Motivators of and Barriers to Eating Foods and Snacks Among Adolescents

Adolescents from low-income households and minority groups are disprpportionately affected by obesity compared with their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Engaging in health promoting behaviors such as routinely eating healthy foods and snacks and engaging in physical activity are ways of preventing and reducing obesity and obesity disparities. The major purpose of the present study are (a) to identify the motivators of and barriers to eating healthy foods and snacks among culturally diverse adolescents and (b) to determine if the strengths of endorsement of these motivators and barriers differ by race, gender, and age. In the present study, a series of factor analyses was used to identify the motivators of and barriers to eating healthy foods and snacks among the culturally diverse adolescent participants (N = 172) in the national study. Specifically, an adolescent motivator of eating healthy foods and snacks scale, adolescent barrier to eating healthy foods and snacks scale, and subscales for each of these 2 scales were identified. The adolescent motivator subscales found were Knowledge and Commitment (alpha = .86) and Routine (alpha = .87). The adolescent barrier subscaks found were Lack of Exposure (alpha = .72), Pessimistic Attitude (alpha = .80), and Temptation (alpha = .59). MANOVAs were used to determine if the mean scores for these scales and subscales dyer by race, age, and gender. Nonsignificant differences were found among the mean scores for these scales and subscales. Results have implications for customizing adolescent health promotion interventions, including those to reduce and prevent obesity.