Research Project: Analysing Eating Behaviour Factors in UK Teens

This research project investigates the factors influencing eating behaviour among adolescents in the UK, addressing issues like obesity and eating disorders. It explores various themes including economic, environmental, and personal factors that affect dietary habits. The study employs both qualitative and quantitative research techniques, utilizing thematic and statistical analysis to interpret primary and secondary data. Key findings highlight the significance of economic factors such as price and quality of food, environmental factors like peer influence and family environment, and personal factors including food preferences and body image. The research concludes with recommendations for parents, schools, and government to promote healthier eating habits among teenagers and suggests areas for future research, such as exploring biological factors and the role of media and technology.

RESEARCH
PROJECT
T O A N A L Y S E T H E F A C T O R S I N F L U E N C I N G E A T I N G
B E H A V I O U R I N A D O L E S C E N T P O P U L A T I O N I N T H E U K

INTRODUCTION
• Eating behaviour or habits of adolescent is changing day by day due to the changes in life
style and different other attributes.
• Frequent changes in eating behaviour has positive and negative impact on physical and
mental health of teenagers.
• It is one of the major health issue for UK, So, author wants to determine different factors
which can influence the eating behaviour of teenagers of UK.
• Research process will comprise:
– Introduction
– Literature review
– Research methodology
– Data analysis

RESEARCH PROBLEM AND
RATIONAL
• Issue of the current research is that teenagers of UK is facing
the different issues such as obesity, diabetes, binge eating,
bulimia and anorexia.
• Reason behind this issue is frequently changes in the eating
behaviour and habits of adolescents in UK.
• So, author has decided to conduct current investigation for
determining different factors which play important role in
changing the eating behaviour of adolescents.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES
• Aim:
“To analyse the factors influencing eating behaviour in adolescent
population in the UK.”
• Objective:
– To determine different types of eating behaviour in adolescents in UK.
– To analyse the factors influencing eating behaviour in adolescent
population in UK.
– To recommend appropriate ways to improve eating behaviour in
adolescent population in UK.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the different types of eating
behaviour in adolescents?
2. What are the factors influencing eating
behaviour in adolescent population in UK?
3. What are ways by which eating behaviour in
adolescent population can improve in UK?

METHODS AND PROCESS
• Research philosophy: Positivism
• Research approach: Inductive
• Research design: Descriptive
• Research technique: Qualitative and quantitative
• Data collection: primary and secondary data collection methods
• Sampling: Convenience based sampling
• Data analysis: Thematic and statistical methods

DATA ANALYSIS: THEMATIC ANALYSIS
T H E M E 1 : M A J O R FAC T O R S W H I C H C A N I N F LU E N C E T H E E AT I N G
B E H AV I O U R O F A D O L E S C E N T S
1. What are the major
factors which can
influence the eating
behavior of adolescents?
Frequ
ency
Economic factors 13
Environmental factors 12
Personal or behavioral
factors 15
13
12
15
1. What are the major factors w hich can
influence the eating behavior of adolescents?
Economic factors Environmental factors
Personal or behavioral factors

THEME 2: MAJOR ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT
CAN AFFECT EATING BEHAVIOR OF YOUR
ADOLESCENT CHILD.
2. What are the major economic
factors that can affect eating
behavior of your adolescent child?
Frequen
cy
Price 8
Special offers 8
Quality of food 9
Brand name 7
Used by date/ best before date 8
Price Special offers Quality of
food
Brand name Used by
date/ best
before date
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
8 8
9
7
8
2. What are the major economic factors that
can affect eating behaviour of your adolescent
child?

THEME 3: MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT
CAN AFFECT EATING BEHAVIOUR OF YOUR
ADOLESCENT CHILD.
3. What are the major
environmental factors that can affect
eating behavior of your adolescent
child?
Frequen
cy
Social culture 5
Food trends 6
Fast food 7
Family unit characteristics 6
Parenting practices 5
Home environment 6
Peer norms and influence 5
Social culture
Food trends
Fast food
Family unit characteristics
Parenting practices
Home environment
Peer norms and influence
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
5
6
7
6
5
6
5
3. What are the major environmental factors that can
affect eating behaviour of your adolescent child?

THEME 4: MAJOR PERSONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL
FACTORS THAT CAN AFFECT EATING BEHAVIOUR OF
YOUR ADOLESCENT CHILD.
4. What are the major personal
and behavioral factors that can
affect eating behavior of your
adolescent child?
Freque
ncy
Personal health and growth 7
Emotion and body image 8
Food preference 9
Eating practices 8
Physiologic needs 8
Personal
health and
growth
Emotion and
body image
Food
preference
Eating
practices
Physiologic
needs
7
8
9
8 8
4. What are the major personal and behavioral factors
that can affect eating behaviour of your adolescent
child?

THEME 5: MOST INFLUENCING FACTOR FOR PARENTS AT
THE TIME OF SELECTION OF FOOD FOR THEIR TEENAGE
CHILDREN.
5. When you choose food for your teenage
children, which is the most important factor
that can influence your choice?
Frequency
Quality of food 8
Used by date/ best before date 7
Food trends 5
Family unit characteristics 5
Personal health and growth 8
Eating practices 7
Quality of food
Used by date/ best before date
Food trends
Family unit characteristics
Personal health and growth
Eating practices
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
8
7
5
5
8
7
5. When you choose food for your teenage
children, w hich is the most important factor
that can influence your choice?

THEME 6: MOST CONSIDERED FACTOR BY
ADOLESCENT CHILD AT THE TIME OF SELECTION
OF FOOD ITEMS.
6. What is the most important
factor which is considered by your
teenage child at the time of
selecting food for them self?
Frequen
cy
Special offers 9
Peer norms and influence 8
Emotion and body image 8
Eating practices 7
Physiologic needs 8
Special offers
Peer norms and influence
Emotion and body image
Eating practices
Physiologic needs
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
9
8
8
7
8
6. What is the most important factor which is
considered by your teenage child at the time of selecting
food for them self?

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• Cross tabulation
• Chi Square Test:
– Null hypothesis (H0) = The Categories of “What are the
major factors which can influence the eating behaviour of
adolescents” do no occur with equal probability.
– Alternative hypothesis (Ha) = The Categories of “What are
the major factors which can influence the eating behaviour
of adolescents” occur with equal probability.

CONCLUSION
• Inappropriate or bad eating habits results to create various eating disorders such as diabetes,
obesity, binge eating and many more.
• Bad eating behavior can be improved under proper guidance of the parents and teachers.
• Author evaluates various factors such as social, environmental and economic which influence
the eating behavior of the teenagers.
• Age, income and race also affects the eating habits of the adolescents. Families having high
income like to take quality food.
• Personal factors includes the attitude, beliefs, taste, and food preferences.
• Economic factor consists of cost, brand, quality of food , etc.
• Families, friends, fast food outlets and many more influence the eating behavior of the
adolescents.

RECOMMENDATIONS
• Proper education should be given to the children regarding the quality and
type of the food items for helping them in selecting nutritious food.
• Parents needs to use quality of food items while preparing meals for their
children
• Schools and other serving organisations should limits the soft drinks,
candies, snacks, etc by developing appropriate policies
• Government needs to stop building food stores or restaurants nearby the
schools and colleges of the adolescents.
• Schools should guide parents to eat food with the teenagers for improving
their eating habits
• Adolescents should learn to cook simple and easy nutritious food from their
parents.

AREA OF FUTURE RESEARCH
• Author can conduct the same research for any other country instead of UK.
• Research can be take place on the impacts of the eating behaviour of the
teenagers
• This study of eating behaviour is for the teenagers. Investigator can
conduct it for the adults, children and elders.
• Investigator can also explain biological factors for influencing the eating
habits.
• This research can be expanded by adding the role of teachers, friends,
advertisements, technologies, etc in the eating habits of the teenagers.
• Researcher can also explain the symptoms, treatments and impacts of the
various eating disorders.

REFERENCES
• Jessor, R., 2013. Problem behavior theory. The Developmental Science of Adolescence: History
Through Autobiography.
• Bulik, C.M. and et.al., 2014. The relation between eating disorders and components of
perfectionism. American Journal of Psychiatry.
• Kaplan, A.S. and Garfinkel, P.E. eds., 2013. Medical issues and the eating disorders: The interface.
Routledge.
• Covey, S., 2011. The 7 habits of highly effective teens. Simon and Schuster.
• van’t Riet, J. and et.al., 2011. The importance of habits in eating behaviour. An overview and
recommendations for future research. Appetite. 57(3). pp.585-596.
• Benowitz-Fredericks, C.A. and et.al., 2012. Body image, eating disorders, and the relationship to
adolescent media use. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 59(3). pp.693-704.
• Strasburger, V.C., 2011. Children, adolescents, obesity, and the media.Pediatrics. 128(1). pp.201-208.

THANK YOU