Factors influencing dietary inequalities among adolescents in Madrid and Bilbao: a qualitative research project

Jesús Rivera-Navarro; Ignacio de Loyola González-Salgado; Guadalupe Ramos-Truchero; Leyre Gravina; Julia Díez; Silvia Caballero; Manuel Franco

doi:10.1016/j.gaceta.2023.102325

Factors influencing dietary inequalities among adolescents in Madrid and Bilbao: a qualitative research project

Gac Sanit. 2023 Aug 18:37:102325. doi: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2023.102325. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Jesús Rivera-Navarro¹, Ignacio de Loyola González-Salgado², Guadalupe Ramos-Truchero³, Leyre Gravina⁴, Julia Díez⁵, Silvia Caballero⁶, Manuel Franco⁷

Affiliations

¹ Sociology and Communication Department, Social Sciences Faculty, Salamanca University, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: jrivera@usal.es.
² Sociology Department, Pablo de Olavide University, Sevilla, Spain.
³ Sociology and Social Work Department, Education and Social Work Faculty, Valladolid University, Valladolid, Spain.
⁴ Nursing I Department, Nursing and Medicine Faculty, University of the Basque Country, País Vasco University, Bilbao, Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain.
⁵ Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Alcalá University, Madrid, Spain.
⁶ Nursing I Department, Nursing and Medicine Faculty, University of the Basque Country, País Vasco University, Bilbao, Spain.
⁷ Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Alcalá University, Madrid, Spain; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.

PMID: 37598578
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2023.102325

Abstract

Objective: To describe the design and methodology of a qualitative study to explore the main factors influencing dietary inequalities in adolescents in Madrid and Bilbao, Spain.

Method: The study area included six neighborhoods (three in each city) of different socioeconomic status (SES): low, medium, and high. We sampled 12 secondary schools (six in each city: two per socioeconomic level). Our methodology comprised: 1) developing an ad hoc index to classify all neighborhoods according to their SES; 2) selecting the study area and sample; 3) conducting semi-structured interviews (n=36) and focus groups (n=24). Grounded theory and phenomenological analysis will be employed in data analysis. Initially, we found factors influencing in adolescents' diet such as gender, family environment, and SES.

Conclusions: Systematizing the selection of neighborhoods and secondary schools, along with using appropriate methods, could serve as a foundation for future studies on health inequalities among adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescent; Adolescente; Colegios; Desigualdad social; Entorno social; Investigación cualitativa; Qualitative research; Schools; Social environment; Social inequalities.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Data Analysis
Diet*
Focus Groups
Humans
Qualitative Research
Research Design*