Awareness and Use of Nutrition Information in Food Labels among School-going Adolescents of East Delhi: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

• DOI: 10.4103/injms.injms_36_24
• Publication Date: 2025-02-10T07:00:57Z
• Authors: Rodney Preetham Vaz; Anita Shankar Ach...; Shaivya Shrivastava; Jyoti Khandekar

Abstract

Background: There is an increase in the incidence of obesity and overweight in the country with concomitant rise in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Improper diet along with reduced physical activity plays an important risk factor in the development of NCDs. The study was carried out to determine the level of awareness about nutrition information in food labels among adolescent girls of East Delhi and to study the various factors affecting the decision of purchasing packaged food products among study subjects.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in a Government School for girls in Patparganj, East District of Delhi among 184 girl students between October 2021 and February 2022. Data were collected using semistructured and pretested questionnaires and analysis was carried out using Microsoft Excel.

Results: A total of 184 students of the 9th and 10th standards were included in the study and final analysis on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean age of the students was found to be 14.94 ± 0.89 years with an age range of 13–17 years. Knowledge about nutritional labels on packaged food was seen in 93.3% of the study subjects. Of the total participants, 96.7% of them identified the labels of the type of food correctly.

Conclusion: The knowledge about nutritional labeling on the food packaging was found to be high. Knowledge about food packaging coupled with a change in buying habits can improve outcome in terms of chronic diseases in the adulthood.