Abstract: Photovoice is a community-based participatory research method where participants can showcase their life experiences through photography. The objective of this study was to have adolescent girls attending an after-school program use photovoice to represent their perceptions of physical activity practices. Photovoice was used to allow adolescent girls to express their perspectives, through photographs and narratives, of their personal and community strengths and concerns related to their involvement in physical activity. The phenomenological methodology was used as a framework for the study. Qualitative analyses were conducted throughout the research process. Constant comparison was used to analyze the focus group, scrapbook data, and notes recorded by the author to determine key themes and ideas. Participants for the study included 14 girls attending a school in an urban area. Benefits of physical activity as provided by the girls in their personal lives and the community included: understanding activity contributed to wellness, increased social opportunities, and the school as a hub of activities. Personal and community barriers to physical activity included: lack of neighbourhood safety, being involved in other sedentary activities, parental rules restricting outside play, outside conditions, personal choices to not exercise, and a lack of opportunity to exercise. Potential ways to increase physical activity among these participants are to create more group games and activities at the after-school program daily. Involving parents in activities with the girls at home may increase physical activity levels while at home.

Keywords:  Photovoice, physical activity, urban, elementary, girls.

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Abstract: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans serve as a basis for developing federal nutrition education materials for the public, such as MyPlate. MyPlate is a visual cue that uses food groups as a guide to building healthy plates at mealtime. The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with child familiarity with MyPlate guidelines and to determine if typical meals met MyPlate guidelines using food models. A convenience sample of 250 children (aged 7-13 years) and their parent/guardian were recruited at a local science and history museum. Children viewed a picture of the MyPlate icon and were asked to identify the picture. Next, participants used a nine-inch plate to build a typical meal (meals that they would regularly consume) from a buffet of food and beverages models (>65 items to choose from). Research team members took photographs of the plates. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist determined the percentage of plates that met MyPlate guidelines. Eighty-six percent of children recognized the MyPlate icon upon viewing the image; 7.6% could accurately identify the icon by name. When participants were asked to build a typical meal, however, only 3.43% met MyPlate guidelines. The results of this study suggest that despite being familiar with MyPlate, children built typical meals that did not meet MyPlate guidelines.

Keywords:  MyPlate, familiarity, child nutrition, fruit, vegetable.

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