Understanding young people’s food choices: a qualitative study in Hedmark, Norway

The aim: to develop an in-depth understanding of Norwegian upper high school students’ perceptions of the influences on their food choices, not only in school but in their everyday life. In addition the aim is to understand how food choices and patterns of eating change as young people move from childhood towards young adulthood. Theory: The theoretical framework was based on a socio-ecological model. In addition, the sociological concepts “habitus”, “socialization” and “transition” were used. Methods: This was a qualitative study, involving four focus groups. Sixteen participants from various education programs (health and youth development, building trades, sports and general subjects) from a high school in Hedmark in Norway through purposive sampling were recruited. The participants were aged between16-18: half of them were girls and the other half were boys. Data collection was conducted in spring 2017. An inductive thematic analysis indentified four themes and nine sub-themes which highlighted the influence on and the development of young people’s food choices. Findings: The research identified the following influences on food choices: food preferences, time, knowledge and access, alongside social influences such as parents as role models, participation in food-related decisions, social media and eating as a social activity. A gender pattern was identified among all the social influences on young people’s food choice. As the young people grew older (that is to say, as they made the transition through youth) they tended to make less healthy food choices. At the same time, knowledge and access increased in line with young people’s increased independence and decreased parental control, and gender differences in influences through social media, body image and expectations appeared giving rise to differences in food choices between boys and girls. Conclusion: The findings of this study support earlier studies in that there are differences in influences on young people’s choices from childhood towards young adulthood. However, it adds another deeper layer in understanding food choices in young people by showing the importance of social influences across food choices, highlighting the importance of early development of young people’s food choices within the family and later, eating as an identity and social activity with friends. This study suggests that young people’s diet becomes more unhealthy as they move through youth by social experimentation and “risk” behaviour, increased independence in general (also in food choices) and changes in the environment. It may be a period of unhealthy eating which shifts when young people become more established as an adult. Longitudinal studies could help in understanding this. Also, this study confirmed that food choices are not necessarily – if at all – influenced by knowledge of healthy foods, particularly during youth. The findings in this study, suggest offering healthy food at a reasonable price which is quick to make and in addition, reducing unhealthy food in the areas where young people spend much of their time, seem effective in modifying adolescent’s food choices