original article

Students perspective on junk foods: Survey

Students perspective on junk foods: Survey

Vinay Gopal J.1, Sriram S.2, Kannabiran K.3 and Seenivasan R.4

1) Biomolecules and Genetics Division, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, India.
2)
3) Professor and division leader, divison of biomolecules and genetics, VIT University, Vellore, India.
4)
Correspondence:
Kannabiran K., E-mail: kkb@vit.ac.in

Abstract
Background and Aim: Junk foods are rich in calories, salt and fats. Excess consumption of junk foods would
lead rise to wide variety of health disorders. The aim of the present study was to know about junk food
eating habits of students, their ingredients, nutritive value and their impact on human health. Subjects
and Methods: Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Students from VIT University,
Vellore, Tamil Nadu (India) were selected for this study as a sample population and the total sample size
was represented by 344 students. Results: The analysis showed that 30% of students were not aware about
the harmful effects, nutritive value, quality of the food, chemicals present and its impact on human health. In
the questionnaire almost 85% of students gave their opinion about the junk food as unhealthy. Based on the
study, it was found that 18% were taking junk food as an alternative to breakfast, 68% of individuals liked
junk foods for their taste as it was one of the predominant factor for their choice. Conclusion: The results
from the present study conclude that the respondents were diplomatic in their answers and only few were
obvious to the fact that serious health effects might arise upon continuous consumption of junk foods.
Keywords: Junk foods, Web survey, self administered questionnaire (SAQ), diplomatic, sumptuous and
Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT).

INTRODUCTION

Most of the junk foods are rich in fats and poor in

other nutrients. Common junk food includes Fast
food, chips, candy, gum, sweet desserts as well as
alcoholic beverages [1]. Consumption of energy dense
foods especially sweetened beverages like fruit
drinks, carbonated soft drinks and energy drinks may
lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk [2].
Trends including fast food consumption and skipping
breakfast increased during the transition period of
adulthood, and such dietary behaviours are associated
with increased weight gain from adolescence to
adulthood [3]. The negative effects of consumption of
excess salt containing junk foods on health include
increase in blood pressure and decrease in calcium
absorption. Foods with high salt content, therefore,
are an important issue in the modern society [4].
Nutrient profiling, a method for categorising foods
according to nutritional quality, is both feasible and
practical in promoting public health through better
dietary choices. The development of nutrient profiling
is an enviable step in support of strategies to tackle
obesity and other non-communicable diseases [5].

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High dietary intake of Phosphorous containing food

additives causes serious health effects on people
with renal disorders [6]. Sometimes food additives are
added to junk food to increase the shelf life, taste and
also to preserve it from microbial contamination. The
internal barriers to nutritional change include negative
perceptions of healthy eating, the decreased taste,
difficulty in changing familiar eating habits, eating for
comfort, and the prioritization of mental health [7].
High salt content foods can be addictive substances that
stimulate the dopamine receptors in the brain, leading
to increase in craving and hunger. It leads to increased
appetite, calorie consumption, overeating, obesity and
related illnesses [8]. One of the factors leading to binging
on junk foods is watching television which severely
increases unhealthy dietary habits among children
[9]
. An effort to suppress the growing frequency of
obesity, a tax on junk foods known as fat tax has been
introduced and the revenue of which is used to provide
funding for healthy foods and excersing equipment [10].
A survey conducted among adolescents about weight
related attitudes, behaviour and problems dealt by
fat children lead them to eat too many calories, lack
of self control and the people with weight controlling

original article

Students perspective on junk foods: Survey

Questionnaire
1) What is your favorite junk food?
a) Fast food b) snacks c) soft drinks d) candies
2) Do you check the junk food quality?
a) Yes b) no c) sometimes
3) Do you check the nutrient fact label in the junk
food?
a) Dont know b) Yes I would check c) No I dont
check d) sometimes I do check
4) Are you aware about the chemicals present in the
junk food and its safety level?
a) Yes I know b) I dont know about the chemicals
present and its safety level c) I know only about
50% of chemicals present and its safety level
5) Do you really know the harmful effects of chemical
present in junk food?
a) Yes b) no c) others
6) What are the factors influencing the choice of
junk food?
a) Time b) taste c) changing lifestyles d) influence of
advertisements
7) How many times do you eat junk food on an
average per week?
a) Once b) twice c) thrice d) four times e) more than
five times
8) In your opinion do you consider junk food is
healthy or not?
a) Yes b) no
9) Do you know having junk food on a daily basis
makes you eat more?
a) Agree b) disagree
10) Do you take junk food as an alternative to
breakfast?
a) Yes b) no c) sometimes

attitudes would enjoy physical activity and be highly

coordinated [11]. Parents create environments for
children that may promote the development of
healthy eating behaviours and weight, or may promote
overweight and aspects of disordered eating [12]. In a
study that deals with examining associations between
parental perceptions and overweight adolescents
on monitoring of food hiding and weight control
behaviour, no substantial associations were found in
the said opinions. It was concluded that parents need
to talk to their adolescents about weight concerns and
to support to lose weight in a healthier way [13].
A report given by National Restaurant Association
of India (NRAI) 2010 about the fast food industry in
India is estimated at between Rs 6,750 and Rs 8,000
crore. The total value of junk food consumed in India
in 2003 was about Rs 41,000 crore based on the
National Sample Survey (NSS) data for the category
`beverages, refreshments and processed foods.
Educational strategies on nutrition should be developed and
implemented to help children and adolescents to practice a
healthy eating behaviour. Creating district-level nutrition
policies to reduce junk food in school stores to increase the
availability of having a qualitative and healthy diet plan [14].
Higher consumption of fruits/vegetables was associated
with lower levels of depressive symptoms among females in
the study [15]. It is highly necessary to avoid junk foods in an
excess amounts so having a healthy and equally balanced
nutrient containing diet will cut down the risk of obesity
disorders and have increased physical health [16]. The main
focus of our study involved in understanding the views of
adolscents on junk food consumption, ill health effects,
addictive tendency and the degree of awareness.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The present survey was conducted in Tamil Nadu,

India. The population sample included students from
VIT University, Vellore. The sample population 344
individuals were chosen for the study. Questionnaires
were distributed to the students present in the
classrooms. Among the 344 respondents, 205 were
males and 139 females. All the participants were in the
age group from 17-28 years and the mean age was 21.8
years. The questionnaire was distributed and data
collected between January to February 2011. A single
page questionnaire containing set of 10 multiple choice
questions was prepared and distributed. The students
were given a brief overview about junk foods and their
ill health effects. The responses were collected and
counted manually based on the options specified for
each question framed. The participants were provided
15 minutes to complete the questionnaire framed.

RESULTS
Favourite Junk food:
The total sample size includes (N=344 individuals).
The type of junk foods preferred by the individuals
is given in table 1. Nearly 53% of respondents
preferred fast food, followed by 23% of individuals
who liked snacks, 15% consumed soft drinks and
the remaining 7% preferred to take candies.
Table 1: Respondents favourite junk food
Favourite food item
Fast food
Snacks

Soft drinks

22

Candies

Respondents count
(N= 344)
184
81
54
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original article

Students perspective on junk foods: Survey

Figure 3: Number of servings of junk food by

individuals per week.

Junk food Eating Habit:

Three Out of ten questions were asked to analyze
the eating habit of the students. Around (44% of
individuals) indicated that they do not take junk
food as an alternative to breakfast, 39% of students
indicated that they would take rarely and that to
very least quantity 18% indicated they would take
junk food as breakfast. And when the students
were asked to select the factor that influences
them in selecting the type of the junk food, 68.1%
opted for taste, 14.2% for changing life style, 10%
opted for time and only 7.2% opted for influence
of advertisements. The factors influencing the
choice of selecting a junk food is given in figure 1.
The response for whether the junk food serves as a
alternative to breakfast is given in figure 2.

Awareness about the junk food:

Out of ten questions, four were asked to analyze
the student awareness about the junk food facts.
About 43% of the respondents said that they do
check the quality of the junk food, followed by 39%
respondents who sometimes check the quality and
only 18% of the respondents said they dont check
the quality at all. For the question related to nutrient
facts labels awareness, 7.8% of the respondents said
that they did not know about it; followed by 25.2%
who did not check the label, 16.2% checked the
label and 50% individual checked rarely. In case of
chemicals and their safety level information, 25% of
the students were aware of it, 33% of students were
unaware, 42% of the students have specified that
they had some idea about some chemicals and their
safety levels. When asked about the harmful effects
of chemicals in junk food, 49% of the students said
they were not aware of the consequences, 45% were
not and only very few 6% students have opted for
other reasons. Response to various parameters such
as quality, nutrient fact label, chemicals and their
safety and harmful effects are given in figure four.

Figure 1: Factors affecting the choice of junk food

Figure 2: Consumption of junk food products as breakfast

Figure 4: Response to various parameters such as

quality, nutrient fact label, chemicals safety and its
harmful effects.
From the figure three, the frequency of junk food
intake by the individual per week is given in figure
3. It is found that 20% opted for five times per week,
only 11% percentage of students opted for four
times per week 28% for thrice, 25.2% for twice and
14% for once.

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original article

Students perspective on junk foods: Survey

Opinion about the junk food:

In the figure five it is evident that about 85% of the
respondents considered junk food as unhealthy
and remaining 15% considered junk food as
healthy. From the figure six data depicts that 62%
of individuals agreed that junk food consumption
makes person to eat more and 38% have disagreed
for the same.

about the chemicals added to the junk foods. Adults

who frequently consume large amounts of salted food
prefer saltier food [20]. Majority of the respondents
from the conducted survey agreed to that they would
get acquainted to addiction related problems by
overconsumption of energy dense junk foods.
Television viewing has been reported to be
associated with increased energy intake and poor
quality diet among children 8 to 16 years of age
[21]
. One of the ways to attract children and adults
on junk food products is through advertising. Apart
from that, taste was an important factor that actually
craves individuals in overeating and making them
obese and the outcome of this study also reveals
the same. Breakfast skipping was associated with
gaining weight, obese and addicted to unhealthy
dietary habits including more frequent junk foods
[22]
. The inclusion of junk food as a replacement
for breakfast in their dietary plan is suugested
by the fact that 39% (which is a moderately high
percentage) of the sample population said that
sometimes they consume junk food products.

Figure 5: Data representing the percentage of

responses about junk food being health or not.

Figure 6: Data represents the opinion of the study

population on whether junk food is addictive or not

CONCLUSION

The focus of our finding include the views of

adolescents on junk foods, individual preferences,
consumption rates and familiarity regarding
the harmful health effects of overconsumption
of junk food products. From our study we have
identified certain factors responsible for increased
eating habits of junk foods include: First, the role
of television advertisements which attracts the
college students to junk foods. Second, majority of
the sample population agreed to the fact of getting
addicted to junk foods. Third, a defiant need for
the young generation of teens to understand that
the nutrient facts and various chemical additives
are added to enhance junk food eating since the
awareness of individuals about delimiting nutrient
levels in junk foods has to be dissipated more for
effective, safe and a healthy balanced diet. .

DISCUSSION
Survey conducted in United States of America
(US) among children (2-17 years age) by Subar
[17]
reported that cakes/cookies/quick breads/
donuts, beef and cheese are in the top 10 sources
of energy, fat and protein. Our results confirmed
that the most preferred energy dense junk food was
fast food and it was the most favourite item among
the sample population (n- 344 individuals). Our
findings showed that 25% of sample population
does not check the nutrition facts labels present in
the junk food products. Thus, considerably lower
percentage of population (n- 344 individuals) knew
about the food facts. Neuhouser [18] has reported
that individuals with low intake of fat have an idea
about nutrition labels.
A survey conducted in United States of America (USA)
among male and female adolescents on the level of
sweetener consumed revealed that intake of 20%
total energy by added sweeteners present in soda
and fruit drinks [19]. Our study has indicated that only
25% of the population were aware of the chemicals
present and its safety level which is a considerably
a low level. Thus, our study revealed that among the
sample population many individuals are unaware

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