ASSESSMENT OF FOOD CONSUMPTION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL LYS ACADEMY BAUCHI, BAUCHI METROPOLIS

THIS STUDY ASSESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE NUTRITIONAL HEALTH OF ADOLESCENTS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CLASSES AT LYS ACADEMY, BAUCHI METROPOLIS. A TOTAL OF 250 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY USING A STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE TO GATHER DATA ON SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, CONSUMPTION PATTERNS, INFLUENCING FACTORS, AND NUTRITIONAL HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE RESULTS REVEALED THAT FAST-FOOD CONSUMPTION IS A COMMON BEHAVIOR AMONG ADOLESCENTS, WITH 74.4% CONSUMING FAST FOOD AT LEAST TWO TO THREE TIMES PER WEEK AND 6.8% DOING SO DAILY. ALTHOUGH MOST RESPONDENTS (90.8%) DEMONSTRATED GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF THE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FREQUENT FASTFOOD INTAKE, A SIGNIFICANT "KNOWLEDGE–ATTITUDE GAP" WAS OBSERVED, AS 79.2% STILL PREFERRED FAST FOODS DUE TO TASTE AND CONVENIENCE. THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS OBTAINED FAST FOOD FROM ROADSIDE VENDORS (38.8%) AND RESTAURANTS (35.6%), WITH CONSUMPTION PEAKING IN THE EVENINGS. TASTE (31.6%), AVAILABILITY (30.4%), AND PEER INFLUENCE (17.6%) WERE THE MAJOR DRIVERS OF FAST-FOOD CONSUMPTION, WHILE ADVERTISEMENTS ALSO PLAYED A NOTABLE ROLE. SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCED EATING HABITS, WITH STUDENTS FROM HIGHER-INCOME FAMILIES CONSUMING FAST FOOD MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THOSE FROM LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES. FURTHERMORE, 64.4% OF RESPONDENTS ASSOCIATED FAST-FOOD INTAKE WITH WEIGHT GAIN, AND 54.8% REPORTED HEALTH PROBLEMS SUCH AS OBESITY, INDIGESTION, AND HIGH SUGAR LEVELS. DESPITE THESE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS, PARENTAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONTINUATION OF THESE HABITS. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT WHILE ADOLESCENTS POSSESS SUBSTANTIAL AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD, THEIR CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR IS DRIVEN BY SENSORY APPEAL, CONVENIENCE, SOCIAL INFLUENCE, AND FAMILY AFFLUENCE. IT RECOMMENDS THAT SCHOOLS AND HEALTH AUTHORITIES IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAMS, PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES, AND POLICIES REGULATING FAST-FOOD ADVERTISING AND AVAILABILITY NEAR SCHOOLS. THESE INTERVENTIONS COULD HELP PROMOTE HEALTHIER EATING HABITS AND PREVENT DIETRELATED HEALTH CHALLENGES AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN BAUCHI METROPOLIS. KEYWORDS: ADOLESCENTS, FOOD CONSUMPTION, FAST FOOD, NUTRITIONAL HEALTH, BAUCHI METROPOLIS