Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types
Background: In health education, there is a risk of giving overly prescriptive recommendations, potentially activating conflicting in-group norms that reduce message receptiveness. For example, the notion of ‘unhealthy youth’ is a stereotype which suggests that young people are expected to make unhe...
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Umeå universitet, Institutionen för kost- och måltidsvetenskap
2023
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Online Access: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-212846 https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969231187021 |
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ftumeauniv:oai:DiVA.org:umu-212846 2024-01-14T10:09:27+01:00 Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types Bohm, Ingela Bengs, Carita 2023 application/pdf http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-212846 https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969231187021 eng eng Umeå universitet, Institutionen för kost- och måltidsvetenskap Health Education Journal, 0017-8969, 2023, 82:7, s. 752-765 orcid:0000-0002-9898-7055 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-212846 doi:10.1177/00178969231187021 ISI:001037678700001 Scopus 2-s2.0-85166926437 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Food and health food choice food sociology individualism young people Public Health Global Health Social Medicine and Epidemiology Folkhälsovetenskap global hälsa socialmedicin och epidemiologi Article in journal info:eu-repo/semantics/article text 2023 ftumeauniv https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969231187021 2023-12-20T23:36:33Z Background: In health education, there is a risk of giving overly prescriptive recommendations, potentially activating conflicting in-group norms that reduce message receptiveness. For example, the notion of ‘unhealthy youth’ is a stereotype which suggests that young people are expected to make unhealthy choices. If such in-group norms are activated as part of health education, the will to emulate healthy out-group behaviour may decrease. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore how young people construct different types of eaters in relation to health recommendations. Method: Group interviews were conducted with 31 students aged 10–16 years (from school grades 5 and 8) in northern Sweden and data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The analysis yielded eight ideal eater types: healthy-but-not-too-healthy; obsessively healthy; devil-may-care; destabilised; contextual; powerless; intuitive; and discontented eaters. Participants’ preferred types did not overly regulate their eating, bute intuitively ate what they liked and/or needed in a balanced way. They were also receptive to social and contextual cues without being completely guided by them. Conclusion: Even in the current era of individualism, food retains its social meanings, and young people’s views of healthy eating are shaped by valued social groups. We therefore recommend the promotion of shared individualism as part of health education, where the expression of individual taste is encouraged alongside adherence to group norms. It is also crucial to highlight how healthy and unhealthy foods can coexist as part of a balanced diet. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Sweden Umeå University: Publications (DiVA) Health Education Journal |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Umeå University: Publications (DiVA) |
op_collection_id |
ftumeauniv |
language |
English |
topic |
Food and health food choice food sociology individualism young people Public Health Global Health Social Medicine and Epidemiology Folkhälsovetenskap global hälsa socialmedicin och epidemiologi |
spellingShingle |
Food and health food choice food sociology individualism young people Public Health Global Health Social Medicine and Epidemiology Folkhälsovetenskap global hälsa socialmedicin och epidemiologi Bohm, Ingela Bengs, Carita Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types |
topic_facet |
Food and health food choice food sociology individualism young people Public Health Global Health Social Medicine and Epidemiology Folkhälsovetenskap global hälsa socialmedicin och epidemiologi |
description |
Background: In health education, there is a risk of giving overly prescriptive recommendations, potentially activating conflicting in-group norms that reduce message receptiveness. For example, the notion of ‘unhealthy youth’ is a stereotype which suggests that young people are expected to make unhealthy choices. If such in-group norms are activated as part of health education, the will to emulate healthy out-group behaviour may decrease. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore how young people construct different types of eaters in relation to health recommendations. Method: Group interviews were conducted with 31 students aged 10–16 years (from school grades 5 and 8) in northern Sweden and data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The analysis yielded eight ideal eater types: healthy-but-not-too-healthy; obsessively healthy; devil-may-care; destabilised; contextual; powerless; intuitive; and discontented eaters. Participants’ preferred types did not overly regulate their eating, bute intuitively ate what they liked and/or needed in a balanced way. They were also receptive to social and contextual cues without being completely guided by them. Conclusion: Even in the current era of individualism, food retains its social meanings, and young people’s views of healthy eating are shaped by valued social groups. We therefore recommend the promotion of shared individualism as part of health education, where the expression of individual taste is encouraged alongside adherence to group norms. It is also crucial to highlight how healthy and unhealthy foods can coexist as part of a balanced diet. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bohm, Ingela Bengs, Carita |
author_facet |
Bohm, Ingela Bengs, Carita |
author_sort |
Bohm, Ingela |
title |
Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types |
title_short |
Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types |
title_full |
Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types |
title_fullStr |
Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types |
title_full_unstemmed |
Balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types |
title_sort |
balance, self-efficacy and collective individualism : young people's ideal eater types |
publisher |
Umeå universitet, Institutionen för kost- och måltidsvetenskap |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-212846 https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969231187021 |
genre |
Northern Sweden |
genre_facet |
Northern Sweden |
op_relation |
Health Education Journal, 0017-8969, 2023, 82:7, s. 752-765 orcid:0000-0002-9898-7055 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-212846 doi:10.1177/00178969231187021 ISI:001037678700001 Scopus 2-s2.0-85166926437 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969231187021 |
container_title |
Health Education Journal |
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1788063965746561024 |