Nutrition Education Intervention and Fast Food Behavior in India

Abstract

In recent years, fast-food (FF) consumption and obesity / overweight have become more frequent. The influence of a nutrition education intervention on Indian children's and parents' use of western-style-fast-food (WFF) was studied in a community-based intervention study. Two hundred and eight children aged four to six years old, as well as their parents, were selected at random from four daycare kindergartens in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The Initial (I), midterm or metaphase (M), and final (F) WFF knowledge, attitude, and practice were evaluated using statistical methods (descriptive and analytical) to identify and compare both parents' and children's knowledge, attitude, and practice. Children and their parents were divided into "case" and "control" groups as per their nutrition knowledge or educational status. During breakfast, Indian children and parents do not consume a lot of WFF. The fact that WFF is considered as a "present, i.e. gift" or "interesting" rather than a "meal" is the major cause of this among youngsters. Weekends are when young people are most likely to consume WFF. The parents' WFF were significantly influenced by nutrition education (p 0.01), but not the children's. Indians, particularly children, should be taught healthy eating practices. Families' perspectives may lead to future research and nutrition education programmes.