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Predictors of high-energy foods and beverages: a longitudinal study among socio-economically disadvantaged adolescents

Abstract Objective While socio-economically disadvantaged adolescents tend to have poor dietary intakes, some manage to eat healthily. Understanding how some disadvantaged adolescents restrict high-energy foods and beverages may inform initiatives promoting healthier diets among this population. The present investigation aimed to: (i) identify disadvantaged adolescents’ high-energy food and beverage intakes; and (ii) explore cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between intrapersonal, social and environmental factors and disadvantaged adolescents’ high-energy food intakes. Design Longitudinal online surveys were completed at baseline (2004–2005) and follow-up (2006–2007), each comprising a thirty-eight-item FFQ and questions examining intrapersonal, social and environmental factors. Setting Thirty-seven secondary schools in metropolitan and non-metropolitan Victoria, Australia. Subjects Of 1938 adolescents aged 12–15 years participating at both time points, 529 disadvantaged adolescents (whose mothers had low education levels) were included in the present investigation. Results At baseline and follow-up, respectively 32 % and 39 % of adolescents consumed high-energy foods less frequently (≤2 high-energy food meals/week); 61 % and 65 % consumed high-energy beverages less frequently (≤1 time/d). More girls than boys had less frequent high-energy food intakes, and baseline consumption frequency predicted consumption frequency at follow-up. Adolescents with less frequent consumption of high-energy foods and beverages seldom ate fast food for main meals, reported reduced availability of high-energy foods at home and were frequently served vegetables at dinner. Conclusions Nutrition promotion initiatives could help improve disadvantaged adolescents’ eating behaviours by promoting adolescents and their families to replace high-energy meals with nutritious home-prepared meals and decrease home availability of high-energy foods in place of more nutritious foods.