title: Adolescents' awareness and use of menu labels in eating establishments: results from a focus group study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Menu labelling has been identified as a potential strategy to help individuals make healthier choices when eating out. Although adolescents eat out often, little research involving menu labelling has been conducted with this population. The objectives of the present study were to: (i) gather qualitative information from adolescents regarding use of menu labels when eating out; (ii) gather adolescents' suggestions for optimal ways to design menu labels; and (iii) examine differences between adolescents living in communities of different socio-economic status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative. Five focus groups of five to ten participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Austin, TX, USA, 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one adolescents living in diverse communities recruited using a snowballing technique at public and private recreation centres (twenty-four females; twenty-two African American).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reported that menu labelling, in general, does not influence food selections when eating out. Among participants living in low-income communities, food purchases were based on price, taste and familiarity. Among participants living in high-income areas, food purchases were based on quality and ability to satiate (among boys). According to participants, effective ways to present menu labels are by matching calorie levels with physical activity equivalents or through simple graphics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For adolescents, providing menu labels in their current format may not be an effective strategy to increase healthy food selection. Given that the current menu label format has been set by federal policy in the USA cannot be easily changed, research to determine how this format can be best presented or enhanced so that it can have an impact on all US sub-populations is warranted.
authors.affiliation: 1Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living,University of Texas School of Public Health - Austin Regional Campus,1616 Guadalupe,Suite 6.300,Austin,TX 78701,USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: 1Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living,University of Texas School of Public Health - Austin Regional Campus,1616 Guadalupe,Suite 6.300,Austin,TX 78701,USA.
authors.forename: Samantha R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: 1Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living,University of Texas School of Public Health - Austin Regional Campus,1616 Guadalupe,Suite 6.300,Austin,TX 78701,USA.
authors.forename: Kerry J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Meath
authors.affiliation: 1Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living,University of Texas School of Public Health - Austin Regional Campus,1616 Guadalupe,Suite 6.300,Austin,TX 78701,USA.
authors.forename: Sherman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: 1Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living,University of Texas School of Public Health - Austin Regional Campus,1616 Guadalupe,Suite 6.300,Austin,TX 78701,USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Vandewater
authors.affiliation: 2University of Texas School of Public Health - Houston,Houston,TX,USA.
authors.forename: Roberta B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Ness
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D062408:Breakfast; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004032:Diet; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D015444:Exercise; D057140:Fast Foods; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005515:Food Labeling; D005518:Food Preferences; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D062409:Lunch; D008297:Male; D008612:Menu Planning; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D012147:Restaurants; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Focus group; Menu labelling; Socio-economic status