TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmental factors that impact the eating behaviors of low-income african american adolescents in Baltimore City
AU - Christiansen, Karina M.H.
AU - Qureshi, Farah
AU - Schaible, Alex
AU - Park, Sohyun
AU - Gittelsohn, Joel
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation . The authors are thankful to the young people of Baltimore City who shared their stories, and to community partners in the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, without whom this work could not have been accomplished. The authors would also like to express sincere gratitude to the peer reviewers whose insights greatly improved this article, and to Philip M. E. Garboden for his careful review and helpful edits.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - Objective: To understand environmental factors influencing the food-related habits of low-income urban African American adolescents. Design: Qualitative research was conducted between February and April, 2010, using in-depth interviews, focus groups, and direct observation. Setting: The study was conducted in low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods of Baltimore City. Participants: A total of 20 adolescents were interviewed in 18 in-depth interviews (n = 13) and 2 focus groups (n = 7). Participants were recruited from Baltimore City recreation centers and were eligible if they were African American and aged 10-16 years. Phenomenon of Interest: The food-related habits of low-income, African American, urban adolescents and reported perceptions of their food environments. Analysis: Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for emerging themes. Results: Six thematic categories emerged and were organized into 4 environmental contexts: the neighborhood context (accessibility of food and safety of neighborhood), the school context (school food environment), the family context (family health history, role modeling, and monitoring) and the peer context (peer behaviors). Conclusions and Implications: Future efforts to reduce the obesity epidemic among low-income African American adolescents should address the social environment of the family; however, positive behavior change may not be sustainable without neighborhood or school food environment modifications.
AB - Objective: To understand environmental factors influencing the food-related habits of low-income urban African American adolescents. Design: Qualitative research was conducted between February and April, 2010, using in-depth interviews, focus groups, and direct observation. Setting: The study was conducted in low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods of Baltimore City. Participants: A total of 20 adolescents were interviewed in 18 in-depth interviews (n = 13) and 2 focus groups (n = 7). Participants were recruited from Baltimore City recreation centers and were eligible if they were African American and aged 10-16 years. Phenomenon of Interest: The food-related habits of low-income, African American, urban adolescents and reported perceptions of their food environments. Analysis: Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for emerging themes. Results: Six thematic categories emerged and were organized into 4 environmental contexts: the neighborhood context (accessibility of food and safety of neighborhood), the school context (school food environment), the family context (family health history, role modeling, and monitoring) and the peer context (peer behaviors). Conclusions and Implications: Future efforts to reduce the obesity epidemic among low-income African American adolescents should address the social environment of the family; however, positive behavior change may not be sustainable without neighborhood or school food environment modifications.
KW - African American
KW - Child
KW - Eating behavior
KW - Environment
KW - Overweight
KW - Qualitative research
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jneb.2013.05.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jneb.2013.05.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 23916684
AN - SCOPUS:84887183325
SN - 1499-4046
VL - 45
SP - 652
EP - 660
JO - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
JF - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
IS - 6
ER -