Role of Schools, Teachers, and Parents in Promoting Healthy Dietary Behaviors among Secondary School Students in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This quantitative study was designed to examine the factors associated with healthy dietary behavior among secondary school students in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike a broad descriptive assessment of the roles of schools, teachers, and parents, the present model focuses on the relative predictive contribution of school nutrition climate, teacher health-promotion practices, parental nutrition support, nutrition literacy, peer healthy-eating norms, and perceived accessibility of healthy foods. A cross-sectional correlational survey design is proposed, using a structured five-point Likert-scale questionnaire. The planned analyses include descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlation, independent-samples t tests, one-way ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression. In the illustrative dataset (n = 468), healthy dietary behavior showed positive associations with all six predictors. Nutrition literacy showed the strongest bivariate association (r = .48, p < .01), while the final regression model explained approximately 39% of the variance. Nutrition literacy was the strongest unique predictor (β = .31), followed by school nutrition climate (β = .22) and parental nutrition support (β = .16). The illustrative results also show a school-sector difference but no statistically significant gender or grade difference. If replicated with actual AJK data, such findings would support a multi-level strategy combining nutrition literacy, supportive school environments, teacher practices, parental reinforcement, positive peer norms, and improved access to healthy foods.
Authors: Ulfit Bibi, Qummer Iqbal
Institution: Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7208788941