School Factors Affecting Food Practices among Adolescent Students in Bagmati Province, Nepal
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The role of the institutional environment in influencing dietary behaviors among teenagers attending public secondary schools in Bagmati Province of Nepal. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design within the framework of the post-positivist paradigm and the socio-ecological model among 397 students from grades 8-10 from three randomly chosen districts, namely, Lalitpur, Chitwan, and Rasuwa. Structured self-administered questionnaires helped in the collection of the data. The results showed that students were positively influenced by the institutional policies and supportive measures, including the fact that 61.7% of them avoided junk food due to the school’s regulations, while 59.4% of the surveyed individuals mentioned being constantly encouraged by their teachers to choose nutritious food. Furthermore, the availability of food in the canteen has had a significant influence on students’ food choices, as 54.9% of them regularly opted for healthy food whenever it was available. However, it was found that nutrition education provided in schools remains largely inadequate, with only 38.0% of students learning about nutrition on a regular basis. Thus, the results reveal the necessity of a shift in school policy towards active provision of behavior-changing programs and proper conditions for the healthy nutrition of adolescents.
Institutions: Tribhuvan University, Tribhuvan University Sanothimi Campus
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7224738435