Consumption of Junk Food and its Health Effect on School Students

The main objective of this research paper was to find out the situation and causes of junk food and its impact on health of students in a secondary school of Banke district. The study was descriptive and its nature was quantitative. There are three public schools in Baijanath Gaupalica ward no. 5. Among these public schools Prabhat Secondary School was select by using convenience sampling method. There are 250 students studying in class 8, 9 and 10. Among them 75 students (30 percent) were selected by using simple random sampling method. Interview schedule was the main tool for data collection. The study also found that 53.33 percent of the respondents used Junk foods because junk foods are ready made foods where as 20 percent of the respondents said junk foods save time. Majority (61.33 percent) of the respondents often used junk foods where as 66.67 percent got junk foods from local shops and 14.67 percent used junk foods at home. Most (93.33 percent) of the respondents used junk foods outside school where as 73.33 percent bought junk foods themselves and 100 percent said that the junk foods are available near their school. The study concluded that the students in the study area had the habit of using junk foods and they also had the impacts due to the use of junk foods. It is recommended that different programs should be conducted by different government and non-government organizations to impart knowledge on the advantage and disadvantage of junk foods to the school children.

• Food containing high levels of calories from sugar or fat with little proteins, vitamins or minerals is known as junk food. Use of the term implies that a particular food has little nutritional value and contains excessive fat, sugar, salt, and calories. Junk food can also refer to high protein food like meat prepared with saturated fat which some believe may be unhealthy many hamburger outlets, fried chicken outlets and like supply food is considered as junk food. Unfortunately, today’s world has been adapted to a system of consumption of foods which has several adverse effects on health. Eating habits and forced many people to consume fancy and high calorie fast food, popularly known as Junk foods [1]. Junk food have poor nutritional quality as they don’t provide any protein, vitamins and minerals but only supply empty calories to our bodies. Thus, the excessive consumption of fast foods can lead to many nutritional deficiency diseases and can also result in obesity of life threatening condition. Regarding the opinion of respondents about nutritional values of fast foods, some of them agreed that they have poor nutritional standard while a majority disagreed to this [2]. There is a growing concern among policymakers and educators that junk food availability in schools is a significant contributor to the childhood obesity epidemic. Between 2003 and 2005, approximately 200 piece of legislation were introduced in US state legislatures to establish nutritional standards in schools or to address the availability of specific food items during school hours through any of the venues. These items included candy, high-fat salty snacks, low-fat salty snacks, high-fat baked goods, low-fat baked goods, ice-cream, milk, fruits/vegetables, bottled water, 100 percent juice, and soda pop or other beverages that are not 100 percent juice. The child food consumption questionnaire asked if sweets, salty snacks, and sweetened beverages could be purchased at the school during school hours. Based on these questions we constructed three alternate measures of competitive food availability in the school [3]. There are some 1.2 billion youths between 10-19 years of age or about 19 percent of the total global population. Adolescents go through intense physical, psychological, and cognitive development. Adolescents gain up to 50 percent of the adult weight, 50 percent of the adult’s skeletal mass and more than 20 percent of their adult weight. This growth needs maximum calorie and protein. Students attending schools in different socio-economic areas in Cape Town, South Africa revealed the result that 77.8 percent of the students have breakfast before school and 79.7 percent after school. Students, who attended schools of high socio-economic status, were twice as likely to bring unhealthy foods to school (FAO, 2014). In Nepal, most of the times these junk foods contains items that are laced with colours those are non-edible, carcinogenic and harmful to body. These foods and their colours can affect the digestive system, and others effects of it emerging after many years. The consumption of refined and processed food products lowers the nutritional status. General Tiffin items are puris, pakodas, samosa and other food items that are very high in trans-fat content. Especially, children and adolescents who have to eat their breakfast and Tiffin outside house are more exposed to having these food items. Hence, Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to pour diets as they can slow the growth, decay new teeth, promote obesity, and sow the seed of non-communicable disease [4].

  Statement of the problem

  Junk food contributes to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, weight gain, and many other chronic health conditions. Also consumers tend to eat too much at one sitting and consumers who have satisfied their appetite with junk food are less likely to eat healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, or dairy products. Junk foods consumption alters brain activity in a manner similar to addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin. After many weeks with unlimited access to junk foods, the pleasure centres of rat brains became desensitized, requiring more food for pleasure; after the junk food was taken away and replaced with a healthy diet, the rats starved for two weeks instead of eating nutritious fare.

  Objective of the study

  The main objective of this study is to find out the consumption of junk foods and its health effect on school students. However, the specific objectives of this study area are as follows:

  • To assess the demographic and socio-economic status of the parents;
  • To find out the situation and causes of junk food consumption by the respondents;
  • To identify the effect of junk food on the health of the respondents.
• 
  

Review of literature and research gap

Stated that the advertising media plays an active part in shaping children’s perception of the world, and their behaviour by cultivating acceptance of the beliefs, values and attitudes that it portrays at a broad cultural level; by social learning, whereby children come to learn which attitudes and behaviours are accepted and rewarded; and by its impact on the formation, development and maintenance of cognitive scripts for how to behave in a variety of circumstances [5]. Stated that junk food containing low nutritional value and high calories, sugar and fat, which of then lead to many life – threatening ailments. Junk foods typically contain high levels of calories from sugar or fat with little protein, vitamins or minerals. Food commonly considered junk foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried junk food and sugary carbonated beverage. Many foods such as hamburger, Pizza and tacos can be considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and preparation method with the more highly processed items usually falling under the junk food category. Mentioned that junk food simply means an empty calorie food [1]. An empty calorie food is a high calorie or calorie rich food which lacks in micro – nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, or amino acids, and fibre but has high energy. These foods don’t contain the nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. Stated that though junk food at school may pose a health risk to some students susceptible to obesity [6]. Gorman further pointed out that the substitute foods allowed by official policies banning junk food and soda often allow products like fruit juice that contain just as many calories. He recommended that officials should consider a change in school food policies weigh the health costs borne by the fraction of students susceptible to obesity against the benefit conferred by the programs funded by in – school junk food sales. B.C. (2014) conducted a study on “use of fast food and its impact on health among adolescent students in surkhet district” The major objectives in her study was to find out the use of fast food and its impact on health among Adolescent students. She was selected Sample Population by using purposive sampling method. Interview schedule or questionnaire was the tools in her study. the major finding of this study was majority (66.98 percent) of the respondents had felt impact of fast food on their health where as 71.83 percent had felt physical health problems and 41.18 percent had faced teeth problems . Higher proportion (35.21 percent) of the respondents had glandular problems36.36 percent had faced abdominal pain and 30 percent had increment in the number of their friends. Most (88.73 percent ) of the respondents had consulted about the problems cause due to the use of fast foods whereas 23.81 percent had consulted with their family and 79.25 percent had the habit of using fast food. Conducted a study on “Trend of fast food consumption and its effect on Pakistani Society” [7]. The researchers worked on fast food and find out the origin, effects and consequences of junk food. The aspects having impact on customers food choices are, attraction for eating out, socialization, urbanization, globalization, taste for college and university students, expediency for dual – income families, and numerous other. Researchers also evaluated that about one – third population consume fast food [8,9].

Design and method of the study

This study will follow descriptive type of research design and its nature will be quantitative survey method.

Population, sample and sample strategy

All of the 8, 9 and 10 class students who were studying in Prabhat secondary school were the population of the study. There were three public schools in Baijanath Gaupalika ward no. 5. Among these public schools Prabhat Secondary School were selected by using convenience sampling method. There were 250 students studying in class 8, 9 and 10. Among them 75 students (30 percent) were selected by using simple random sampling method.

Study areas/ field

The study area is Prabhat Secondary School Baijnath gaupalika (ward: - 5) of Banke district. It is one of the Gaupalika of the Mid- western Development region of Nepal. The Study area lies in the western part of this region from Kohalpur. The selected school name is Prabhat Secondary school, located in Araniko Nagar G guan, Banke. The school established 2024 B.S. Khum Lal Sharma (Poudel) is the Head master of this school. There are 853 Students studying in Prabhat Secondary school. 496 students are girls and 357 students ary Boys. There are total thirty staffs in Prabhat Secondary School. There are seven building in this school and thirty four rooms. There are one Sarswoti temple, huge playground, one Science lab room, one computer room, one library room, one staff room and one office room in Prabhat secondary school.

Data collection tools and techniques

The structured interview schedule was the tool for data collection. It was divided in to three parts. The first part of the interview schedule was related to the Socio – economic status of the respondents, the second part of the interview schedule contained attraction and consumption of junk food by the respondents and the third part contained the effects of junk food on health of the children in the study area.

Data collection procedures

First of all, a letter from the Department of Health Education, Mahendra Multiple Campus was taken for data collection. Then, the researcher visited the Prabhat Secondary School of Baijnath gaupalika (ward: - 5), Banke district. The researcher visited the principle of selected school and explain the purpose of the study. Then, the researcher selected the respondents and introduce them the purpose of the study and request them for help and established a good relationship with the respondents. Lastly, the researcher thanked the respondents, the head teachers and others for their help and co – operation.

Socio– demographic profile

This section deals with the socio-demographic profile of the respondents which included age, sex, caste, religion, type of family, educational and occupational status of parents and monthly income of the family which are described as follows:

Age

Age is a period of human life, measured by years from birth, usually marked by a certain stage or mental or physical development and involving legal responsibility and capacity. The age of respondents in the study area was categorized into four groups which are shown in table 1. Table 1 shows that among the respondents ,66.67 percent were 13-15 years of age and 33.33 percent of the respondents were 16 years and above .CBS (2011) shows that the percentage of population of age 0-14, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, and 65 years and over in Nepal is 31.6, 22.6, 35.7and 5.6 respectively. Comparing this national data with the data of the study, the percentage of population of 13-15 years higher in the study area than the national data. It can be concluded that most of the respondents were mostly 13-15 years and above of age.

Table 1: Age Composition.

S.N.	Age	No                     of Respondents	Percentage
1	13-15 Years	50	66.67
2	16 Years	25	33.33
Total		75	100.00

Sex

Sex is defined as either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male especially on the basis of their reproductive organs and structures. The sex composition of the respondents in the study area is shown in table 2. Table 2 show that (45.34 percent) of the respondents were males whereas 54.66 percent of the respondents were females in the study area. According to CBS (2011), the population of in Nepal is 2,64,94,504 which comprises of 1,28,49,041 (48.49 percent) males and 1,36,45,463 (51.51 percent) females . In Nepal, the population of females is more than the males but in the study area, it was found that the population of females is more than the male.

Table 2: Sex Composition.

S.N.	Sex	No. of Respondents	Percentage
1	Males	34	45.34
2	Females	41	54.66
Total		75	100.00

Religion
Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, dogmas and practice that define the relations between human being and sacred or divinity .A given religion is define by specific elements of a community of believers: dogmas, sacred books, rites, worship, sacrament, moral prescription and organization .The majority of religions have developed starting from a revelation based on the exemplary history of a nation, of a prophet or a wise man who taught an ideal of life. In the study area, there were respondents of only two religions: Hinduism and Christianity. The religious status of the residents in the study area is shown in table 3. Table 3 depicts that among the respondents most (94.66 percent) were Hindus whereas 5. 34 percent were Christians. CBS (2011) shows that most of the people in Nepal are Hindus. According to CBS, the population of Hindus is 81.3 and Christians is 1.4 percent .Comparing this with the data of the study area, the population of Hindu is higher whereas that of Christian is lower in the study area than the national data.

Table 3: Religious Status.

S.N.	Religion	No. of Respondents	Percentage
1	Hindu	71	94.66
2	Christian	4	5.34
Total		75	100.00

Caste

Caste is defined as each of the hereditary classes of Hindu society, distinguished by relative degrees of ritual purity or pollution and of social status. It is any class or group of people who inherit exclusive privileges or are perceived as socially distinct. The caste composition of the respondents of the study area is shown in table 4.

Table 4: Caste composition.

S.N.	Castes	No. of Respondents	Percentage
1	Brahman	5	6.67
2	Chhetri	30	40
3	Janjati	28	37.33
4	Dalit	12	16
Total		75	100.00

Table 4 show that in the study area, 6.67 percent of the respondents were Brahamans, 40 percent were Chhetris, 37.33 percent were janajati and 16 percent were Dalits. According to CBS (2011), the population of Brahman, Chhetri, Dalit and Janajati in Nepal is 12.2, 16.6, 13 and 35.81 percent respectively. In the study area, the population of Brahaman, Chhetri and Dalit was higher but that of janajati was lower than the national data. It can be concluded that majority of the respondents were Chhetris in the study area.

Type of family

Family is a group of two or more people that are related by blood, marriage, adoption, step or fostering, and who usually live together in the same household. There are mainly two types of families prevalent in our country .The type of family of the respondents in the study area is shown in table 5.

Table 5: Type of Family.

S.N.	Type            of Family	No. of Respondents	Percentage
1	Nuclear	50	66.67
2	Joint	25	33.33
Total		75	100.00

According to the above table (66.67percent) of the respondents belonged to nuclear families whereas 33.33 percent of the respondents were from joint families.

CBS (2011), shows that, in Nepal, traditional nuclear families are dominant .the average size of a family in Nepal is 4.7. It can be concluded that most of the families in Nepal are nuclear as most of the families have 4-5 members. From this data, it can be concluded that most of the respondents belonged to nuclear families which is similar to the national trend.

Educational status

Education is the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. It is the process of learning of knowledge. The educational status of the parents of the respondents in the study area is described below:

Educational status of father

The education status of the father of the respondents is shown in table 6. Table 6 shows that the father of 13.33 percent of the respondents were illiterate whereas 86.67 percent of the respondent’s fathers were literate in the study area. Among the literate, the fathers of 55.39 percent of the respondents were primary level educated whereas 41.54 percent of the respondents fathers were secondary level education and 3.08 percent of the respondents were higher education. According to CBS (2011), the male literacy rate of Nepal is 75.1 percent whereas the literacy rate of males (fathers) in the study area was 86.67 percent which was higher than the national literacy rate of males.

Table 6: Educational Status of Fathers.

S.N.	Description	No. of Respondents	Percentage
1	Illiterate	10	13.33
2	Literate	65	86.67
Total		75	100.00
Qualification
1	Primary	36	55.39
2	Secondary	27	41.54
3	Higher Education	2	3.08
Total		65	100.00

Table 7: Qualification of Fathers.

Qualification
1	Primary	36	55.39
2	Secondary	27	41.54
3	Higher Education	2	3.08
Total		65	100.00

Education status of mothers

The educational status of mothers of the respondents in the study area is shown in Table 7. Above table presents that the mothers of higher proportion (38.67percent) of the respondents were illiterate whereas majority (61.33 percent) of the respondents mothers were literate in the study area. Among the literate, the mother of 76.08 percent of the respondents were primary level educated whereas the mothers of 19.57 percent of the respondents were secondary level educated and the mothers of 4.35 percent of the respondents were higher education. According to CBS (2011), the female literacy rate of Nepal is 57.4 percent .in the study area, the female literacy rate is 61.33 percent which is higher than the national data of female literacy.

Monthly family income

Income is the amount of money earned for a work or deed which is completed in a certain period of time. Income is counted in rupees. The monthly family income of the respondents in the study area is shown in table 8. Table 8 shows that the monthly family income of 40 percent of the respondents was below Rs.5,000 whereas the income of the family of 33.34 percent of the respondents was Rs.5,000 to 10,000 per months. Likewise, the monthly income of the family of 17.33 percent of the respondents was Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000. Finally, the monthly income of 9.33 percent of the respondents was Rs. 15,000 and above. It can be concluded from the above data that the monthly family income of the higher number of respondents was below Rs.5,000. It was because the major occupation of the family was agriculture and it was found that agriculture was not able to earn more money for the family.

Table 8: Monthly Family Income.

S.N.	Description	No. of Respondents	Percentage
1	Below Rs. 5000	30	40
2	Rs. 5000-Rs10000	25	33.34
3	Rs. 10000-Rs. 15000	13	17.33
4	Rs. 15000and above	7	9.33
Total		75	100.00

There are many causes of junk foods consumption. The consumption of junk foods and the causes of using junk foods in the study area are described in different sub-sections which are as follows: The respondents in the study area used junk food because of different causes. The major causes of using junk food by the respondents in the study area are shown in Table 9.

Table 9: Causes of Junk Foods Consumption.

 According to the table 9 the higher proportion (53.33 percent) of the respondents the main cause of funk foods are the readymade foods .similarly, 20 percent of the respondents said that the main cause of using junk food was that junk food saves time. Likewise, 16 percent of the respondents said that the cause of junk food consumption was the effect of advertisement. Finally 10.67 percent of the respondents said that peer pressure was the cause of junk food consumption. It can be concluded from the above data that junk foods were mainly used because junk foods are the readymade foods and the junk food save time. Advertisements on junk foods and the peer pressure were also the causes of using them in the study area.

After the analysis and interpretation of data obtained from the study area, the followings finding are drawn:

Socio–demographic profile

• • Among the respondents, 66.67 percent were 13-15 years of age and 33.33percent of the respondents were 16 years and above.
  • 45.34 percent of the respondents were males whereas 54.66 percent of the respondents were females.
  • Most (94.66 percent) of the respondents were Hindus whereas 5.34 percent were christians.
  • Among the respondents, 40 percent were chhetris whereas 6.67 percent were Brahman.
  • In this study area, 66.67 percent of the families of the respondents were nuclear whereas 33.33 percent of the families of the respondents were from joint.
  • Fathers of higher proportion (13.33 percent) of the respondents were illiterate whereas 86.67 percent of the respondent’s father were literate.
  • Among the literate, the father of 55.39 percent of the were primary level educated whereas the father of 3.08 percent of the respondents were higher level.
  • The mothers of higher proportion (38.67 percent) of the respondents were illiterate whereas 61.33 percent of the respondent’s mother were literate.
  • Occupation of the fathers of 46.67 percent of the respondents was agriculture whereas the occupation of 2.67 percent of the respondents was service.
  • The occupation of the mothers of 64 percent of the respondents was agriculture whereas the mothers of 6.67 percent of the respondents had labour.
  • The monthly family income of 40 percent of the respondents was below Rs. 5, ooo whereas the income of the family 9.33 percent of the respondents was Rs. 15,000 and above.

Cause of junk food consumption

• Higher proportion (53.33 percent) of the respondents said that the main cause of junk food consumption was that junk foods are the readymade foods whereas 10.67 percent of the respondents said that peer pressure was the cause of junk foods consumption.
• According to 49.34 percent of the respondents, junk foods can be taken at anyplace whereas 13.33 percent of the respondents said that junk food save time.
• Majority (61.33 percent) of the respondents often used junk foods whereas a few (5.34 percent) of the respondents frequent used junk foods.
• Majority (66.67 percent) of the respondents got junk foods from the local shops whereas 6.67 percent of the respondents got junk foods from their friends.
• Higher proportion (60 percent) of the respondents consumption of junk foods on the way to their school as well as on the way to home whereas a few (2.67 percent) of the respondents consumption of junk foods on the road.
• Most (93.33 percent) of the respondents used junk foods outside school whereas a few (6.67 percent) of the respondents did not use junk foods outside school.
• Majority (73.33 percent) of the respondents bought junk foods themselves whereas a few (2.67 percent) of the respondents got junk foods from other sources.
• 100 percent of the respondents said that the junk foods are available near their school whereas o percent of the respondent said that junk foods were not available near their school.
• Majority (66.67 percent) of the respondents said that junk foods are easily available and tasty whereas a few (6.67 percent) of the respondents said that the reason for junk foods consumption was that junk foods are of low cost.
• Majority (73.33 percent) of the respondents were restricted but 26.67 percent of the respondents were not restricted by their parents on taking junk foods.
• Among those respondents who were restricted by their parents on taking junk foods, 36.36 percent of the respondents were restricted because their parents were to save money whereas a few (10.91 percent ) of the respondents were restricted because of other reasons.

• Majority (76 percent) of the respondents had felt effects of Junk foods on their health but 24 percent of the respondents had not felt any effects of junk foods on their health.
• Among the respondents who felt effects of junk foods on health, Majority (61.41 percent) had felt physical health problems whereas 26.31 percent of the respondents had felt social problems and 12.28 percent of the respondents had felt other problems due to the use of junk foods.
• Among the respondents who had faced physical health problems due to the consumption of junk foods, 42.86 percent had faced teeth problems whereas 11.43 percent had the problems of overweight.
• Higher proportion (42.10 percent) of the respondents had Digestive problems whereas 14.04 percent had glandular problems due to the consumption of junk foods.
• Among those respondents who had faced digestive problems due to the consumption of junk foods, 41.67 percent had faced vomiting whereas 8.33 percent had faced constipation.
• Among those respond1nls who had faced social effects due to the consumption of junk foods, 46.67 percent had the loss of money whereas 13.33 percent had faced other social problems due to the consumption of junk foods.
• Most (84.21 percent) of the respondents had consulted but 15.79 percent of the respondents had not consulted with anyone about the problems cause due to the consumption of junk foods.
• Among those respondents who had consulted, 37.5 percent had consulted with their friends whereas 10.41 percent of the respondents had consulted with the teachers.
• Majority (66.67 percent) of the respondents had the habit of junk foods consumption whereas 33.33 percent of the respondents were not habituated to the consumption of junk foods.
• Majority (73.33 percent) of the respondents checked the expiry date but 26.67 percent of the respondents did not check the expiry date of the junk foods while buying them.
• Majority (66.67 percent) of the respondents were provided money by their parents but 33.33 percent of the respondents were not provided money by their parents to buy junk foods.
• 48 percent of the respondents were do nothing but 20 percent of the respondents steal the money to buy junk foods if not provided by parents.
• Majority (73.33 percent) of the respondents said that they can live without junk foods but 26.67 percent of the respondents said that they cannot live without junk foods.

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