Impact Of Mass Media On Food Choices, Food Habits And Nutritional Status Of Girls In A Metropolitan City Of Haryana

Abstract

The present study was undertaken in Gurgaon district of Haryana state. D.S.D Govt. College and DPG Institute of Technology and Management were selected purposively and from each college, 50 girls of 17"21 year age were selected randomly. Data revealed that mobile phones were used for more than three hours daily by 51 per cent of the respondents and 46 per cent of the respondents preferred to watch daily soap often on TV. It was found that 32 per cent of the respondents wanted to lose weight and 30 per cent desired to attain figure like a fashion model. New products were tried by 28 per cent of the respondents after watching advertisements and 18 per cent ate without hunger very often. Majority of the respondents never had fruits/vegetables/juices or soft drinks/fast foods as a meal outside home. Samosa/bread pakora and tea/coffee were the foods preferred by 39 and 37 per cent of the respondents very often in college canteen, respectively. Most (42%) of the respondents had one meal outside home and 24 per cent skipped a meal daily. It was found that respondents consumed milk (68%), curd (41%), milk and other shakes (34%), breakfast cereals (43%), vegetables (80%), green leafy vegetables (39%), other vegetables (78%), rice (30%) and pulses (53%) once daily. Mean intake of roots and tubers, other vegetables, green leafy vegetables were significantly lower than their respective RDIs and mean intake of iron and folic acid was significantly lower than their respective RDAs among girls.