Early adolescents’ independent healthier dietary choices: The role of motivation, autonomy support and availability

Healthy food and drink choices are important for adolescent growth and development. Early adolescence, around ages 10–14, is an important period when young people become more independent in deciding what they eat and drink. In this PhD dissertation, Roselinde van Nee aimed to understand what influences healthier food and drink choices among early adolescents at school and when they are away from home. The research examined individual and environmental factors such as motivation, autonomy support and the availability of healthier options. The findings show that early adolescents are particularly sensitive to their food environment. As they move to secondary school, they tend to make fewer healthy choices independently. This suggests that helping young people eat more healthily should not only focus on educating or motivating them, but also on creating environments where healthier choices are more available.