Self-regulation and eating behavior in portuguese children and adolescents: concept mapping methodology. = Auto-regulação e comportamento alimentar em crianças e adolescentes portugueses: metodologia de mapas conceptuais.

The present study analyses self-regulatory perspectives related to healthy eating behaviour. The research aims to examine the ideas that children and adolescents have about their own self-regulation and what aspects are important in order to resist food temptations. This study it is included in a major European research project named TEMPEST http://tempestproject.eu/ . The qualitative method concept mapping was used. To the sample composed by 100 individuals of both genders, aged between 12 and 17 years old, were applied the three stages of concept mapping process. The students belonged to different schools of districts of Leiria and Santarem, in Portugal. Two classes were selected with students between 12 and 14 years old, one with a low socio-economic status and other with a high socio-economic status. At the same time, two other classes were selected with students with ages between 14 and 17 years and with the same socio-economic status features. Socio-economic status was defined according to the type of school and its location. Four main clusters about self-regulation and influences on healthy eating behaviour were formed and discussed. Concept maps analyzed reveal two important aspects of a healthy eating: health-promoting behaviours and avoidance strategies that emerge as contributors. While opposing, both seem to contribute to the achievement and maintenance of a healthy eating. Other factors seem to play an important role: economic level, motivation and search for knowledge. Guidelines to intervention in health promotion were presented. O presente estudo analisa perspectivas de auto-regulacao relacionadas com comportamentos alimentares saudaveis. A investigacao tem como objectivo analisar as ideias que as criancas e os adolescentes tem acerca da sua auto-regulacao e quais os aspectos importantes para resistir a tentacoes alimentares. Este estudo esta incluido num projecto de investigacao Europeu chamado TEMPEST http://tempestproject.eu/ . Foi utilizado o metodo qualitativo de mapas conceptuais. A amostra, composta por 100 individuos de ambos os generos, com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e os 17 anos de idade, foram aplicadas as tres fases do processo de mapa conceptuais. Os estudantes pertenciam a diferentes escolas dos distritos de Leiria e Santarem, em Portugal. Foram seleccionadas duas turmas com alunos com idades entre os 12 e os 14 anos, uma de estatuto socioeconomico baixo e outra de estatuto socioeconomico alto. Tambem foram seleccionadas duas outras turmas, com alunos de idades entre os 14 e os 17 anos, com as mesmas caracteristicas socioeconomicas. O estatuto socioeconomico foi definido atraves da escolha do tipo de escola e a sua localizacao. Foram formados e discutidos quatro clusters principais para a auto-regulacao e o comportamento alimentar saudavel. A analise dos mapas conceptuais releva dois aspectos importantes sobre a alimentacao saudavel: comportamentos de promocao de saude e estrategias de evitamento surgem como facilitadores. Enquanto oposicao, ambos parecem contribuir para a obtencao e manutencao de uma alimentacao saudavel. Outros factores tambem parecem ter um papel importante: nivel economico, motivacao e procura de conhecimento. Sao apresentadas linhas orientadoras para a intervencao na promocao de saude. Keywords / Palavras-chave Self-regulation, Eating behaviour, Children, Adolescents, Concept mapping methodology. Auto-regulacao, Comportamento alimentar, Criancas, Adolescentes, Metodologia de mapas conceptuais.