Background: The epidemiologic evidences suggest prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases among adolescents and its substantial role in changing lifestyle and eliminating the associated risky factors. Thanks to the recent change in nutrition pattern, obesity in children and young adults has become one of fundamental health problems in the developed and developing countries, where any change in food habits requires knowing about adolescents’ nutrition attitude and performance.
Objectives: The present study attempts to examine the nutrition pattern of secondary school boy and girl students in Darab city.
Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study comprises 400 secondary school students (196 boys and 204 girls) and 8 public and private schools with one class per each grade in Darab city of Fars Province, Iran. To collect data, a researcher-made questionnaire including individual and demographical items as well as items measuring the students’ awareness, attitude and practice used as research instruments. The data obtained were then analyzed through the SPSS software tests, Chi-Square and ANOVA statistical tests.
Results: The findings indicate that most participants had sufficient awareness and attitude related to consumption of snacks (61.5 % and 89.3%, respectively). However, considering the participants’ practice, most of the subjects were at average level (82.5%) and only 9.3% of the students had a proper nutrition practice. Moreover, parents’ job and mothers’ educational level held no statistically meaningful correlation with the rate of awareness, attitude and nutrition practice of the participants. Fathers’ level of education by far had a considerable impact on the students’ awareness, attitude, and nutritional practice.
Conclusions: Despite the higher levels of the participants’ awareness and attitude, their nutrition practice is inappropriate. The results suggest that increasing trainings on nutrition pattern and improvement of schools policies seems critical in order to benefit from a healthy nutrition pattern.