What undermines healthy habits with regard to physical activity and food? Voices of adolescents in a disadvantaged community

Linus Jonsson,Christel Larsson,Christina Berg,Peter Korp,Eva-Carin Lindgren

doi:10.1080/17482631.2017.1333901

Linus Jonsson, Christel Larsson + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2017.1333901

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Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to illuminate factors that undermine the healthy habits of adolescents from a multicultural community with low socioeconomic status (S.E.S.) in Sweden with regard to physical activity (P.A.) and food, as stated in their own voices. Adolescents (n = 53, 12–13 y/o) were recruited from one school situated in a multicultural community characterized by low S.E.S. Embracing an interpretive approach, 10 focus-group interviews were conducted to produce data for the study. The focus-group interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in two major themes: (1) the availability of temptations is large, and support from the surroundings is limited; and (2) norms and demands set the agenda. The adolescents’ voices illuminate a profound awareness and the magnitude of tempting screen-based activities as undermining their P.A. and healthy food habits. Moreover, several gender boundaries were highlighted as undermining girls’ P.A. and healthy food habits. The adolescents’ stories illuminated that it is difficult for them, within their environment, to establish healthy habits with regard to P.A. and food. To facilitate the adolescents’ healthy habits, we suggest that support from family, friends, the school, and society at large is essential.

Highlights

Immigrants in Sweden and Europe, those from non-EU countries, are severely disadvantaged socioeconomically when it comes to education, employment opportunities, and earnings (Dustmann & Frattini, 2012)
The analysis resulted in two major themes that included eight categories: (1) the availability of temptations is large, and support from the surrounding environment is limited; and (2) norms and demands set the agenda that illuminates undermining factors concerning the adolescents’ healthy habits with regard to P.A. and food (Table 3)
The categories are described and illustrated below by quotes that are characteristic for each category, using fictitious names, by illustrating if it is a boy (b) or a girl (g) and by indicating from which focus-group interview (e.g., FG1) the quote is retrieved

Summary

Introduction

Immigrants in Sweden and Europe, those from non-EU countries, are severely disadvantaged socioeconomically when it comes to education, employment opportunities, and earnings (Dustmann & Frattini, 2012). Socioeconomic inequalities are apparent in adolescents’ health, and over the past few years, these inequalities have increased (Elgar et al, 2015). Adolescents from families with low socioeconomic status (S.E.S.) report poorer self-rated health and life satisfaction, are less likely to eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, and are less likely to achieve 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (P.A.) a day compared to their more privileged counterparts (WHO, 2016). Adolescent girls tend to engage in less P.A. compared to their male counterparts, whereas adolescent boys report higher consumption of soft drinks and lower intake of fruits compared to girls (WHO, 2016). Some studies have shown interest in adolescents’ perspectives and experiences of what influences their P.A. and dietary intake (e.g., Krølner et al, 2011; Martins, Marques, Sarmento, & Carreiro da Costa, 2015)

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