Ayushi Singh 3rd year mbbs, Nsmch , Bihta

Community Medicine

1. PREVALENCE OF FAST FOOD CONSUMPTION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS OF NSMCH, Bihta. By- Lovely Ayushi Aditya Mitali

2. INTRODUCTION Fast food is an empty calorie food that lacks in micro nutrients and macro nutrients. They are energy dense foods with high sugar, fat, salt content, and low nutrient value in terms of protein, fibers, vitamins, and mineral content. It is a food that is prepared and served quickly at outlets known as fast food outlets. It includes chips, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, ice cream, french fries etc. 1 The culture of fast food consumption is replacing the traditional meal. Fast food comprises anything that is quick, tasty, convenient, and appealing.

3. Fast Food culture is a vigorously uprising trend among the youngsters 2 and medical students are no exception to it. Stressful life due to increase study load negatively influences the food choices of medical students. According to WHO (2003) frequent fast food consumption is also a health concern because most fast foods are rich in saturated fats, trans fats, simple carbohydrates, and sodium- – all of which are nutrients associated with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. 3 The present study was undertaken with the above mentioned objectives.

4. AIMS & OBJECTIVE - To study the prevalence of fast food consumption among medical students. 2. To study the pattern of fast food consumption of student of NSMCH, Bihta.

5. METHODOLOGY A cross sectional study was carried out among the undergraduate students of NSMCH, Bihta over a period of 9 days. Only those students who did not gave consent to participate in this study were excluded. Data was collected using pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaires. The questionnaire was administered to the study participants as goggle form . Data thus collected was analysed and results were presented in the form of frequency tables and pie-charts.

6. RESULT- Total of 180 medical students participated in the study. Out of sample of 180, 107 were male and 73 were female. Majority of the respondents consumed fast food sometimes or the other. Most of them were aware of side-effects of fast food. It was also found that 54 (30%) students were experiencing GI symptoms after consuming fast food.

7. When asked about frequency of fast food consumption in a week among the students, it was found that 63.9% consumed fast food 1-2 times per week. 28.3% consumed fast food 3-4 times per week. 5% consumed fast food 5-6 times per week. 2.8% consumed fast food 7 times or more times per week.

8. When asked about frequency of processed food consumption in a week among the students, it was found that – 77.8% consumed processed food 1-2 times per week. 11.1% consumed processed food 2-3 times per week. 8.3% consumed processed food 3-4 times per week. 2.2% consumed processed food more than 4 times a week. 0.6% do not consume processed food.

9. Have you experienced any GI symptoms after consuming fast food?

10. 20% of the students consumed fast food because it is easily available. 26.7% of the students found it appealing. 21.1% of the students consumed fast food because of their habits. 31.7% had other reasons.

11. Awareness of fast food : several questions were asked to analyse student’s awareness about the fast food facts. 81.7% students said that they were aware of the side effects of fast food they consumed while 18.3% were not aware of the side effects.

12. DISCUSSION- In present study, 93.3% of participants consumed fast food/junk food .However, the frequency and quantity varied. Similar observations were seen in a study done in Patna (100%), Jammu and Kashmir (100%),Lucknow (98%) 1,4 and China (97.5%). 5 In the study of IGIMS Patna, it was found that influence of nutritional information on choice of fast food was observed only sometimes (65%). While in our study, it was found that influence of nutritional information on choices of fast food was observed in 57.8% which is slightly less than that of IGIMS Patna. 6

13. In the present study, 26.7% of the participant found it appealing while 20% found it easily available. 21.1% of the participant were consuming because of their habit and 31.7% had other reasons. While in a similar study done in IGIMS Patna 55% of the students consume fast food because they enjoyed it taste 35% of the Student consume because the mess was closed. Other reasons found where lack of cooking skills and fast food is time saving. In the present study, despite of a very high-level of awareness regarding the side-effects of consuming fast food, majority of the subject were consuming it similar to a study done in Baroda India where children despite knowing the harmful effect, continue to eat fast food and for reasons, like taste, preference, habit, and easily available . 7

14. CONCLUSION - Fast/junk foods preference and consumption are highly prevalent among medical students despite their knowledge about its health hazards. Despite of a majority, 81.7% being aware of the fact that consuming fast food leads to many disease and disability, all the subjects continued to consume fast food . Other factors identified were that consuming fast food was appealing, easily available and habit . 18.3% of the students were not even aware of the nutritional information of the fast food they consume.

15. REFERENCES- 1.Vaida N. Prevalence of fast food intake among urban adolescent students. Int J Eng Sci. 2013;2:353-9. 2. Kaushik JS, Narang M, Parak A. Fast Food consumption in children. Indian Pediatr, 2011;48.97-101. 3.World Health Organization. Life Course Perspective of Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes. Available at:  whqlibdoc.who.int/ hq /2001/  WHO_NMH_NPH_01.4.pdf. Accessed 14 July 2010. 4.  Manjunatha S, Mishra S. Fast Food Consumption Pattern and Obesity among School Going (9-13 Year) in Lucknow District. International Journal of Science and Research. 2014;3:1672-74. .

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