
PMID27764897
OpenAlexW2537075966
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas70
Referências citadas86

Young adults in Western countries are gaining weight faster than their parents and are more likely to gain weight than any other age cohort. Despite this, investigation into the complex young adults' food choice motives, which enable and prevent healthy eating, has not been widely investigated. A scoping review was conducted involving an extensive literature search of four major electronic databases: Medline, Embase, PsychInfo and CINAHL. Data were collected from 34 articles: study descriptions numerically analysed and key findings thematically analysed. The key barriers found included: male apathy towards diet; unhealthy diet of friends and family; expected consumption of unhealthy foods in certain situations; relative low cost of unhealthy foods; lack of time to plan, shop, prepare and cook healthy foods; lack of facilities to prepare, cook and store healthy foods; widespread presence of unhealthy foods; lack of knowledge and skills to plan, shop, prepare and cook healthy foods; lack of motivation to eat healthily (including risk‐taking behaviour). The key enablers found included: female interest in a healthy diet; healthy diet of friends and family; support/encouragement of friends and family to eat healthy; desire for improved health; desire for weight management; desire for improved self‐esteem; desire for attractiveness to potential partners and others; possessing autonomous motivation to eat healthy and existence and use of self‐regulatory skills. This research provides evidence that can be used to tailor interventions for healthy eating and overweight and obesity in this population. However, government intervention in addressing food access, affordability, marketing and taxation remains essential to any significant change.

CINAHL · Environmental health · Food choice · Intervention (counseling) · Obesity · Overweight · Population · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Weight management · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Gerontology