Healthy Eating Behaviors in Urban Native American Youth
Author Information
Author(s): Stefanie A Fila, Chery Smith
Primary Institution: University of Minnesota
Hypothesis
The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) can predict healthy eating behavior in urban Native American youth.
Conclusion
The study found that intention does not directly influence healthy eating behavior, suggesting that other factors are more significant in driving these behaviors.
Supporting Evidence
- Healthy eating behavior was correlated with barriers, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm.
- Boys' eating behavior was most predicted by subjective norm, while girls' eating behavior was most predicted by barriers.
- Programs promoting healthy eating should focus on making healthy foods more appealing to youth.
Takeaway
This study looked at why Native American kids in the city eat the way they do and found that things like family and food availability matter more than just wanting to eat healthy.
Methodology
Participants completed a self-administered survey assessing eating behavior and related constructs of the TPB, along with anthropometric measurements.
Potential Biases
Self-reported eating behavior could introduce inaccuracies.
Limitations
The study only examined a sample of urban Native American youth, which may not represent all urban Native American youth.
Participant Demographics
Participants were 139 urban Native American youth, predominantly from Ojibwe and Lakota tribes, aged 9-18 years.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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