Knowledge-Practices regarding a balanced diet and nutrition and its sociodemographic correlates among adolescent girls in Lucknow, India

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Therefore, comprehending the relationship between nutrition knowledge and practices related to balanced diet and nutrition is imperative to help tip these scales. Objective The present study addresses knowledge and practices related to a balanced diet and nutrition among adolescent girls (10–19 years) in Lucknow, India. The study also evaluated the associations of the knowledge levels of adolescent girls with sociodemographic factors and practices according to age group. Methods A school-based, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 472 participants via a self-constructed and validated questionnaire. The results were analyzed via the chi-square test via SPSS version 22. Results An unsatisfactory number of adolescents showed an acceptable level of knowledge. Significant results were found for the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge levels (KLs). Adolescent girls from families with higher incomes, educated mothers and fathers, and nuclear families scored better than the other adolescents. A better KL was observed with increasing age. The majority followed acceptable practices. The association of age with practices showed that most young adolescents were not taking lunch to school. Late adolescents ate more from the canteen than others did, whereas more young adolescents ate out than others did. The majority of late adolescents assisted in cooking more than others did. Fried foods were the most liked food among all the age groups. Conclusion Overall, the study concluded that the knowledge level was below average. While general practices were acceptable, unacceptable practices were found with respect to the age groups. A strong correlation with sociodemographics highlights calls for education and awareness programs and community empowerment. Attitude dietary knowledge practices balanced diet INTRODUCTION Adolescents are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as individuals aged 10–19 years, whereas those aged 10–14 and 15–19 years are referred to as younger and older adolescents, respectively. ( WHO, 2017 ). Adolescence is a remarkable life stage when skills are developed, which helps in decision-making. Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood. Many significant social, economic, biological, and demographic events take place to prepare individuals for adulthood. (Population Council & UNICEF, 2013). A nation's future social and economic development and the form and quality of young people's lives largely depend on how successfully teenagers manage this transition. Numerous social, economic, and physical issues may make it difficult for teenagers in India to live their whole and fruitful lives. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health present a unique chance for rapid action on adolescent health. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and associated 169 targets, each with a direct or indirect bearing on adolescents' development, health, or well-being, must also be met to accomplish the goals ( UN,2017) . Given the large number of young people in India, it is widely acknowledged that investing in youth is crucial to the country's capacity to meet population stabilization targets. (Adolescents in India: Population Council & UNICEF 2013). Around the world, there are more than 1.2 billion adolescents or nearly one in every six people (Progress for Children: UNICEF 2012). Arora et al . (2016) reported that inadequate nutrient consumption at this age causes growth to be stunted and sexual maturation to be delayed. The increasing concern of obesity and overweight has been addressed in various studies. Adolescent development requires sufficient intake of nutrients. However, to lose weight, adolescents are more likely to practice lousy eating habits, skip meals, and stay hungry. To shed weight, more than half of the children skipped breakfast (Monzani et al ., 2019). The results of the NFHS-5 survey revealed an increase in the prevalence of anemia among women and children nationwide compared with the results of the NFHS-4 study. The prevalence is greater in urban children than in rural children. (Belwal et al ., 2021) By 2022, India had set a national goal of reducing anemia prevalence to 40% in children (6–59 months), 36% in adolescent girls (15–19 years), and 11% in adolescent boys (15–19 years) (AMB Reports, 2022). However, data from the NFHS-5 factsheets show that India is halfway to meeting those goals. Moreover, imparting nutrition education to an increasing number of adolescents nationwide is needed. Because this notion focuses on developing the capacity to operationalize healthy eating selections, food literacy programs are excellent for this stage. According to Vidgen et al . (2016) , the foundation for people to develop a positive connection with food is food literacy (FL). Adolescence is a unique stage for maturation and cognitive development. Youths are developing and honing their decision-making abilities during this period. For the incorporation of an FL programme to develop lifelong healthy behaviors, adolescence is considered the most extraordinary stage. However, encouraging teenagers to sign up for an FL programme could call for creative approaches. A cutting-edge idea that might appeal to teenagers is creating an FL programme heavily focused on technology ( Wickham et al ., 2017 ). The definition of “nutrition,” as given by Silk, is “the act or process of nourishing or being nourished” ( Nutrition; Merriam–Webster ). Nutrition literacy is defined as “The degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand the basic nutrition information and services they need to make appropriate nutrition-related decisions” ( Silk et al ., 2008 ). The two phrases are distinct; the former describes the food as sustenance or nourishment, whereas the latter represents a process that leads to better nutrition-related outcomes. There are three domains of nutrition literacy: functional, interactive, and critical ( Guttersrud et al ., 2014 ). Since FL is still in its infancy, additional research is necessary to ascertain how formal literacy in food, nutrition, and health is related. Investigating functional, interactive, and crucial components, a common topic among all three literacies, may provide a relationship between these literacies. Unhealthy eating habits are frequently mentioned as contributing factors to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Therefore, to help tip the scales of overweight and obesity in the right direction, it is imperative to understand the relationships among nutritional knowledge, attitudes toward healthy foods, and health-promoting behaviors. The ability to receive, process, and comprehend the basic health information and services required to make wise health decisions is known as health literacy. Adolescents are born and raised in the digital era. Teenagers' skillful use of technology presents an opportunity to take advantage of this medium's ability to include them in imparting food-related education. In recent years, research has concentrated on the value of health and nutrition literacy in navigating complicated health and nutrition settings. (Tallon et al ., 2021 ). METHODOLOGY The aim of this research was to understand the factors associated with a balanced diet-healthy eating awareness levels and practices among school-going adolescent girls in Lucknow. This study was a school-based descriptive cross-sectional study involving adolescent girls (aged 10–19 years; n = 472) from 4 private schools in Lucknow, India. Following multistage random sampling, first, a list of schools in all 4 directions of the city was created, and second, 1 private school was randomly selected from each direction. All girls aged 10–19 years who were present on the day of the study were included in the study. Girls who were unwilling to participate and who were younger than 10 years and older than 19 years were excluded from the study. The sample size was calculated via Fisher’s formula (n = Z 2 *P*Q/E 2 ), where N stands for sample size, P stands for construct size on the basis of previous studies (70%), Q = 1–P (30%), E = margin of error (5%), and Z = Z score at the 5% significance level. The required sample size was calculated as 323 in total. After adding a contingency @ 25%, the sample size becomes 472. ( Pourhoseingholi et al ., 2013) The study was approved by the ethics board committee of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, registration number: IEC/SHUATS/2020. Written informed consent was obtained from subjects aged 18 years or older, and assent was obtained from the teachers of subjects younger than 18 years. A knowledge and practice assessment questionnaire (KPAQ) was constructed and validated. The questionnaire showed good internal consistency reliability 17 (Cronbach alpha = 0.83) and was evaluated by a team of educators in the field of Food Nutrition and Public Health. The KPAQ is divided into three sections: sociodemographic profile (5 questions), practice questions (5 questions), and knowledge questions (16 questions). The questions were related to knowledge and practices related to a balanced diet. One point was given for each correct answer, whereas zero points were given for “Don’t know” or incorrect answers. Total marks were categorized as follows: inadequate for ≤ 6 marks, marginally adequate when between 7 and 11 marks, and adequate when between 12 and 16 marks. Later, the experimental group was subjected to an educational intervention on balanced diet that was prepared in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Indians-A Manual ( Krishnaswamy et al ., 2016 ). The results of which are published else where. ( Afreen et al., 2021 ) Statistical analysis Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS Version 22.0, Inc., Chicago, IL, 2013. Version 22.0, Inc., Chicago, IL, 20013. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the characteristics of the respondents’ sociodemographic profiles. Pearson’s chi-square test assessed the relationship between respondents’ knowledge level and their sociodemographic profile. The level of significance was set as P ≤ 0.05. ( Hinton, 2014) RESULTS A total of 472 adolescent girls from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 14.5 years. The results of the level of knowledge among participants regarding a balanced diet are given in Table 1 . The statistical associations between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge levels are presented in Table 2 , where Pearson chi-square tests revealed a significant relationship between age, type of family, parent’s education, income status, and knowledge level regarding a balanced diet (p < 0.05). Table 1 Respondents’ responses to the KPAQ (n = 472) S. No. Questions Respondents who gave correct answers (n = 472) (%) 1. Importance of nutrition in adolescence 136 (28) 2. Understanding of a balanced diet 119 (25) 3. Ideal serving of fruits and vegetables per day 107 (22) 4. Whole cereals and protein-rich food per plate 129 (27) 5. Understanding of Protein-rich foods 125 (26) 6. Importance of protein during adolescence 159 (33) 7. Knowledge of healthy fat 89 (18) 8. Rich sources of healthy fats 273 (57) 9. Nutrients present in milk and milk products 164 (34) 10. Heme part of hemoglobin is built by 171 (36) 11. Sunlight is a source of vitamin D 218 (46) 12. Source(s) of vitamin C in foods 240 (50) 13. Good source(s) of fiber in the diet 218 (46) 14. Awareness about Symptoms of anemia 173 (36) 15. Detrimental effects of junk foods 252 (53) 16. Junk foods are a part of a balanced diet 257 (54) Table 2: Associations between Sociodemographic Characteristics and Knowledge Levels Regarding a Balanced Diet (N=472) Sociodemographic characteristics Knowledge Level χ 2 Inadequate (%) Marginally Adequate (%) Adequate (%) Age in years χ 2 (4)= 163.01, p=0.000,*S 10-13 152 (55.1) 3 (2.4) 1 (1.4) 14-16 72 (26.1) 46 (36.2) 40 (58) 17-19 52 (18.8) 78 (61.4) 28 (40.6) Mothers’ Education χ 2 (10)= 69.37, p=0.000,*S Illiterate 39 (14.1) 22 (17.3) 7 (10.1) Primary school 54 (19.6) 11 (8.7) 6 (8.7) High school 71 (25.7) 5 (3.9) 5 (7.2) Intermediate 35 (12.7) 29 (22.8) 11 (15.9) Graduate 50 (18.1) 33 (26) 17 (24.6) Postgraduate 27 (9.8) 27 (21.3) 23 (33.3) Fathers’ Education χ 2 (10)= 75.42, p=0.000,*S Illiterate 39 (14.1) 22 (17.3) 7 (10.1) Primary school 51 (18.35) 10 (7.9) 6 (8.7) High school 73 (26.4) 3 (2.4) 5 (7.2) Intermediate 36 (13) 30 (23.6) 11 (15.9) Graduate 50 (18) 34 (26.8) 17 (24.6) Postgraduate 27 (9.8) 28 (22) 23 (33.3) Income Status χ 2 (8) = 58.93, p=0.000, *S Below poverty line 54 (19.6) 28 (22) 15 (21.7) Above urban poverty line 92 (33.3) 14 (11) 3 (4.3) Middle class 70 (25.4) 34 (26.8) 13 (18.8) Upper middle class 33 (12) 24 (18.9) 15 (21.7) High class 27 (9.8) 27 (21.3) 23 (33.3) Dietary Habit χ 2 (4) = 31.11, p=0.000,*S Vegetarian 131 (47.5) 26 (20.5) 23 (33.3) Non-Vegetarian 66 (23.9) 54 (42.5) 18 (26.1) Ovo-Vegetarian 79 (28.6) 47 (37) 28 (40.6) Type Of Family χ 2 (2) = 1.232, p=0.001, *NS Nuclear Family 140 (50.7) 68 (53) 40 (58) Joint Family 136 (49.3) 59 (46.5)) 29 (42) Total (%) 276 127 69 472 (100) *S= Significant ; NS=Non Significant DISCUSSION Associations between Sociodemographic Characteristics and Knowledge Levels Regarding a Balanced Diet (N = 472) is shown in Table 2 . The association between age and KL increases with increasing age. This might be due to the increase in the cognitive abilities of individuals with age. With typical aging, measurable changes in intellect occur. However, factors other than normal cognitive aging, such as nutritional factors, childhood educational experiences, exposure to environmental pollutants or social stressors, knowledge of new technology, and other unmeasured variables, may affect test performance (Murman,2015). Hence, more variables should be studied collectively to draw conclusions. Our study revealed better KL among girls with educated mothers. Research shows that parents with a high level of education tend to be more active in supporting their children's studies (Tan et al ., 2020). Students' academic performance is also generally greater if their parents have a higher educational background, as per the research conducted by Dixson et al . in 2018 . This can be attributed to the increased involvement of parents in their children's studies. The study revealed higher KL among adolescents with highly educated fathers. A longitudinal study revealed that the greater the educational qualifications of parents when their child is eight years old are, the greater the educational aspirations and attainment the child has at age 19 and later in adulthood, affecting his educational and occupational success at age 48 ( Dubow et al ., 2009 ). Hence, children belonging to more educated families tend to do well academically. The results indicated that adolescent girls from families with higher income statuses scored better than did the remaining adolescents. According to research, children from low-SES homes and communities develop their academic skills more slowly than do children from higher-SES groups. A child with low SES is more prone to subpar cognitive, linguistic, memory, and socioemotional processing, which leads to poor adult health and income. Conversely, higher-income families might provide their children with a better quality of life, improving their academic and health vitals. Hence, SES is closely related to the academic performance of a student. The association of respondents' practices with their age group is discussed in Table 3 . Most girls (40 percent) took lunch from home to school daily, followed by taking lunch rarely (34.1 percent) and 25.8 percent taking lunch occasionally. The statistical interpretation shows significant results (p = ≤ .05). A study related the frequency of skipping lunch with advancing age. 22.7 percent of survey participants did not eat lunch at school regularly. It was seen that as students advanced through the grades, the percentage of students who skipped school lunch increased. Children in urban schools (Private: 19.2%; Government: 32.5%) were more likely (25.9%) than those in rural schools (19.4%) to skip lunch at school (Bhargava et al., (2014). Although in our study, with advancing age, most students (41 percent) brought lunch to school “occasionally”. Table 3 Association of respondents practices with their age group. (n = 472) Age (in years) No. of adolescent girls Frequency of taking lunch from home to school p-value Daily Occasionally Rarely No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) 10–13 156 52 (27.5) 29 (23.) 75 (46.6) χ2(4) = 23.49 p = 0.000, S* 14–16 158 65 (34.4) 43 (35.2) 50 (31.1) 17–19 158 72 (38.1) 50 (41.0) 36 (22.4) Total 472 (100) 189 (40) 122 (25.8) 161 (34.1) Age (in years) No. of adolescent girls Frequency of eating from school canteen p-value Daily Occasionally Rarely No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) 10–13 156 24 (17.0) 69 (47.9) 63 (33.7) χ2(4) = 48.60 p = 0.000, S* 14–16 158 45 (31.9) 53 (36.8) 60 (32.1) 17–19 158 72 (51.) 22 (15.3) 64 (34.2) Total 472 (100) 141 (29.8) 144 (30.5) 187 (39.6) Age (in years) No. of adolescent girls Frequency of eating out in a week p-value More than four times a week 2–4 times a week Rarely No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) 10–13 156 55 (43.7) 52 (31.3) 49 (27.2) χ2(4) = 9.83,p = 0.043 *NS 14–16 158 38 (30.2) 55 (33.1) 65 (36.1) 17–19 158 33 (26.2) 59 (35.5) 66 (36.7) Total 472 126 (26.6) 166 (35.1) 180 (38.1) Age (in years) No. of adolescent girls Frequency of cooking/assisting in cooking p-value Daily Weekly Occasionally Rarely No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) 10–13 156 39 (39.4) 37 (30.1) 43 (32.3) 37 (31.6) χ2(6) = 9.13p = 0.166 NS* 14–16 158 37 (37.4) 37 (30.1) 49 (36.8) 35 (29.9) 17–19 158 23 (23.2) 49 (39.8) 41 (30.8) 45 (38.5) Total 472 99 (20.9) 123 (26.0) 133 (28.1) 117 (24.7) Age (in years) No. of adolescent girls Most preferred type of food p-value Fried foods Steamed foods Roasted foods Boiled foods No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) No.(%) 10–13 156 45 (29.6) 35 (37.2) 34 (28.6) 42 (39.3) χ2(6) = 8.18,p = 0.225 NS* 14–16 158 47 (30.9) 33 (35.1) 41 (34.5) 37 (34.6) 17–19 158 60 (39.4) 26 (27.7) 44 (37.0) 28 (26.2) Total 472 152 (32.2) 94 (19.9) 119 (25.2) 107 (22.6) *S = Significant ; NS = Non Significant A study by Rathi et al., (2018) described the perceptions of Indian school canteens from nine private school in Kolkata, India. Food items like French fries (90.4 percent), pizza (79.5 percent), and cakes (69.2 percent) were frequently available in the school canteen, as reported by students. Only a very small percentage of students (3.6 percent) were satisfied with the nutritious quality of the food provided in the canteens, the price of food (8.7 percent), and the accessibility of fresh foods like fruits (5.5 percent). Only a small percentage of pupils (10.2 percent) acknowledged the availability of healthy meals like fruits. Only a tiny percentage (18.3 percent) supported the ban on fried meals in school canteens, whereas two-thirds of respondents (65.9 percent) favoured the availability of nutritious foods in the school canteens. Our study showed that with advancing age, the frequency (51 percent) of eating from school canteen increased. The correlation between eating at the canteen and the likelihood of being overweight was proven by another research. Students who ate at the canteen more than three times per week were found to be overweight in 41.2% of cases. It was determined that an increase in childhood obesity is primarily due to the accessibility and cheap cost of junk food and a dearth of healthier nutritional alternatives. It was recommended that the canteen services be modified, and appropriate school cafeteria procedures be implemented (Bhatt et al., 2019). Frequency of eating out in a restaurant or street food in a week was rare in the majority (36.86 percent) of the respondents, followed by (34.74 percent) 2–4 times a week, 28.38 percent eating more than four times a week. The statistical interpretation shows significant results (p = ≤ .05). Similar results were seen in a study by Bipasha et al., (2014) in Bangladesh, where 22 percent of respondents said they ate fast food four times a week, and more than one-fifth said they ate it daily. Fifty-four percent of those surveyed skipped breakfast and had fast food later in the day. On the contrary, Rathi et al., (2017) conducted a study in English medium schools in Kolkata where it was found that 70% of participants consumed three or more servings of energy-dense snacks the previous day, and 47% consumed three or more servings of energy- dense beverages. A study done by Goel et al., (2013 ) showed consumption of junk food twice a week by the majority of the respondents (46.25 percent), followed by thrice-a-week consumption (30.00 percent), followed by weekly consumption (21.25 percent). Data were collected regarding the frequency of cooking or assisting done at home in the kitchen by respondents. Most girls (27.77 percent) cooked/assisted occasionally, followed by (24.78 percent) weekly assistance. Almost equal percentages (23.51 percent, 23.94 percent) cooked/assisted daily and never, respectively. Although, the statistical interpretation shows that the results were not significant. Studies have shown that including teenagers in family meal preparation improves dietary quality and eating patterns (Berge et al., (2016)). Research done by Laska et al., (2012) quoted that participants in their mid-to-late twenties who enjoyed cooking were more likely to have cooked as adolescents (15–18 years) and emerging adults (19–23 years). It was also predicted that less sugar-sweetened beverages and fast-food consumption would be seen among this population five years later, along with higher inclusion of fruit, vegetables, dark green/orange vegetables, and better nutritional quality of their food. According to research done by Vaitkeviciute et al., (2015), adolescents who were better at cooking adopted healthier food habits. Both vegetable intake and adolescents‘ confidence in the kitchen considerably rose. Ten years later, there was a link between helping with dinner preparation and a greater appreciation of cooking. As per Stevenson et al., (2007) cooking draws on the critical element of a healthy eating identity and may enable young people to actively interact and explore a wider variety of foods. Respondents were enquired about the most preferred type of food, and it was found that the majority (31.77 percent) of them liked fried foods, followed by roasted foods (24.57 percent), boiled foods (22.03 percent), and steamed foods (21.61 percent). Although, the statistical interpretation shows that the results were not significant. A study surveyed the preference of its 15- and 18-year-old 214 female respondents for leading eatery brands. An equal percentage of respondents (24.2 percent) favored Domino and KFC, and 19 percent preferred Pizza Hut (Sekher et al., 2021). According to a study, young adolescents' regular intake of certain fast meals may be linked to an increased preference for salt taste. They recommended adopting educational initiatives to lower salt consumption ( Kim et al., 2009). According to another study, females consume more added fat, non-green leafy vegetables, and packaged and ready-to-eat meals than boys. Compared to girls, boys said they ate eggs and street food more frequently (Shaikh et al.,2016 ). Research by Rani et al. (2013) in Chennai, India discovered that nearly 20% of the students consumed fast food four to seven days in a week. Conclusion Our study aimed at assessing the knowledge and practices among school-going adolescent girls in Lucknow, India. Only 14.6 percent of the respondents had “adequate,” 26.9 percent had “Marginally Adequate,” and 58.4 percent had “Inadequate” levels of knowledge. This study revealed that socio-demographic factors such as a high-income group, educated parents, and advancing age positively impact the level of knowledge an adolescent has regarding a balanced diet. The majority followed acceptable practices. A better KL was observed with increasing age. The association of age with practices showed that most young adolescents were not taking lunch to school. Late adolescents ate more from the canteen than others did, whereas more young adolescents ate out than others did. The majority of late adolescents assisted in cooking more than others did. Fried foods were the most liked food among all the age groups. Nutrition literacy is paramount for a developing nation such as India. A strong correlation with sociodemographics highlights calls for education and awareness programs among adolescents as well as adults. Limitations- This study is susceptible to bias, as it uses self-reported data and provides only a descriptive overview of the topic. Declarations Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’ contributions SA and VP contributed equally to the conception, design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the study. SA drafted the initial manuscript, and VP critically revised it for important intellectual content. Both authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript. Ethics approval and consent to participate The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved by the ethics board committee of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, registration number: IEC/SHUATS/2020. Role of the funding source None. Availability of data and materials The data used in this study are available from the corresponding author on request. Consent for publication By submitting this document, the authors declare their consent for the final accepted version of the manuscript to be considered for publication. 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(\u003cb\u003eWHO, 2017\u003c/b\u003e). Adolescence is a remarkable life stage when skills are developed, which helps in decision-making. Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood. Many significant social, economic, biological, and demographic events take place to prepare individuals for adulthood. \u003cb\u003e(Population Council \u0026amp; UNICEF, 2013).\u003c/b\u003e A nation's future social and economic development and the form and quality of young people's lives largely depend on how successfully teenagers manage this transition. Numerous social, economic, and physical issues may make it difficult for teenagers in India to live their whole and fruitful lives. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health present a unique chance for rapid action on adolescent health. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and associated 169 targets, each with a direct or indirect bearing on adolescents' development, health, or well-being, must also be met to accomplish the goals (\u003cb\u003eUN,2017)\u003c/b\u003e. Given the large number of young people in India, it is widely acknowledged that investing in youth is crucial to the country's capacity to meet population stabilization targets. \u003cb\u003e(Adolescents in India: Population Council \u0026amp; UNICEF 2013).\u003c/b\u003e Around the world, there are more than 1.2\u0026nbsp;billion adolescents or nearly one in every six people \u003cb\u003e(Progress for Children: UNICEF 2012).\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eArora\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e. \u003cb\u003e(2016)\u003c/b\u003e reported that inadequate nutrient consumption at this age causes growth to be stunted and sexual maturation to be delayed. The increasing concern of obesity and overweight has been addressed in various studies. Adolescent development requires sufficient intake of nutrients. However, to lose weight, adolescents are more likely to practice lousy eating habits, skip meals, and stay hungry. To shed weight, more than half of the children skipped breakfast \u003cb\u003e(Monzani\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2019).\u003c/b\u003e The results of the NFHS-5 survey revealed an increase in the prevalence of anemia among women and children nationwide compared with the results of the NFHS-4 study. The prevalence is greater in urban children than in rural children. \u003cb\u003e(Belwal\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2021)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy 2022, India had set a national goal of reducing anemia prevalence to 40% in children (6\u0026ndash;59 months), 36% in adolescent girls (15\u0026ndash;19 years), and 11% in adolescent boys (15\u0026ndash;19 years) \u003cb\u003e(AMB Reports, 2022).\u003c/b\u003e However, data from the NFHS-5 factsheets show that India is halfway to meeting those goals. Moreover, imparting nutrition education to an increasing number of adolescents nationwide is needed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBecause this notion focuses on developing the capacity to operationalize healthy eating selections, food literacy programs are excellent for this stage. According to \u003cb\u003eVidgen\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e. \u003cb\u003e(2016)\u003c/b\u003e, the foundation for people to develop a positive connection with food is food literacy (FL). Adolescence is a unique stage for maturation and cognitive development. Youths are developing and honing their decision-making abilities during this period. For the incorporation of an FL programme to develop lifelong healthy behaviors, adolescence is considered the most extraordinary stage. However, encouraging teenagers to sign up for an FL programme could call for creative approaches. A cutting-edge idea that might appeal to teenagers is creating an FL programme heavily focused on technology (\u003cb\u003eWickham\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2017\u003c/b\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe definition of \u0026ldquo;nutrition,\u0026rdquo; as given by Silk, is \u0026ldquo;the act or process of nourishing or being nourished\u0026rdquo; (\u003cb\u003eNutrition; Merriam\u0026ndash;Webster\u003c/b\u003e). Nutrition literacy is defined as \u0026ldquo;The degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand the basic nutrition information and services they need to make appropriate nutrition-related decisions\u0026rdquo; (\u003cb\u003eSilk\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2008\u003c/b\u003e). The two phrases are distinct; the former describes the food as sustenance or nourishment, whereas the latter represents a process that leads to better nutrition-related outcomes. There are three domains of nutrition literacy: functional, interactive, and critical (\u003cb\u003eGuttersrud\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2014\u003c/b\u003e). Since FL is still in its infancy, additional research is necessary to ascertain how formal literacy in food, nutrition, and health is related. Investigating functional, interactive, and crucial components, a common topic among all three literacies, may provide a relationship between these literacies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnhealthy eating habits are frequently mentioned as contributing factors to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Therefore, to help tip the scales of overweight and obesity in the right direction, it is imperative to understand the relationships among nutritional knowledge, attitudes toward healthy foods, and health-promoting behaviors. The ability to receive, process, and comprehend the basic health information and services required to make wise health decisions is known as health literacy. Adolescents are born and raised in the digital era. Teenagers' skillful use of technology presents an opportunity to take advantage of this medium's ability to include them in imparting food-related education. In recent years, research has concentrated on the value of health and nutrition literacy in navigating complicated health and nutrition settings. (Tallon \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2021\u003c/b\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODOLOGY","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe aim of this research was to understand the factors associated with a balanced diet-healthy eating awareness levels and practices among school-going adolescent girls in Lucknow. This study was a school-based descriptive cross-sectional study involving adolescent girls (aged 10\u0026ndash;19 years; n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;472) from 4 private schools in Lucknow, India. Following multistage random sampling, first, a list of schools in all 4 directions of the city was created, and second, 1 private school was randomly selected from each direction. All girls aged 10\u0026ndash;19 years who were present on the day of the study were included in the study. Girls who were unwilling to participate and who were younger than 10 years and older than 19 years were excluded from the study. The sample size was calculated via Fisher\u0026rsquo;s formula (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Z\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e*P*Q/E\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e), where N stands for sample size, P stands for construct size on the basis of previous studies (70%), Q\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1\u0026ndash;P (30%), E\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;margin of error (5%), and Z\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Z score at the 5% significance level. The required sample size was calculated as 323 in total. After adding a contingency @ 25%, the sample size becomes 472. (\u003cb\u003ePourhoseingholi\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2013)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study was approved by the ethics board committee of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology \u0026amp; Sciences, registration number: IEC/SHUATS/2020. Written informed consent was obtained from subjects aged 18 years or older, and assent was obtained from the teachers of subjects younger than 18 years. A knowledge and practice assessment questionnaire (KPAQ) was constructed and validated. The questionnaire showed good internal consistency reliability\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e (Cronbach alpha\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.83) and was evaluated by a team of educators in the field of Food Nutrition and Public Health. The KPAQ is divided into three sections: sociodemographic profile (5 questions), practice questions (5 questions), and knowledge questions (16 questions). The questions were related to knowledge and practices related to a balanced diet. One point was given for each correct answer, whereas zero points were given for \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t know\u0026rdquo; or incorrect answers. Total marks were categorized as follows: inadequate for \u0026le;\u0026thinsp;6 marks, marginally adequate when between 7 and 11 marks, and adequate when between 12 and 16 marks. Later, the experimental group was subjected to an educational intervention on balanced diet that was prepared in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Indians-A Manual (\u003cb\u003eKrishnaswamy\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2016\u003c/b\u003e). The results of which are published else where. (\u003cb\u003eAfreen et al., 2021\u003c/b\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStatistical analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eStatistical analysis was performed via SPSS Version 22.0, Inc., Chicago, IL, 2013. Version 22.0, Inc., Chicago, IL, 20013. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the characteristics of the respondents\u0026rsquo; sociodemographic profiles. Pearson\u0026rsquo;s chi-square test assessed the relationship between respondents\u0026rsquo; knowledge level and their sociodemographic profile. The level of significance was set as P\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;0.05. (\u003cb\u003eHinton, 2014)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS","content":"\u003cp\u003eA total of 472 adolescent girls from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 14.5 years. The results of the level of knowledge among participants regarding a balanced diet are given in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. The statistical associations between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge levels are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, where Pearson chi-square tests revealed a significant relationship between age, type of family, parent\u0026rsquo;s education, income status, and knowledge level regarding a balanced diet (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRespondents\u0026rsquo; responses to the KPAQ (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;472)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eS. No.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRespondents who gave correct answers (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;472) (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eImportance of nutrition in adolescence\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e136 (28)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnderstanding of a balanced diet\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e119 (25)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIdeal serving of fruits and vegetables per day\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e107 (22)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhole cereals and protein-rich food per plate\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e129 (27)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnderstanding of Protein-rich foods\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e125 (26)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eImportance of protein during adolescence\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e159 (33)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKnowledge of healthy fat\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89 (18)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRich sources of healthy fats\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e273 (57)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNutrients present in milk and milk products\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e164 (34)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeme part of hemoglobin is built by\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e171 (36)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSunlight is a source of vitamin D\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e218 (46)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource(s) of vitamin C in foods\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e240 (50)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGood source(s) of fiber in the diet\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e218 (46)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAwareness about Symptoms of anemia\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e173 (36)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDetrimental effects of junk foods\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e252 (53)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJunk foods are a part of a balanced diet\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e257 (54)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2: Associations between Sociodemographic Characteristics and Knowledge Levels Regarding a Balanced Diet (N=472)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"607\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSociodemographic characteristics\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 321px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKnowledge Level\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInadequate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarginally Adequate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdequate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;(%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge in years\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e(4)= 163.01, p=0.000,*S\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10-13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e152 (55.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (2.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (1.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14-16\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e72 (26.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e46 (36.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40 (58)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17-19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e52 (18.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e78 (61.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28 (40.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMothers\u0026rsquo; Education\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"7\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e(10)= 69.37,\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ep=0.000,*S\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIlliterate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39 (14.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22 (17.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7 (10.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePrimary school\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e54 (19.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11 (8.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6 (8.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh school\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e71 (25.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5 (3.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5 (7.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIntermediate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e35 (12.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e29 (22.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11 (15.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGraduate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50 (18.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e33 (26)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17 (24.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePostgraduate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27 (9.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27 (21.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFathers\u0026rsquo; Education\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"7\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e(10)= 75.42, p=0.000,*S\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIlliterate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39 (14.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22 (17.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7 (10.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePrimary school\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51 (18.35)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10 (7.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6 (8.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh school\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e73 (26.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (2.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5 (7.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIntermediate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e36 (13)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30 (23.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11 (15.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGraduate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50 (18)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e34 (26.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17 (24.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePostgraduate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27 (9.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28 (22)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncome Status\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e(8) = 58.93, p=0.000, *S\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBelow poverty line\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e54 (19.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28 (22)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15 (21.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAbove urban poverty line\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e92 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14 (11)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (4.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMiddle class\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e70 (25.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e34 (26.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13 (18.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUpper middle class\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e33 (12)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24 (18.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15 (21.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh class\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27 (9.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27 (21.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDietary Habit\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e(4) = 31.11, p=0.000,*S\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVegetarian\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e131 (47.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26 (20.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNon-Vegetarian\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e66 (23.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e54 (42.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18 (26.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOvo-Vegetarian\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e79 (28.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47 (37)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28 (40.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eType Of Family\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e(2) = 1.232, p=0.001, *NS\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNuclear Family\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e140 (50.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e68 (53)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40 (58)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eJoint Family\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136 (49.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59 (46.5))\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e29 (42)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 180px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTotal (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e276\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e127\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 106px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e472 (100)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*S= Significant ; NS=Non Significant\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eAssociations between Sociodemographic Characteristics and Knowledge Levels Regarding a Balanced Diet (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;472) is shown in Table \u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. The association between age and KL increases with increasing age. This might be due to the increase in the cognitive abilities of individuals with age. With typical aging, measurable changes in intellect occur. However, factors other than normal cognitive aging, such as nutritional factors, childhood educational experiences, exposure to environmental pollutants or social stressors, knowledge of new technology, and other unmeasured variables, may affect test performance \u003cb\u003e(Murman,2015).\u003c/b\u003e Hence, more variables should be studied collectively to draw conclusions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur study revealed better KL among girls with educated mothers. Research shows that parents with a high level of education tend to be more active in supporting their children's studies \u003cb\u003e(Tan\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2020).\u003c/b\u003e Students' academic performance is also generally greater if their parents have a higher educational background, as per the research conducted by \u003cb\u003eDixson\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e. \u003cb\u003ein 2018\u003c/b\u003e. This can be attributed to the increased involvement of parents in their children's studies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study revealed higher KL among adolescents with highly educated fathers. A longitudinal study revealed that the greater the educational qualifications of parents when their child is eight years old are, the greater the educational aspirations and attainment the child has at age 19 and later in adulthood, affecting his educational and occupational success at age 48 (\u003cb\u003eDubow\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eet al\u003c/b\u003e., \u003cb\u003e2009\u003c/b\u003e). Hence, children belonging to more educated families tend to do well academically.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results indicated that adolescent girls from families with higher income statuses scored better than did the remaining adolescents. According to research, children from low-SES homes and communities develop their academic skills more slowly than do children from higher-SES groups. A child with low SES is more prone to subpar cognitive, linguistic, memory, and socioemotional processing, which leads to poor adult health and income. Conversely, higher-income families might provide their children with a better quality of life, improving their academic and health vitals. Hence, SES is closely related to the academic performance of a student.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe association of respondents' practices with their age group is discussed in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. Most girls (40 percent) took lunch from home to school daily, followed by taking lunch rarely (34.1 percent) and 25.8 percent taking lunch occasionally. The statistical interpretation shows significant results (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;.05). A study related the frequency of skipping lunch with advancing age. 22.7 percent of survey participants did not eat lunch at school regularly. It was seen that as students advanced through the grades, the percentage of students who skipped school lunch increased. Children in urban schools (Private: 19.2%; Government: 32.5%) were more likely (25.9%) than those in rural schools (19.4%) to skip lunch at school (Bhargava et al., (2014). Although in our study, with advancing age, most students (41 percent) brought lunch to school \u0026ldquo;occasionally\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAssociation of respondents practices with their age group. (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;472)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge (in years)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of adolescent girls\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency of taking lunch from home to school\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDaily\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOccasionally\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRarely\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52 (27.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29 (23.)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75 (46.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ2(4)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;23.49 p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.000, S*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u0026ndash;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e65 (34.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43 (35.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50 (31.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u0026ndash;19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e72 (38.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50 (41.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36 (22.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e472 (100)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e189 (40)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e122 (25.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e161 (34.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (in years)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo. of adolescent girls\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrequency of eating from school canteen\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDaily\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccasionally\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRarely\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24 (17.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e69 (47.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63 (33.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ2(4)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;48.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ep\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.000, S*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u0026ndash;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45 (31.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53 (36.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e60 (32.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u0026ndash;19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e72 (51.)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22 (15.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e64 (34.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e472 (100)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e141 (29.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e144 (30.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e187 (39.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (in years)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo. of adolescent girls\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrequency of eating out in a week\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMore than four times a week\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2\u0026ndash;4 times a week\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRarely\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e55 (43.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52 (31.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49 (27.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ2(4)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9.83,p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.043\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e*NS\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u0026ndash;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38 (30.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e55 (33.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e65 (36.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u0026ndash;19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33 (26.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e59 (35.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e66 (36.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e472\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e126 (26.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e166 (35.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e180 (38.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (in years)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo. of adolescent girls\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrequency of cooking/assisting in cooking\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDaily\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeekly\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccasionally\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRarely\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(39.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37 (30.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(32.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(31.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ2(6)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9.13p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.166\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNS*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u0026ndash;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37 (37.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(30.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(36.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e35\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(29.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u0026ndash;19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(23.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(39.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(30.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(38.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e472\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e99 (20.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e123 (26.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e133 (28.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e117 (24.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (in years)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo. of adolescent\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003egirls\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMost preferred type of food\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFried foods\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSteamed foods\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRoasted\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003efoods\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBoiled foods\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo. (%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo.(%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45 (29.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e35 (37.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34 (28.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(39.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ2(6)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8.18,p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.225\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNS*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u0026ndash;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47 (30.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33 (35.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41 (34.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(34.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u0026ndash;19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e60 (39.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26 (27.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44 (37.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(26.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e472\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e152 (32.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e94 (19.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e119 (25.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e107 (22.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"9\"\u003e*S\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Significant ; NS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Non Significant\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA study by Rathi et al., (2018) described the perceptions of Indian school canteens from nine private school in Kolkata, India. Food items like French fries (90.4 percent), pizza (79.5 percent), and cakes (69.2 percent) were frequently available in the school canteen, as reported by students. Only a very small percentage of students (3.6 percent) were satisfied with the nutritious quality of the food provided in the canteens, the price of food (8.7 percent), and the accessibility of fresh foods like fruits (5.5 percent). Only a small percentage of pupils (10.2 percent) acknowledged the availability of healthy meals like fruits. Only a tiny percentage (18.3 percent) supported the ban on fried meals in school canteens, whereas two-thirds of respondents (65.9 percent) favoured the availability of nutritious foods in the school canteens.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur study showed that with advancing age, the frequency (51 percent) of eating from school canteen increased. The correlation between eating at the canteen and the likelihood of being overweight was proven by another research. Students who ate at the canteen more than three times per week were found to be overweight in 41.2% of cases. It was determined that an increase in childhood obesity is primarily due to the accessibility and cheap cost of junk food and a dearth of healthier nutritional alternatives. It was recommended that the canteen services be modified, and appropriate school cafeteria procedures be implemented (Bhatt et al., 2019).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency of eating out in a restaurant or street food in a week was rare in the majority (36.86 percent) of the respondents, followed by (34.74 percent) 2\u0026ndash;4 times a week, 28.38 percent eating more than four times a week. The statistical interpretation shows significant results (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;.05). Similar results were seen in a study by \u003cb\u003eBipasha et al., (2014)\u003c/b\u003e in Bangladesh, where 22 percent of respondents said they ate fast food four times a week, and more than one-fifth said they ate it daily. Fifty-four percent of those surveyed skipped breakfast and had fast food later in the day. On the contrary, \u003cb\u003eRathi et al., (2017)\u003c/b\u003e conducted a study in English medium schools in Kolkata where it was found that 70% of participants consumed three or more servings of energy-dense snacks the previous day, and 47% consumed three or more servings of energy- dense beverages. A study done by \u003cb\u003eGoel et al., (2013\u003c/b\u003e) showed consumption of junk food twice a week by the majority of the respondents (46.25 percent), followed by thrice-a-week consumption (30.00 percent), followed by weekly consumption (21.25 percent).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eData were collected regarding the frequency of cooking or assisting done at home in the kitchen by respondents. Most girls (27.77 percent) cooked/assisted occasionally, followed by (24.78 percent) weekly assistance. Almost equal percentages (23.51 percent, 23.94 percent) cooked/assisted daily and never, respectively. Although, the statistical interpretation shows that the results were not significant. Studies have shown that including teenagers in family meal preparation improves dietary quality and eating patterns (Berge et al., (2016)). Research done by Laska et al., (2012) quoted that participants in their mid-to-late twenties who enjoyed cooking were more likely to have cooked as adolescents (15\u0026ndash;18 years) and emerging adults (19\u0026ndash;23 years). It was also predicted that less sugar-sweetened beverages and fast-food consumption would be seen among this population five years later, along with higher inclusion of fruit, vegetables, dark green/orange vegetables, and better nutritional quality of their food.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to research done by Vaitkeviciute et al., (2015), adolescents who were better at cooking adopted healthier food habits. Both vegetable intake and adolescents\u0026lsquo; confidence in the kitchen considerably rose. Ten years later, there was a link between helping with dinner preparation and a greater appreciation of cooking. As per Stevenson et al., (2007) cooking draws on the critical element of a healthy eating identity and may enable young people to actively interact and explore a wider variety of foods.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRespondents were enquired about the most preferred type of food, and it was found that the majority (31.77 percent) of them liked fried foods, followed by roasted foods (24.57 percent), boiled foods (22.03 percent), and steamed foods (21.61 percent). Although, the statistical interpretation shows that the results were not significant. A study surveyed the preference of its 15- and 18-year-old 214 female respondents for leading eatery brands. An equal percentage of respondents (24.2 percent) favored Domino and KFC, and 19 percent preferred Pizza Hut \u003cb\u003e(Sekher et al., 2021).\u003c/b\u003e According to a study, young adolescents' regular intake of certain fast meals may be linked to an increased preference for salt taste. They recommended adopting educational initiatives to lower salt consumption (\u003cb\u003eKim et al., 2009).\u003c/b\u003e According to another study, females consume more added fat, non-green leafy vegetables, and packaged and ready-to-eat meals than boys. Compared to girls, boys said they ate eggs and street food more frequently \u003cb\u003e(Shaikh et al.,2016\u003c/b\u003e). Research by \u003cb\u003eRani et al. (2013)\u003c/b\u003e in Chennai, India discovered that nearly 20% of the students consumed fast food four to seven days in a week.\u003c/p\u003e "},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eOur study aimed at assessing the knowledge and practices among school-going adolescent girls in Lucknow, India. Only 14.6 percent of the respondents had \u0026ldquo;adequate,\u0026rdquo; 26.9 percent had \u0026ldquo;Marginally Adequate,\u0026rdquo; and 58.4 percent had \u0026ldquo;Inadequate\u0026rdquo; levels of knowledge. This study revealed that socio-demographic factors such as a high-income group, educated parents, and advancing age positively impact the level of knowledge an adolescent has regarding a balanced diet. The majority followed acceptable practices. A better KL was observed with increasing age. The association of age with practices showed that most young adolescents were not taking lunch to school. Late adolescents ate more from the canteen than others did, whereas more young adolescents ate out than others did. The majority of late adolescents assisted in cooking more than others did. Fried foods were the most liked food among all the age groups. Nutrition literacy is paramount for a developing nation such as India. A strong correlation with sociodemographics highlights calls for education and awareness programs among adolescents as well as adults.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLimitations- This study is susceptible to bias, as it uses self-reported data and provides only a descriptive overview of the topic.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;SA and VP contributed equally to the conception, design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the study. SA drafted the initial manuscript, and VP critically revised it for important intellectual content. Both authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved by the ethics board committee of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology \u0026amp; Sciences, registration number: IEC/SHUATS/2020.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRole of the funding source\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data used in this study are available from the corresponding author on request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy submitting this document, the authors declare their consent for the final accepted version of the manuscript to be considered for publication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClinical Trial: Not Applicable\u0026quot;.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdolescents in India: Population Council \u0026amp; UNICEF 2013. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_statistics.html. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAikens NL, Barbarin O. 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Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs345/en/Mengistu \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWickham, C. A., \u0026amp; Carbone, E. T. (2018). \u0026ldquo;Just Say It Like It Is!\u0026rdquo; Use of a Community-Based Participatory Approach to Develop a Technology-Driven Food Literacy Program for Adolescents. \u003cem\u003eInternational Quarterly of Community Health Education\u003c/em\u003e, 38(2), 83\u0026ndash;97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272684X17749572\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Attitude, dietary, knowledge, practices, balanced diet","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6268510/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6268510/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnhealthy eating habits are frequently mentioned as contributing factors to the increasing prevalence of malnutrition. Therefore, comprehending the relationship between nutrition knowledge and practices related to balanced diet and nutrition is imperative to help tip these scales.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe present study addresses knowledge and practices related to a balanced diet and nutrition among adolescent girls (10\u0026ndash;19 years) in Lucknow, India. The study also evaluated the associations of the knowledge levels of adolescent girls with sociodemographic factors and practices according to age group.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA school-based, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 472 participants via a self-constructed and validated questionnaire. The results were analyzed via the chi-square test via SPSS version 22.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn unsatisfactory number of adolescents showed an acceptable level of knowledge. Significant results were found for the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge levels (KLs). Adolescent girls from families with higher incomes, educated mothers and fathers, and nuclear families scored better than the other adolescents. A better KL was observed with increasing age. The majority followed acceptable practices. The association of age with practices showed that most young adolescents were not taking lunch to school. Late adolescents ate more from the canteen than others did, whereas more young adolescents ate out than others did. The majority of late adolescents assisted in cooking more than others did. Fried foods were the most liked food among all the age groups.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, the study concluded that the knowledge level was below average. While general practices were acceptable, unacceptable practices were found with respect to the age groups. A strong correlation with sociodemographics highlights calls for education and awareness programs and community empowerment.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Knowledge-Practices regarding a balanced diet and nutrition and its sociodemographic correlates among adolescent girls in Lucknow, India","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-05-09 07:04:02","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6268510/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-05-22T09:10:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-05-22T08:07:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-05-22T05:39:22+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"12572673321809594476454292373518185299","date":"2025-05-10T11:32:14+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"146674032464992155142159442922910236635","date":"2025-05-09T15:29:08+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"46481529604424892593164185226395055468","date":"2025-05-09T03:40:04+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-05-08T14:49:49+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"334961817382229753947841797717079258157","date":"2025-05-08T07:39:01+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"111543395550996114458641439111880664738","date":"2025-05-06T08:19:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-05-06T06:55:29+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-05-02T07:09:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-05-02T07:07:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Public Health","date":"2025-03-20T09:54:06+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"b9d3f1c0-0074-41ed-a8e4-c0cc40c5ed5d","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 9th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-07-14T15:59:19+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6268510","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00793-2","journal":{"identity":"discover-public-health","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Discover Public Health"},"publishedOn":"2025-07-13 15:57:04","publishedOnDateReadable":"July 13th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-05-09 07:04:02","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12982-025-00793-2","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00793-2","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6268510","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6268510","identity":"rs-6268510","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}