Junk Food Intake Among Teenagers in Odisha, and Its Impact in Health

Background: Food’s high in calories, salt, and fats are known as junk foods. Excessive intake of junk foods can result in a range of health problems. Purpose: The goal of this study is to learn more about teenage fast-food intake in Odisha, especially among those aged 15 to 25, and how it affects their health. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of teens was undertaken using 60 adolescents of both sexes as the study's sample. The questionnaire was divided into two parts: the first was for socio-demographic information, and the second was for junk food intake patterns and determining variables, as well as their impact on health. MS Excel was used to analyse the data. A statistically significant value was defined as P 0.05. Results: The findings revealed that more females (72.0 percent) than boys consumed fast food, and nearly half of participants (25.0 percent) consumed fast food as a substitute for a main meal, and more than half of participants (75.0 percent) consumed soft drink every day. Furthermore, a higher proportion of participants (58.0 percent) had urinary tract infection, which could be linked to the fact that chips and soft drink were the most appealing food items among participants.