Food preference and dietary habits of adolescents among agricultural laboures

Abstract

A study entitled food preference and dietary habits of adolescents among agricultural labourers families was undertaken to assess the socio economic personal characteristics food consumption pattern food preferences and the nutritional status of adolescents boys and girls.

Majority of the families surveyed belonged to Hindu community and were under privileged. The families were nuclear type with medium size. Father was the main bread winner and major share of the income was earned by the male member. The per capita income of majority of families were found to be between 100 to 200. All the surveyed adolescencts were found to be well educated.

All of the surveyed adolescents were non vegetarian cereals, vegetables, roots and tubers, milk fish fats and oils , sugar and jiggery and spices were found to be high frequently used foods among the adolescents. Pulses and fruits were medium frequently used foods . Green leafy vegetables meat and egg were low frequently used foods among them. Cereal based preparation were liked by both adolescents boys and girls. They liked fried foods and sweet preparations. Adolescents most preferred foods were found to be egg, apple, grapes, plantain, sapota and cashew nuts and low preferred foods were ragi, raddish, bittergourd , ivy gourd, star gooseberry and watermelon. Food preference of adolescent boys and girls were not found to vary very much. Factors such as total income of the family, type and size of family, educational status of adolescents and their parents, and the influence of peers were not found to influence the food preferences of the studied adolescents.

Consumption of cereals, and fish met above the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) and nutrients such as protein , energy thiamine and niacin was met above 90 percent of RDA in adolescent boys and girls apart from vitamin C in adolescent girls.

Weight for age and height for age of the adolescents were below the NCHS standard as well as Indian standards. Anaemia, pigmentation of skin , dental caries were the most common clinical manifestations in both adolescent boys and girls. Normal haemoglobin level was observed only in negligible adolescents. Nutritional status of adolescent girls were found to be better than adolescent boys in the present study.