Are Adolescents' Perceptions of Dietary Practices Associated with Their Dietary Behaviors?

Abstract Despite interventions designed to change behavior, many adolescents continue to consume unhealthy foods. Dietary patterns are important for disease prevention, making it necessary to understand the reasons for these poor choices. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2011-11, Vol.111 (11), p.1735-1740
Main Authors: Velazquez, Cayley E., MS, RD, Pasch, Keryn E., PhD, MPH, Ranjit, Nalini, PhD, Mirchandani, Gita, PhD, MPH, Hoelscher, Deanna M., PhD, RD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Attitude to Health
Biological and medical sciences
Diet
Dietary Fats - administration & dosage
Feeding Behavior - psychology
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Health Behavior
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Internal Medicine
Intervention
Male
Nutrition
Nutrition Surveys
Perception
Self Concept
Teenagers
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
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Summary:Abstract Despite interventions designed to change behavior, many adolescents continue to consume unhealthy foods. Dietary patterns are important for disease prevention, making it necessary to understand the reasons for these poor choices. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between perception of dietary practices and dietary behaviors among adolescents. Participants (n=15,283; mean age=15 years; 50.7% female) completed the 2004-2005 Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition survey. Perception of dietary practices included fat content of foods usually eaten and healthiness of usual eating habits. Dietary behavior was measured by self-report of foods eaten the day before survey administration. Composite scores of unhealthy and healthy eating were created. Regression analyses examined whether perception of dietary practices was consistent with actual dietary behavior, controlling for sex, grade, and race/ethnicity, and accounting for the complex sampling design. Higher perceived fat content was associated with increased consumption of unhealthy foods, while higher perceived healthiness of eating was associated with increased consumption of healthy foods. For perceived fat content, the difference in the Healthy Eating Index between extreme categories was 26% ( P
ISSN:0002-8223
2212-2672
1878-3570
2212-2680
DOI:10.1016/j.jada.2011.08.003