TREND AND PATTERN OF FAST FOOD CONSUMPTION AMONG STUDENTS OF ENUGU STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), ENUGU

Abstract

This study investigates the increasing trend and pattern of fast food consumption among college students with special references of students of Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu. Eat healthy and live healthy is one of the essential requirements for long life. The consumption of fast and junk foods may pre-disposed individuals to a lot of nutritional and metabolic disorders. This work designed to examine the various reasons why students indulge in the consumption of fast food and determine the perception of students on the health implications of consuming fast foods regularly. Fifty (50) students (male and female) participated in the study. Six research questions and two bulk hypotheses guided the conduct of the study. It was found out that fast food consumption pattern of the students was very high and that convenience and influence of friends are the major reasons. The students were either overweight or obese as a result of their consumption pattern. It was concluded that there is need to incorporate nutrition education into students’ curriculum with a view to equipping them with necessary nutritional knowledge on how to make rational and healthy fast food choices. Among the recommendation given are that the government should re-introduce the school cafeteria system so that college students can have access to good and nutritious foods at affordable process. This will enable them to avoid eating without planning and indulging in fast food consumption and that parent should be more pro-active to monitor their children/wards especially on what they consume. They should encourage their children to learn how to prepare their meal by themselves.