title: Adolescents' Food Choice and the Place of Plant-Based Foods.
abstract: A diet dominated by plant foods, with limited amounts of refined processed foods and animal products conveys substantial health benefits. This study sought to explore adolescents' attitudes and perceptions towards plant-based foods. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with adolescents (age 14-15 years) (n = 29) attending an inner city school in Yorkshire, UK. Using a grounded theory methodology, data analysis provided four main categories and related concepts revolving around adolescents' perspectives on plant-based foods: food choice parameters; perceived drivers and benefits of plant-based foods; environmental food cues; barriers to plant-based food choice. In the emergent grounded theory, a clear disconnect between plant-based foods and the parameters that adolescents use to make food choices, is highlighted. Further, key barriers to adolescents adopting a plant-based diet are differentiated and considered with respect to practice and policy. The analysis offers a framework to remodel and re-present plant-based foods. In this way, it is proposed that a closer connection is possible, with consequent shifts in adolescents' dietary behaviour towards a more plant-based diet and associated health benefits.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health & Wellbeing, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK. h.ensaff@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ensaff
authors.affiliation: Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health & Wellbeing, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK. s.coan@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coan
authors.affiliation: Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health & Wellbeing, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK. p.sahota@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Pinki
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sahota
authors.affiliation: Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health & Wellbeing, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK. d.braybrook@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Braybrook
authors.affiliation: Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health & Wellbeing, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK. h.akter@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Humaira
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akter
authors.affiliation: Health & Wellbeing Service, Leeds City Council, Leeds LS12 1DB, UK. helen.mcleod@leeds.gov.uk.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McLeod
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005518:Food Preferences; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010945:Plants, Edible; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: adolescents; food choice; plant-based foods; qualitative methods