(PO28-09-22) A Study Protocol for the EATing in a GENdered World (EatGen) Study

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Presenting Author(s)

Alysha L. Deslippe, MSc
– Doctoral student, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Co-Author(s)

TC

Tamara R. Cohen, RD, PhD
– Director of Dietetics, Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Disclosure(s):

Alysha L. Deslippe, MSc: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: This study will explore the development of a gender inclusive food literacy program targeting teens. To do this, three objectives will be investigated: 1. Teens’ perception of how social influences (parents, peers and the media), cognitive factors (motivation and self-efficacy), and gender norms influence eating; 2. Consider if social influences become more prominent following the onset of puberty; and 3. Evaluate whether targeting gender specific pressures improves the outcomes of a food literacy programs among teens.

Methods: Twenty structured one-on-one interviews will be used to explore teens’ perspectives of how gender norms, cognitive factors and social influences impact eating (objective 1). Teen participants (13-18 years) will be recruited from a single school in Vancouver (BC, Canada). Data will be used to inform the variables of interest to include in a larger cross-sectional survey for teens from across Canada (n=300). The survey will collect information on teens’ eating practices, Tanner stage of development, self-efficacy, and motivation to further explore the role how social pressures for eating practices may change following puberty (objective 2). Findings from objectives 1 and 2 will guide the development of a 50-hr gender inclusive food literacy tool that aims to improve teens functional, relational and systems competencies (i.e., food literacy skills).

Results: Qualitative results will be analyzed for emerging higher order themes (objective 1). Themes will be described by teens’ self-reported gender and biological sex. Quantitative findings from cross-sectional surveys will be analysed by sex and gender as well using t-tests or chi-squared tests. Differences based on Tanner stage of development will also be considered (objective 2). The food literacy tool will be piloted in 30 teens in a pre-post design (3 months) to investigate if teens’ food literacy skills (i.e., functional, relational and systems competencies) change favorably (objective 3).

Conclusions: Findings from this work will help clarify how gender-based mechanisms influence teens’ eating practices. This knowledge will aid in the development of gender inclusion food literacy programs for teens

Funding Sources: This work is a part of A Deslippe’s doctoral dissertation. Her studies are funded by the University of British Columbia.