Two hundred adolescent boys in the age group of 16 to18 years were selected randomly with equal number from Govt Model Senior Secondary School, PAU, Ludhiana in urban area and Govt Senior Secondary School, Dakha in rural area of Ludhiana district. The study was conducted during 2009-10. Information regarding general and socio-economic background was collected using a pretested interview schedule. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess the food pattern (general as well as fast food) over three months. The results revealed that majority of both urban (89%) and rural (83%) subjects belonged to nuclear families. The major occupation of the urban families (59%) was service, while most of rural families (26%) were engaged in farming. The meal pattern showed a major percentage of urban adolescent boys (96%) having in between meals, whereas this pattern was observed in 61 per cent of rural adolescent boys. The mean frequency scores of consumption of cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, milk products, and fruits were higher among rural subjects while that of fast foods was higher among urban subjects. Out of 44 identified fast food items the intake of 27 and 24 was moderate among urban and rural adolescent boys. Further, the frequency of consuming sweet biscuits, sandwiches and namkeens was observed to be high among urban subjects as compared to only sweet biscuits among rural subjects.
Adolescent boys, Consumption pattern, Fast food, Food frequency, Meal pattern, Snacks
