Listening to the voices of adolescents for the design of strategies to promote healthy eating: an exploratory study in a Latin American country

Objective: To explore adolescents' views about the foods they consume and to identify their ideas about strategies to encourage healthier eating habits. Design: Individual questionnaires based on open-ended questions and group discussions (6-8 participants) were used to address the objectives. Data were analysed using content analysis based on deductive-inductive coding. Setting: Montevideo and its metropolitan area (Uruguay, Latin America). Participants: Totally, 102 adolescents (aged between 11 and 15 years, 52 % female) recruited at two educational institutions. Results: Adolescents reported frequently consuming ultra-processed products and fast food although they were perceived as bad for their health, whereas they reported an infrequent consumption of fruits and vegetables. Multifaceted strategies to promote healthy eating habits emerged from adolescents' accounts, including public awareness campaigns, nutrition education programmes, nutrition label standards and regulations, and changes in food availability and affordability. Conclusions: Results from the present work suggest that co-creation with adolescents may be an effective way to inform the development of strategies to promote healthier eating habits. The strategies suggested by adolescents were mainly focused on behaviour change communication, who emphasised the importance of social media and the involvement of celebrities and influencers. The need for educational and communication strategies to raise awareness of the social and environmental drivers of eating patterns among adolescents was identified.

Automated summary

Adolescents commonly consume unhealthy foods despite recognizing their negative health effects, while also having a low intake of fruits and vegetables. They suggest multifaceted strategies such as public awareness campaigns, nutrition education, nutrition label standards, and changes in food availability to promote healthier eating habits.