Examining Actual and Perceived Healthy Eating and Weight Norms among Adolescents

Misperceptions of healthy eating and peer weight norms have been identified as risk factors for overweight and underweight status among adolescents. Research is based on web based surveys that determine local norms and perceptions of norms.

Research Results

Perkins, Jessica M., H. Wesley Perkins, and David W. Craig. 2018.  “Misperceived Norms and Personal Sugar- Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Students in the United States,” Appetite, 129(1), 82-93 (abstract)



Perkins, Jessica M., H. Wesley Perkins, and David W. Craig. 2015. "Misperception of Peer Weight Norms and Its Association with Overweight and Underweight Status Among Adolescents." Prevention Science, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 70-79. DOI: 10.1007/s11121-0140458-2 (abstract)


Perkins, Jessica M., H. Wesley Perkins, and David W. Craig. 2010. "Misperceptions of Peer Norms as a Risk Factor for Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption among Secondary School Students." Journal of the American Dietetic Association , Vol. 110 (12), pp. 1916-1921. DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.09.008 (publication)


Perkins, Jessica M., Perkins, H. Wesley, and Craig, David W. 2010. "Peer Weight Norm Misperception as a Risk Factor for Being Over- and Underweight Among UK Secondary School Students." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 64, pp. 965-971. DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.106 (abstract and paper)


• "Misperceptions of Weight Norms as a Risk Factor for Overweight and underweight status among Secondary School Students," presented by Jessica Perkins, H. Wesley Perkins and David Craig at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, November 10, 2009. (abstract, handouts)
  
  
• "Assessing Weight Norms, Misperceptions, and Body Mass Index: Comparing the Importance of School Context and Composition Versus Individual Perception" breakout session presented by Jessica Perkins, H. Wesley Perkins, and David W. Craig at the 2008 National Conference on the Social Norms Approach, Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, CA, July 22, 2008 (abstract, slides).
  
  
• "Body Weight and the Effects of Misperceived Norms on Personal Body Image in Adolescence: Results from an Online Assessment Tool for Secondary Schools," breakout session presented by H. Wesley Perkins and David W. Craig at The North American Conference on the Social Norms Approach, Toronto, Ontario, July 15, 2005. (abstract, slides)

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page updated: 1/10/2019