Socio-ecological Factors Associated with Snacking Behaviors of Basic School Students in Nepal

Abstract

Consumption of unhealthy snack foods among young children in low-and-middle-income countries is high and Nepal is no exception. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 259 students to investigate their snacking behaviors and examine factors that influence the behavior from a socio-ecological Framework. The study used self-reported questionnaires, food recall diaries, and participant observation forms to collect data. Students' snacking behavior was the dependent variable where as age, sex, grade, parent's education, parent's sources of income, religion, ethnicity, family type, and living arrangements were the independent variables. Chi-square test and logistic regression were applied to analyze the results. The main findings of the study indicate that 89 percent of students consumed school snacks regularly, including unhealthy snacks, which were either commercially prepared junk foods bought from nearby vending shops and grocery stores or deep-oil-fried snacks food prepared at the school canteen. Bivariate analysis shows that age, grade, father's education, and the student's religion were significantly associated with snacking behaviors of students. The multivariate analysis indicates that grade (aOR= 0.259, P < .05) and religion (aOR= 0.373, P < .05) were the significant predictors. The snacking behaviors among basic level students are influenced by multilevel factors, which is consistent with the socio-ecological model. The study's findings further suggest that comprehensive and effective school-based nutrition education interventions are necessary to promote healthy snack consumption behaviors of students.