title: Dietary pattern of schoolgoing adolescents in urban Baroda, India.
abstract: Diet plays a very important role in growth and development of adolescents, during which the development of healthy eating habits is of supreme importance. There is a dual burden of undernutrition and overnutrition in this age-group. The study assessed the food habits, food preferences, and dietary pattern of schoolgoing urban adolescents in Baroda, India. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. A quantitative survey was carried out using a pre-tested self-administered structured questionnaire among 1,440 students from class 6 to 12 in 7 English medium and 23 Gujarati medium schools. Focus group discussions, 5 each with adolescent boys and girls, were held, along with 5 focus group discussions with teachers of Gujarati and English medium schools. Nearly 80% of adolescents had consumed regular food, like dal, rice, chapati, and vegetables, including green leafy vegetables. Nearly 50% of them had consumed chocolates, and about one-third consumed fast foods. Nearly 60% of adolescents had their breakfast daily while the remaining missed taking breakfast daily. Nearly one-third of adolescents were missing a meal once or twice a week. A large majority had consumed regular foods. However, more than half of them had consumed chocolates, soft drinks, and over one-third had taken fast foods.
authors.affiliation: Academy for Educational Development, A2Z, The USAID Micronutrient Project India, New Delhi I 10 022.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Kotecha
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Baroda Medical College, Vadodara.
authors.forename: Sangita V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Baroda Medical College, Vadodara.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Baxi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Baroda Medical College, Vadodara.
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Mazumdar
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Baroda Medical College, Vadodara.
authors.forename: Misra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shobha
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Gotri, Vadodara, India.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Baroda Medical College, Vadodara.
authors.forename: Diwanji
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mansi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Baroda Medical College, Vadodara.
authors.forename: Modi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ekta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult