Effects of a Values Alignment Intervention on the Improvement of Eating Habits and Attitudes in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The increasing prevalence of obesity among adolescents pose a public health concern. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 50-minutes wise intervention based on values alignment that aimed to improve eating habits in adolescents. Additionally, a qualitative approach was employed to explore the perceived barriers and motivations related to reducing the consumption of unhealthy foods. A randomized clinical trial with two parallel groups was conducted, involving 592 adolescents (Mage = 14.31, DT = 0.66; 50.3% female, 46.1% male, 3.6% non-binary). Assessments were carried out at three time points. Hierarchical linear modelling results indicated a short-term, one-week increase in healthy food intake, in the alignment of healthy eating habits with adolescents' values, and an increase in the perceived appeal of healthy eating. However, the intervention did not reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods. Qualitative analysis identified the taste of processed foods, peer influence, and their addictive qualities as the main motivations and obstacles to dietary change. Overall, these results suggest that the intervention temporarily promotes healthier food choices and improves attitudes toward healthy eating; however, it does not effectively reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods.