FREQUENCY OF FOOD CONSUMPTION OF ADOLESCENTS AND EARLY ADULTS IN ASEER REGION, ABHA DISTRICT, SAUDI ARABIA

Dietary profile, eating habits and physical inactivity have become important determinants of health status among university students. With this background, an attempt was made in this study to understand the effect of frequency of food consumption of female Saudi Arabian adolescents and early adults and the effect of physical activity, skipping breakfast and snacking. A pre validated questionnaire was prepared to include details of height and weight, physical activity, skipping of breakfast, snacking and frequency of food consumption of the selected subjects. The questionnaire was administered to all the subjects and their anthropometric measurements were taken. The results of the study revealed that according to the Body mass index, 14.9 percent of the subjects were underweight and 18.6 percent of the subjects were overweight. A majority of the subjects were of normal weight. Mean waist circumference was 73.3. Mean Waist hip ratio was 0.8 in the female subjects. No significant association was found between parental education, income and food frequency parameters. No significant association was found between Body mass index, Waist hip ratio and the remaining food frequency parameters. In the long run, chronic diseases because of overweight and underweight and poor food consumption practices will occur. Preventing these diseases is the need of the hour.