Food in My Neighborhood: Exploring the Food Environment through Photovoice with Urban, African American Youth

This study adapted Photovoice methodology for younger participants to better understand the perceptions of urban African American youth on their food environments and diets. Youth (n = 17, ages 10–13 years) photographed and described, using novel narrative-based activities, the myriad places they regularly acquired “junk food” from environments saturated with such but differed in their assessments of the availability and desirability of more nutritious alternative foods. Youth often discussed specific foods as well as peers and adults in their lives as either entirely “healthy” or “unhealthy.” This concrete thinking should be considered when designing messaging strategies to improve diets in similar populations. Overall, Photovoice is an engaging and effective method to engage youth in efforts to improve food environments and diets.