Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the consumption of fast foods and health of adolescents in Bori town, Khana Local Government Area, Rivers State Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research. A sample of 150 respondents or parents was randomly selected from 15 clusters of Bori town. Furthermore, 2 experts (i.e. 1 Nutritionist and 1 Dietician) validated well-structured instrument titled “Fast Food Risk Assessment Questionnaire” (FFRAQ) with a reliability coefficient (using Cronbach Alpha (ra) method) of 0.813 necessitating its use for data collection analyzed using frequent count and percentage rating. The study revealed that 97% of respondents preferand consume fast foods based on its nutritious, pleasant, convenient, easy to eat, appetizing, andtasty nature. While87% of the respondents attested that the non-spicing of fast food with vegetables makes it unhealthy leading to weight gain, artery pains, heart attack, and other health issues. The study recommends among others that: nutritionists and dieticians encourage the consumption of nutritious, pleasant, appetizing and tasty fast foods especially during school hours. Alongside, parents and caregivers ensuring that they spice fast foods with vegetables which increase the antioxidants, micronutrients and nutrients that will prevent obesity, artery pains, heart attack, and other health issues.
Highlights
IntroductionThe changing lifestyles, work schedules, and school engagements has attracted a corresponding change in the nutritional patterns to suit the seemingly busy and fast living lifestyle especially in urban and semi-urban centers
It is based on the foregoing that this study examines consumption of fast foods and health of adolescents in Bori Town, Khana Local Government Area Rivers State Nigeria
The non-spicing of fast food with Yes vegetables makes it unhealthy leading to weight gain, artery pains, heart attack, obesity as health issues regularly noticed on adolescents consuming fast food
Summary
The changing lifestyles, work schedules, and school engagements has attracted a corresponding change in the nutritional patterns to suit the seemingly busy and fast living lifestyle especially in urban and semi-urban centers. This apparently justifies the emergence and preference of fast food eating as a habit, practice and pattern for the children, adolescents, adults and elderly to effectively meet their total dietary requirement or intake of carbohydrate, protein, micronutrients, and phytochemicals that will enable especially adolescents meet their busy activities and play their assigned roles and responsibilities in the modern society. Caution should be exercised in consuming or eating too much fast food especially those with high saturated fat or cholesterol, sugar, salt, calorie and fiber that predisposes consumers to nutritional diseases like obesity, respiratory disorders, etc. (Obasi, Uchechukwu & Eke-Obia, 2012)
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