INTRODUCTION:

Healthy nutritious foods have been replaced by the new food mantra “JUNK FOOD”. junk food comprises of anything that is quick tasty, convenient and fashionable. It seems to have engulfed every age, every race and the newest entrance is children. Children are experiencing so much growth they may always feel hungry. He or she may come to the dinner table ready to eat anything. Junk foods are these items such as lollies, soft drinks and carbonated beverages, potato chips, hot chips, ice creams and hamburgers, fried fast foods chocolate, ice candy and chewing gums and noodles, etc. Junk foods have too much saturated fat, salt and sugar leads to obesity, heart disease, dental carries, cancer, osteoporosis and other health related problems.¹

Healthy and nutritionally sound adolescents reflect the country’s potential human resource and its future greatly depends on them, India has an edge over many other countries as its adolescent population Form 22.8% or two thirds of the worlds 230 million adolescent population (census 2001). India is becoming the disease capital of the world. Our food is a lethal cocktail of highly processed, genetically modified foods, Filling with chemicals and preservatives and topped with excessive sugar and Salt bombing our bodies and deadening our brains leading to physical and Psychological disorders including cance.

NEED OF THE STUDY:

Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizen. A group of competent young adults are an asset to state. The responsibility to provide optimum conditions for the proper growth and development of this group is being shared by the parent, other family members, health workers, teachers, community and state.

Junk foods are a slang word for the food with limited nutritional value. If junk foods regularly replace other types of foods in the daily diet, obesity, vitamins and mineral deficiencies and other health problems will occur. India is experiencing “nutrition transition” characterized by increasing consumption of junk foods and a growing number of meals purchased and/or consumed away from home . High fat and sugary products being addictive in nature attract children over healthy foods. The ready availability, taste, low cost, commercial marketing strategies, and peer pressure makes junk foods popular with children and adolescents. Hence, the high prevalence of junk foods consumption has been observed in both urban and rural areas due to easy accessibility and rising incomeofthefamily.¹¹

There was a lack of scientific data on consumption of junk foods in rural areas among school aged children in india. Hence, a study was conducted on the prevalence of consumption of junk foods among school aged children living in district kullu, himachal pradesh. These findings were observed during the main study which was conducted on the prevalence of vitamin d deficiency published earlier.A total of 425 children (208 males; 217 females) in the age group of 12–18 years were included. Children who did not give consent or were suffering from any systemic illness were excluded from the study. The mean age of the individuals enrolled was 14.9 ± 2.0 years (male) and 14.8 ± 1.9 years (female), respectively. According to the ses, 32 (8%), 219 (51%), and 173 (41%) individuals belonged to lower (rs. ≤951 per month), middle (rs. 952–3172 per month), and high ses (rs. 3173–>6346 per month), respectively. Study also found that 153 (36%) of school aged children consumed junk foods in rural areas of himachal pradesh during the last 24 h. Out of the total children who consumed junk foods items (n = 153), 44% (n = 68) were males and 56% (n = 85) were females. There was no statistical difference in the consumption of junk foods between thetwosexes (p=0.052).¹²

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

“A Study to Evaluate The Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Knowledge regarding The Health Hazards of Junk Foods among Adolescent Children (13-18 Years) in a selected School at Udaipur.”

OBJECTIVE:

1. To assess the post test knowledge score regarding the health hazards of junk foods among adolescent children in selected school.

2. To find the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on the health hazards of junk foods in terms of gaining knowledge among adolescent children in selected school

3. To find out the association between pest test knowledge score of health hazards of junk foods with the selected demographic variables.

HYPOTHISIS:

H¹: There will be significant difference between the mean post test knowledge score and mean pre test knowledge score of adolescents on health hazards of junk foods.

H²: There will be a significant association between the pre test knowledge score on health hazards of junk foods among adolescents with their selected demographic variable

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Research methodology could be defined as a way to solve the research problem systematically. It deals with defining the problem, formulation of hypothesis, methods adopted for data collection and statistical techniques used for analyzing the data with logical reason behind it. It may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically. The scope of research methodology is wider than that of research methods. Research methodology is not only about the research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods use in the context of the research study. Research approach indicates the basic procedure for conducting research. The choice of the appropriate approach depends on the purpose of the study. A quantitative research approach was used to find out the effectiveness of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding health hazards of junk foods among adolescents.

RESULTS:

The total mean percentage pre test score was 29.33%, whereas for post test score it was 65.33%, so there was a mean difference of 36. The mean percentage of post test score is higher than the mean percentage of pre test scores with “t” value (14.64) and df value (9), which is significant at 0.05 level. It shows a significant difference in the knowledge level after the structured teaching programme.

Finding Related to Demographic Data:

The majority (56.67%) of respondents were in the age group of 15 to 16 years, 26.67% respondents were in the age group of 13 to 14 years and 16.67% respondents were in the age group of 17 to 18 years. Distribution of respondents according to gender shows that 60% of the samples were male and 40% were female. Distribution of samples based on type of family shows that 53.33% were from joint family and 46.67% samples were from nuclear family. Distribution of samples based on education shows that there were equal (33.3%) from each class, that is 8^th, 9^th and 10^th std. Distribution of samples based on food habits shows that 38.33% were vegetarian, 36.67% were both vegetarian and non-vegetarian and only 25% were non-vegetarian. Distribution of samples based on area of residence shows that majority (63.33%) were residing in urban area, 36.67% were residing in rural area and no participants were from slums. Distribution of sample based on preference to consume junk foods shows that 66.67% were responded yes and 33.33% said no. Distribution of samples based on family income per month shows that majority (41.66%) of samples were having > 20,000, (33.33%) of samples were having monthly income of 10,001 to 20,000. (13.33%) were having 5001 to 10,000 and least (8.33%) of samples were having income less than 5000.

Finding Related to Pre and Post Knowledge Score:

Pre test knowledge score regarding the health hazards of junk foods among adolescent children.

N=60

Pre test Knowledge score	Frequency	Percentage
Inadequate	15	25.0%
Moderately adequate	36	60.0%
Adequate	9	15.0%

Figure. 3. Distribution of Respondents According to Age

Figure.4: Distribution of Respondents According to Gender

Figure .5: Distribution of Respondents According to Type of family

Figure 6: Distribution of Respondents According to Education

Figure 7: Distribution of Respondents According to Food habits

Figure 8: Distribution of Respondents According to Area of residence

Figure 9: Distribution of Respondents According to preference to consume junk foods

Figure 10: Distribution of Respondents According to family income per month

Section 2: Findings Related to Pre Test Knowledge Score Regarding The Health Hazards Of Junk Foods Among Adolescent Children.

Table.4: Pre test knowledge score regarding the health hazards of junk foods among adolescent children. N=60

Pre test Knowledge score	Frequency	Percentage
Inadequate	15	25.0%
Moderately adequate	36	60.0%
Adequate	9	15.0%

Figure 11: Level of knowledge score in pre test.

Table 4 and Graph 11 depicted that in pre test majority of the participants 36 (60%) were having moderately adequate knowledge, 15 (25%) were having inadequate knowledge and 9(15%) of participants were having adequate knowledge.

Table 5: Analysis of pre test knowledge score N=60

Pre test Knowledge assessment	Mean	Mean %	Median	Mode	SD	Range
	13.08	43.6 %	12	12	4.10	15

Table 5 reveals that the mean score in pre test is 13.08 with mean percentage 43.6%, median 12, mode 12, range 15 and standard deviation was 4.10.

Section 3: Findings Related to Post Test Knowledge Score Regarding the Health Hazards of Junk Foods Among Adolescent Children.

Table.6: Post-test knowledge score regarding the health hazards of junk foods among adolescent children. N=60

Post-test Knowledge score	Frequency	Percentage
Inadequate	0	0%
Moderately adequate	32	53.3%
Adequate	28	46.7%

Figure.12: Level of knowledge score in post-test

Table 6 and Graph 12 depicted that in post-test majority of the participants 32 (53.3%) were having moderately adequate knowledge, 28(46.7%) were having adequate knowledge and none of the participants were having inadequate knowledge.

Table 7: Analysis of post-test knowledge score N=60

Post-test Knowledge assessment	Mean	Mean %	Median	Mode	SD	Range
	19.62	65.4%	19	21	3.86	15

Table 7 reveals that the mean score in post-test is 19.62 with mean percentage 65.4%, median 19, mode 21, range 15 and standard deviation was 3.86.

Section 4: Findings Related To Effectiveness Of Structured Teaching Programme On Health Hazards Of Junk Foods Among Adolescent Children.

Table 8: Comparison between the pre test and post-test knowledge score of participants. N=60

	Inadequate Knowledge		Moderately adequate knowledge		Inadequate Knowledge
	F	%	F	%	f	%
Pre test	15	25%	36	60%	9	15%
Post-test	0	0%	32	53.3%	28	46.7%

Figure.12: : Comparison of pre test and post-test knowledge score

Table 8 and figure 13 depicted that in pre test majority of the participants 36 (60%) were having moderately adequate knowledge, 15 (25%) were having inadequate knowledge and 9(15%) of participants were having adequate knowledge. Where as in post-test majority of the participants 32 (53.3%) were having moderately adequate knowledge, 28(46.7%) were having ad

Section 5: Findings Related To Association Between Pre Test Knowledge Score And Selected Demographic Variables Of Subjects.

The chai square test was computed to determine the association between pre test knowledge score and selected demographic variables. The following hypothesis was tested.

H²: There will be a significant association between the pre test knowledge score on health hazards of junk foods among adolescents with their selected demographic variable.

Table 10: Association between pre test knowledge score and selected demographic variables. N=60

Demographic variables	Inadequate	Moderate	Adequate	Df	χ2 Calculated value	χ2 Tabulated value	Remarks
1. Age in years
a. 13 to 14 years	6	9	1	4	8.805	9.49	NS
b. 15 to 16 years	9	21	4
c. 17 to 18 years	0	6	4
2. Gender
a. Male	8	23	5	2	0.579	5.99	NS
b. Female	7	13	4	2	0.579	5.99	NS
3. Type of family
a. Nuclear	6	17	5	2	0.558	5.99	NS
b. Joint	9	19	4	2	0.558	5.99	NS
4. Education
a. 8^th Std	7	13	0	4	7.700	9.49	NS
b. 9^th Std	4	13	3
c. 10^th Std	4	10	6
5. Food habits
a. Vegetarian	4	18	1	4	7.234	9.49	NS
b. Non-vegetarian	3	8	4
c. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian	8	10	4
6. Area of residence
a. Rural	4	14	4	2	0.957	5.99	NS
b. Urban	11	22	5	2	0.957	5.99	NS
7. Preference to consume junk foods
a. Yes	10	23	7	2	0.625	5.99	NS
b. No	5	13	2	2	0.625	5.99	NS
8. Family income 9. (Per month)
a. <5000	1	2	2	6	4.797	12.59	NS
b. 5001 – 10,000	2	5	1
c. 10,001 – 20,000	4	16	2
d. > 20,000	8	13	4

NS: Non significant; S: Significant