A Study of Nutritional Awareness and Attitude of Adolescent Girls towards Nutrition

Abstract

The period of transformation between childhood and adulthood is the Adolescence period. It is a window of opportunity for the improvement
of nutritional status and correcting poor nutritional practices. This is about the same period puberty sets in, typically between the ages of
10 and 13 years in girls. Adolescence is characterized by the growth spurt, a period in which growth is very fast. During this time, the body's
nutritional needs are affected by the physical developments, while changes in one’s lifestyle may affect eating habits and food choices. Good
nutrition is therefore very important for the proper growth and development and the prevention of any health problems in adolescents in the
future. Thus, in the present study, an attempt was made to study the awareness level and attitude of the adolescent girls towards nutrition. Self
-made questionnaire was used to assess the level of awareness and attitude of adolescent girls towards nutrition. The focused group discussion
was used to find out the attitude of the adolescent girls towards nutrition. The survey method of research was used in the study. One hundred
adolescent girls of 13 to 15 years of age were selected through simple random sampling technique. The study was conducted in Almora district,
Uttarakhand, India. The results showed a low level of awareness regarding nutrition amongst adolescent girls, and most of the girls thought that
expensive foods are nutritious. Respondents complained that gender differences were there in the family in terms of the quality of food intake.
Journal of Teacher Education and Research (2019). DOI: 10.36268/JTER/1411