Fast Food Consumption Behaviour among College Students- A Case Study in Tinsukia

Abstract

An adequate diet is one which meets in full all the nutritional needs of the person.”- ( Leonard A. Maynard, 1959). An adequate diet protects against many chronic no communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer (WHO report, 2020) and is also considered as an important element for building physical fitness and mental health of an individual. “But there have been small decline in the purchase of less healthy food products, which translated to a small reduction of total energy and sugar purchases taken home”. – (Nicholas Berger, et al, 2020). Recent studies conducted by different academicians and researchers consider that among all the stages of a person life, the stage of adolescent is considered as the stage of rapid growth of malnutrition. “Malnutrition in all its forms, including obesity, under nutrition, and other dietary risks, is the leading cause of poor health globally.”- (Boyd A Swinburn, et al, 2019) With rapid growth of urbanization and advancement of modern up to date technology the ways of living of many people has greatly changed. The effects of the changing lifestyles of the individuals have altered their food habit. Fast food generally refers to the food that is quickly prepared within a short interval. Consumption of fast food has drastically increased in India. People, specifically the adolescents love to eat fried and roasted food. It has been observed from many studies that people prefer fast food for convenience (Hesamedin Askari Majabadi, et al, 2016), taste (B. Narayan & M. Prabhu, 2015) and also for social interaction (M. S. Anitharaj, 2018) and also to attain pleasure. But in spite of huge demand of fast food from larger section of people of the society, but consumption of too much of fast food may result into cardiac disease or obesity. Strict supervision of fast food companies is required. (Hesamedin Askari Majabadi, et al, 2016)