A Study Protocol for the EATing in a GENdered World (EatGen) Study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives This study will explore the development of a gender inclusive food literacy program targeting teens. To do this, three objectives will be investigated: 1. Teens’ perception of how social influences (parents, peers and the media), cognitive factors (motivation and self-efficacy), and gender norms influence eating; 2. Consider if social influences become more prominent following the onset of puberty; and 3. Evaluate whether targeting gender specific pressures improves the outcomes of a food literacy programs among teens. Methods Twenty structured one-on-one interviews will be used to explore teens’ perspectives of how gender norms, cognitive factors and social influences impact eating (objective 1). Teen participants (13–18 years) will be recruited from a single school in Vancouver (BC, Canada). Data will be used to inform the variables of interest to include in a larger cross-sectional survey for teens from across Canada (n = 300). The survey will collect information on teens’ eating practices, Tanner stage of development, self-efficacy, and motivation to further explore the role how social pressures for eating practices may change following puberty (objective 2). Findings from objectives 1 and 2 will guide the development of a 50-hr gender inclusive food literacy tool that aims to improve teens functional, relational and systems competencies (i.e., food literacy skills). Results Qualitative results will be analyzed for emerging higher order themes (objective 1). Themes will be described by teens’ self-reported gender and biological sex. Quantitative findings from cross-sectional surveys will be analysed by sex and gender as well using t-tests or chi-squared tests. Differences based on Tanner stage of development will also be considered (objective 2). The food literacy tool will be piloted in 30 teens in a pre-post design (3 months) to investigate if teens’ food literacy skills (i.e., functional, relational and systems competencies) change favorably (objective 3). Conclusions Findings from this work will help clarify how gender-based mechanisms influence teens’ eating practices. This knowledge will aid in the development of gender inclusion food literacy programs for teens Funding Sources This work is a part of A Deslippe's doctoral dissertation. Her studies are funded by the University of British Columbia.