Abstract
Background: The nutrition transition has commercialized fast foods worldwide despite of the evinced health hazards. This necessitates a scientific appraisal of the factors leading to fast food consumption and its associated Body Mass Index (BMI) status amongst adolescents. Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to assess the pattern of fast food consumption, factors affecting the consumption, and correlate the fast foods intake with the BMI of adolescents (16-19 years). Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a randomly selected sample of 219 adolescents across the gender, pursuing higher secondary education in an urban city of India. A structured questionnaire was administered on understanding consumption pattern and their reasons for consumption of fast foods. Anthropometric measurements included height (cms), weight (kgs) and BMI. Descriptive statistics, spearman correlation, and factor analysis method were used for statistical analysis. Results: 14% and 24% of adolescents consumed fast foods once a day and three to four times a week respectively. Sweets and confectionary, burger, pizza, fried snacks, dairy desserts, and high fat sandwiches consumption showed a positive correlation with BMI (p<0.05). Factor analysis indicated taste and advertising of the fast foods as the most influencing factors which accounted for 17.56% variance followed by 13.62% variance shown by affordable pricing, branding, and easy availability of fast foods. Peer influence and comforts eating showed a variance of 11.38%. Limited time availability and quick service indicated 10.06% whereas ambiance, food product quality showed 8.28% variance correspondingly. Conclusion: The factors recognized make a supplication for nutrition education interventions for adolescents.
Highlights
Fast foods have become an integral part of diets for the millennial youth of India who makes up 19% of the Indian population according to the Census report of India [1].With an increase in disposable incomes and the advent of global food joints inflowing the Indian food market, India today ranks amongst the top ten fast-food per capita expenditure figures suggestive of the changing dietary patterns among adolescents as reported by Mulla et al.[2]
In view of the established excess energy intake and associated weight gain, the present study focused on assessing the factors leading to high consumption of fast foods and correlates the intake with the body mass index of adolescents
Based on the results obtained from the study, it is concluded that the prominent attribute of fast food like taste along with the overall food environment which includes the advertising, branding, marketing, ambience, food quality, affordability provided by the fast food industry are the driving factors for fast food intake among adolescents
Summary
Fast foods have become an integral part of diets for the millennial youth of India who makes up 19% of the Indian population according to the Census report of India [1].With an increase in disposable incomes and the advent of global food joints inflowing the Indian food market, India today ranks amongst the top ten fast-food per capita expenditure figures suggestive of the changing dietary patterns among adolescents as reported by Mulla et al.[2]. World Health Organization defines fast foods as “Foods that can be prepared quickly and and are sold in restaurants and snack bars as a quick meal or to be taken out” [3]. This dietary shift witnessed from traditional eating practices towards modern foods has augmented the consumption of processed foods and ready-to-eat foods especially junk foods. The nutrition transition has commercialized fast foods worldwide despite of the evinced health hazards This necessitates a scientific appraisal of the factors leading to fast food consumption and its associated Body Mass Index (BMI) status amongst adolescents. Conclusion: The factors recognized make a supplication for nutrition education interventions for adolescents
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