Effective preventative programs would ideally improve adolescents’ self-control, which would improve their attitudes towards healthy eating. In addition, teens are more health-conscious than we initially might have thought.

Effective Prevention of Unhealthy Eating in Adolescents

Self-control had both a direct and an indirect effect on healthy eating attitudes. High self-control was positively associated with health motives; teens with higher levels of self-control tended to be more motivated by reasons like their food choices being natural or low-calorie.

Grand Valley State University

There are a variety of motives that play into the dietary choices of adolescents.  Some of these are health motives, self-control, internal motives, and external/social motives.

Adolescents' Attitudes Towards Healthy Eating

Szabo, K., Piko, B. F., & Fitzpatrick, K. M. (2019, August 29). Adolescents’ attitudes towards healthy eating: The role of self-control, motives, and self-risk perception. Appetite. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.104416

Adolescents' attitudes towards healthy eating: The role of self-control, motives, and self-risk perception

Health motives (e.g., “it’s healthy”, “it’s natural”, etc.) had a strong direct positive relationship with healthy eating attitudes; adolescents who were primarily motivated in their eating choices by these motives tended to have healthier eating attitudes.

The Role of Health Motives on Healthy Eating Attitudes in Adolescents

Social/external motives (e.g., affect regulation, social norms/image, visual appeal, etc.) had a direct negative relationship with healthy eating attitudes. Meaning, teens who made eating choices based on these motives were less likely to have healthy eating attitudes. However, individuals with higher levels of self-control were less likely to make eating choices based on social/external motives.

The Role of Social/External Motives on Healthy Eating Attitudes in Adolescents

Self-risk perception played a less prominent role and had a mediating effect. This may be because adolescents tend to think of themselves as invincible. Self-control had a direct negative relationship with self-risk perception. Adolescents with higher self-control felt they were less at risk for negative health outcomes like hypertension, high cholesterol, and obesity.

The Role of Self-Risk Perception on Healthy Eating Attitudes in Adolescents

Internal motives (e.g., need and hunger, pleasure, habits, etc.) did not have a significant relationship in either direction with healthy eating attitudes.

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