More than Fast Food: Development of a Story Map to Compare Adolescent Perceptions and Observations of Their Food Environments and Related Food Behaviors

Authors

Kristin A. Riggsbee, University of TennesseeFollow
Jonathon Riggsbee, Blount County GIS GroupFollow
Melissa J. Vilaro, University of FloridaFollow
Lauren Moret, University of TennesseeFollow
Marsha Spence, University of TennesseeFollow
Elizabeth Anderson Steeves, University of TennesseeFollow
Wenjun Zhou, University of TennesseeFollow
Melissa D. Olfert, West Virginia UniversityFollow
Lisa Franzen-Castle, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Tanya Horacek, Syracuse UniversityFollow
Elizabeth Hall, University of TennesseeFollow
Sarah E. Colby, University of TennesseeFollow

Date of this Version

2018

Citation

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 76

Comments

© 2018 by the authors.

Open access

doi:10.3390/ijerph16010076

Abstract

The purpose of this convergent, multiphase, mixed methods study was to better understand the perceptions of adolescents’ food environments and related food behaviors using grounded visualization and story mapping. Adolescents from one high school (13–16 years) in the southeastern United States were evaluated via data from health behavior surveys (n = 75), school environment maps, focus groups (n = 5 groups), and Photovoice (n = 6) from October 2016 to April 2017. Data from each phase were integrated using grounded visualization and new themes were identified (n = 7). A story map using ArcGIS Online was developed from data integration, depicting the newly identified themes. Participants failed to meet national recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake (2.71 cups). Focus group and Photovoice findings indicated the need for convenience food items in all environments. The story map is an online, interactive dissemination of information, with five maps, embedded quotes from focus groups, narrative passages with data interpretation, pictures to highlight themes, and a comparison of the participants’ food environments. Story mapping and qualitative geographic information systems (GIS) approaches may be useful when depicting adolescent food environments and related food behaviors. Further research is needed when evaluating story maps and how individuals can be trained to create their own maps.