PS-C23-10: STUDY TO ASSESS THE TYPE OF MEAL SKIPPED AND CHOICE OF FOOD OUTLET (FOOD OUTSIDE HOME) BY COLLEGE GOING GIRLS

Abstract

Background: Obesity and hypertension are important public health issues. Most of the population does not consume the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It has been shown that after the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, when independency increases, young adults are continuously challenged to make unhealthy food choices. Aim: To assess the type of meal skipped and choice of food outlet (food outside the home) by college-going girls. Material & Method: This study was conducted on 96 college-going girls between the age group of 18–25 years who were selected by a random sampling method. The data was collected with the help of a questionnaire. Results: Results showed that 30% of girls skipped their breakfast while 22% skipped their lunch and 26% were not skipping any of their meals. It was found that 43% of the college-going girls chose to eat food in the canteen during the college hours while 41% chose to eat in the cafeteria/ restaurant. Conclusion: The skipping of meals and consumption of food in food outlets (food outside the home) seem to contribute to reducing the consumption of nutrient dense food because majority of college canteens have few choices of healthy food options. Hence, this can lead to obesity, and the pathway from obesity to hypertension will most likely become one of the major health issues of twenty-first century.