A study to assess the knowledge and dietary practice regarding prevention of anemia among adolescent girls in a selected school (GGHS kharman)

Abstract

The nutritional health of school-going children is a major public health concern, especially in rural and semiurban regions where dietary transitions and increasing exposure to processed foods are rapidly influencing lifestyle behaviours. Healthy food habits developed during childhood play a vital role in ensuring proper physical growth, cognitive development, immune competence, and long-term disease prevention. However, inadequate nutritional awareness, changing family food patterns, and increasing junk food consumption have negatively affected the dietary practices of many children. The present study was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude regarding food habits among schoolgoing children in Government School, Khanda Kheri, Hisar District, Haryana. A quantitative descriptive crosssectional research design was adopted for the investigation. The study population included students aged 11– 15 years enrolled in classes 6th to 10th. A total sample of 150 students was selected through non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire and a modified Likert attitude scale after obtaining institutional permission and informed consent from parents and participants. The findings revealed that the majority of students (54.7%) possessed a moderate level of knowledge regarding healthy food habits, while 28.0% demonstrated poor knowledge and only 17.3% showed adequate knowledge. In terms of attitude, 38.0% of the participants exhibited a favourable attitude toward healthy eating, whereas 36.7% had a neutral attitude and 25.3% demonstrated an unfavourable attitude toward dietary practices. The study further identified statistically significant associations between knowledge and maternal education as well as household income. Similar significant associations were observed between attitude scores and sociodemographic variables. Pearson’s correlation analysis demonstrated a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.52, p < 0.01) between knowledge and attitude scores, indicating that better nutritional knowledge was associated with healthier dietary attitudes. The study concludes that although students possessed partial awareness regarding nutrition, substantial gaps still exist in their practical understanding and attitudes toward healthy eating. The findings emphasize the importance of structured school-based nutritional education programs, parental involvement, and communitylevel awareness initiatives to promote healthy dietary behaviours among children. The study highlights the need for culturally relevant interventions aimed at improving both cognitive understanding and positive attitudes regarding food habits among rural school-going children.