title: Youth understanding of healthy eating and obesity: a focus group study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the high prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States, we aimed to investigate youth's understanding of obesity and to investigate gaps between their nutritional knowledge, dietary habits, and perceived susceptibility to obesity and its co-morbidities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A marketing firm contracted by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta facilitated a series of focus group discussions (FGD) to test potential concepts and sample ads for the development of an obesity awareness campaign. Data were collected in August and September of 2010 with both overweight and healthy weight 4th-5th grade and 7th-8th grade students. We conducted a secondary analysis of the qualitative FGD transcripts using inductive thematic coding to identify key themes related to youth reports of family eating habits (including food preparation, meal frequency, and eating environment), perceived facilitators and barriers of healthy diet, and knowledge about obesity and its complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Across focus group discussions, mixed attitudes about healthy eating, low perceived risk of being or becoming obese, and limited knowledge about the health consequences of obesity may contribute to the rising prevalence of obesity among youth in Georgia. Most youth were aware that obesity was a problem; yet most overweight youth felt that their weight was healthy and attributed overweight to genetics or slow metabolism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analysis suggests that urban youth in Georgia commonly recognize obesity as a problem, but there is less understanding of the link to lifestyle choices or the connection to future morbidities, suggesting a need for education to connect lifestyle behaviors to development of obesity.
authors: Nutrition and Health Science Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. allison.sylvetsky@nih.gov
authors: Allison C
authors: AC
authors: Sylvetsky
authors: Monique
authors: M
authors: Hennink
authors: Dawn
authors: D
authors: Comeau
authors: Jean A
authors: JA
authors: Welsh
authors: Trisha
authors: T
authors: Hardy
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Matzigkeit
authors: Deanne W
authors: DW
authors: Swan
authors: Stephanie M
authors: SM
authors: Walsh
authors: Miriam B
authors: MB
authors: Vos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D015897:Comorbidity; D032882:Comprehension; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005518:Food Preferences; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D010465:Perception; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior
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