Evaluation of bad nutritional habits among secondary school girls of Khoramabad in 2004

One of the most important affecting factors that forming human,s food pattern are food habits which has important role in the manner of selection, preparation and cooking and keeping of food stuff. Many of the habits are in approprait with bad effect on humans health. The girls who are the future mothers have the responsibility of training the human generation, and inappropriate nutritional habits have bad effect on their health and also their family and society health. The aim of this study was to determine bad nutritional habits among secondary school girls of Khoramabad in 2004.

This study was cross-sectional, the samples were 300 girls from 11-16 years old who studied at secondary schools of Khoramabad, selected through random cluster sampling . The data was collected by two parts questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS software.

Findings showed that the majority of samples (58%)were 13-14 years old, and 90% were not aware of the importance of proper nutrition in prevention of disease and improvement of education,63.1% didn,t use appropriate number of meals , especially snacks, 44.5% never ate breakfast,41.3% got used to eat insufficiently. 89.5% used prepared and cold foods1-3 times in week. 45.2% drank a lot of water with food. 45.9% only sometimes drank milk, 49.2% drank tea immediately after food, 54.6% prefered roasted foods and cabab , 80% watched TV and studied at the time of eating.

We conclude that most of girls have inapproprait food habits, not only causing nutritional deficiency; but also making them unknowledgeable mothers endangering health of future generation. Therefore instruction and correcting this habits, by parent , nutritionalist, health teachers, school lessens, public teaching plans broadcasting and using of para educational tools like pamphlets, posters, charts and films mandatory.