Social Influences on Adolescents' Snack Purchases

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of peer influences on snack purchases in adolescents. During the session teens will be given a certain amount of money to use to purchase foods and beverages in a hypothetical convenience store setting.

The investigators hypothesize that overweight youth will be less responsive to own-price elasticity for high calorie foods and less likely to show cross price elasticity for low calorie foods when the price of the high calorie for nutrient foods increases. The investigators also predict that overweight youth will show more cross price elasticity for low calorie foods when in the presence of peers; whereas lean youth's food purchases and price sensitivity will not be affected by the presence of peers.