Areca nut use amongst South Asian schoolchildren in Tower Hamlets, London: the extent to which the habit is engaged in within the family and used to suppress hunger.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the extent to which an areca nut habit is engaged in within the family and degree to which the habit may be used to suppress hunger amongst South Asian schoolchildren with a view to informing health promotion campaigns.


METHODS
Self-administered questionnaire.


METHODS
Two comprehensive schools (one mixed, one all girls) in the Tower Hamlets district of East London, UK.


METHODS
341 (285 girls; 56 boys) children of self-reported South Asian origin (Bangladeshi 286, Pakistani 4, Asian, 51) who reported currently engaging in an areca nut habit.


RESULTS
Areca nut habits were mainly used in a family context. Smaller proportions of children reported predominant use alone or with peers. A substantial minority reported using their habit to suppress hunger.


CONCLUSIONS
The family plays a crucial role in maintaining areca nut use. This implies effective health promotion campaigns must operate at the family and even community levels rather than being targeted at the children directly.
Faculty of Health and Social Work, School of Applied Psychosocial Studies, University of Plymouth, Earl Richards Road North, Exeter EX2 6AS, UK. pfarrand@plymouth.ac.uk
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Farrand
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Rowe
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001114:Areca; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001067:Appetite Depressants