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Reported Motivations for and Locations of Healthy Eating Among Georgia High School Students
Author(s) -
Kumar Gayathri S.,
Bryan Michael,
Bayakly Rana,
Drenzek Cherie,
Merlo Caitlin,
Perry Geraldine S.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12503
Subject(s) - psychology , medical education , gerontology , environmental health , medicine , mathematics education
BACKGROUND Understanding how youth perceive eating healthy foods can inform programs and policies that aim to improve healthy eating. We assessed the reasons for and the most common locations of eating healthy foods among Georgia's (GA) high school (HS) students. METHODS Using the 2013 GA HS Youth Risk Behavior Survey, we examined motivations for and locations of eating healthy foods by sociodemographic characteristics and daily fruit and vegetable intake. Weighted chi‐square tests were used to examine differences in responses for each perception. RESULTS Nineteen percent of GA HS students consumed fruit ≥3 times/day and 11% consumed vegetables ≥3 times/day. The most frequently chosen response to motivations for eating healthy foods was the desire to be healthy (42%), followed by enjoying their taste (18%). The most likely location to eat healthy foods was at home (80%), followed by at school (13%). CONCLUSIONS GA HS students are most motivated to eat healthy foods by the desire to be healthy and their enjoyment of the taste of healthy foods. Incorporating messages that align with students' motivations to eat healthy foods could be considered when developing promotional programs/policies targeting healthy eating.