See me, hear me, know me: Perspectives on diet and physical activity influences among teens living in rural Texas communities

Authors: Thompson, Deborah - Debbe; MIRANDA, JULIE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); CALLENDER, CHISHINGA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); DAVE, JAYNA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); APPIAH, GODLOVE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); MUSAAD, SALMA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/29/2023
Publication Date: 11/6/2023
Citation: Thompson, D.J., Miranda, J., Callender, C., Dave, J.M., Appiah, G., Musaad, S.M. 2023. See me, hear me, know me: Perspectives on diet and physical activity influences among teens living in rural Texas communities. Nutrients. 15(21). Article 4695. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15214695.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15214695

Interpretive Summary: Teens in rural communities are at greater risk of obesity than teens in urban areas. Diet and physical activity influence obesity risk. Understanding teen perspectives regarding how living in a rural community influences diet and physical activity behaviors is an important step in the design of interventions for this at-risk group. Interviews with teens revealed they were aware of their role in the lifestyle choices they make, regardless of people or places that made healthy choices challenging. This was driven by their motivation to make healthy choices, which was influenced by perceived benefits derived from making these choices. Both diet and physical activity were influenced by living in a rural community. Teens perceived that it was easy to be physically active in a rural community, while making healthy dietary choices was challenging. This work provides the basis for developing interventions tailored to the needs and expectations of teens living in rural communities.

Technical Abstract: Teens in rural communities are at greater risk of obesity than teens in urban areas. Diet and physical activity influence obesity risk. Understanding their perspectives is an important step in intervention design. This qualitative investigation explored teen perspectives on how living in a rural community influenced their diet and physical activity choices. Forty parent–teen pairs were recruited. Data collection included surveys and telephone interviews. This paper reports teen perspectives identified in the first interview. Thematic analysis was used to code and analyze the data. Findings revealed that the primary factor driving teens' diet and physical activity behaviors was the teens themselves. They clearly understood their role in the choices they made, although they acknowledged not always making the healthiest choice. This belief was driven by their motivation to engage in healthy behaviors, which was influenced by the perceived benefits derived from making healthy choices and from the synergistic relationship between diet and physical activity. Diet and physical activity, in turn, were influenced by the environment, particularly the home, social, and community environments. Family and friends were particularly influential, as well as resource availability. These findings can serve as a foundation for designing interventions tailored to this population.