Objective: To investigate adolescents' experiences with the food selection at the sport arena.
Design: Four focus group interviews were conducted with 4-6 participants each. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were coded in NVivo and the analysis was guided by thematic analysis.
Setting: Adolescents from handball and football clubs in Oslo and Viken, Norway, participated in the study.
Participants: A total of nine boys (11-14 years old) and ten girls (11-14 years old) participated in the study.
Results: We identified four main themes: interest for healthy food; experiences with the food selection at the sports arena; factors influencing participants' food choices at the sports arena and expectations related to a healthy food selection at the sports arena. Adolescents across the focus groups experienced the food selection at the sports arena as unhealthy. Price, marketing and availability of unhealthy food were important factors that influenced their food choices at the sports arena. The trainer appeared to motivate the participants to eat healthy.
Conclusions: Participants wished for a healthier food selection at the sports arena. Cost of food emerged as a factor that influenced their food choices. Our study also indicates that marketing of unhealthy food and beverages should be restricted, to influence adolescence food choice towards healthier alternatives.
Keywords: Adolescence; Football; Handball; Healthy food; Qualitative research; Sports arenas.