Adolescent- led citizen science data set for sociodemographic characteristics

Adolescents' immediate environments, including their homes, schools, and neighbourhoods, have a significant impact on their behaviour, health and development. Fostering adolescents’ agency and empowerment, can drive environmental and behavioural changes that can lead to improved health outcomes and reduced disparities in current and future generations. To pilot and evaluate the implementation of a “by the people” citizen science method (the Our Voice method), engaging adolescent high school learners in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa in promoting healthy and active lifestyles and environments. Sixty-six high school adolescents of both genders between the ages of 13-18 years old were purposively recruited from 6 high schools in Cape Town, located in places of low or middle/high socioeconomic areas (SEA), as citizen scientists. The citizen scientists and some caregivers were interviewed via telephone. Citizen scientists also used a mobile application to collect data in their immediate environments to identify barriers to healthy eating, physical activity, hygiene, and safety. Data were audio-recorded, downloaded, and transcribed. In facilitated workshops, citizen scientists thematically analysed the data and proffered solutions to the barriers, advocated change, and thereafter implemented relevant health promoting changes Demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements of the adolescents were also collected and descriptively analysed using SPSS. Data set for adolescent citizen scientist data (De-identified sociodemographic characteristics and BMI). Data contains sociodemographic characteristics and weight categorisation of the adolescent citizen scientists.