2026, Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part A

Introduction: Junk food consumption among adolescents has emerged as a major public health concern due to its association with poor nutritional status and increased risk of non-communicable diseases. Adolescence is a critical period for establishing lifelong dietary habits, and unhealthy eating practices adopted during this stage often persist into adulthood. Understanding adolescents’ knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding junk food consumption is essential for planning effective health promotion strategies.

Methods: A quantitative descriptive survey design was adopted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of adolescent children regarding junk food consumption in selected urban high schools of Shivamogga, Karnataka. A total of 100 adolescents aged 13-16 years were selected using a three-stage cluster sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured socio-demographic proforma, knowledge questionnaire, attitude rating scale, and practice checklist. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.

Results: The findings revealed that 60% of adolescents had moderately adequate knowledge, while 40% had inadequate knowledge, with none demonstrating adequate knowledge. A majority (69%) exhibited an unfavourable attitude towards junk food consumption. Regarding practice, 51% followed inappropriate dietary practices. A significant positive correlation was observed between knowledge, attitude, and practice (p< 0.05). Knowledge was significantly associated with gender, religion, type of family, type of diet, family income, and source of lunch, while practice was significantly associated with gender, type of family, and type of diet.

Conclusion: The study highlights suboptimal knowledge, unfavourable attitudes, and inappropriate practices related to junk food consumption among adolescents. The findings underscore the need for structured, school-based nutrition education programmes led by nurses to promote healthy dietary behaviours during adolescence.