Exercise and nutrition: what adolescents think is important

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine adolescents' experiences with health promotion, particularly physical activity and eating patterns. Adolescents' reported experiences were triangulated with measures of physical activity and food frequency to assess congruence with goals of Healthy People 2000 (published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Welfare in 1995). Fifteen ethnically and racially diverse adolescents, ages 10 to 18, were interviewed in an adolescent primary care clinic or in their homes. Interviews were transcribed and coded line-by-line for themes apparent in the data. Major themes were compared and contrasted with previous research as a guide for developmentally appropriate health promotion interventions.