Junk Food Addiction - A Major Nutritional Concern for Preschool Children in Western Uttar Pradesh

Background: Preschool years are critical in term of growth, development and food behaviors & habits of children. India has a hefty population size of 99 million children of 3 – 6 years of age. Childhood obesity is now becoming an epidemic and the trends seems to be steeply increasing in India. Studies have reported that approx. 17 million Indian children will be obese by 2025, in both urban & rural. Children’s food consumption is dramatically influenced by food promotions for unhealthy foods. Junk foods are HFSS (high fat, salt & sugar), which are responsible for creating nutritional and dietary imbalances in children and making the more prone to NDDs. Objective: To investigate the food consumption of junk & processed foods among preschool children (3 - 6 years) of Meerut city in western UP. Materials & Methods: A sample of 400 parents of preschool children (3 - 6 years) was purposely & randomly selected and investigated with prior signed consent from their parents for participating in the study. Pre-tested interview schedule and FFQ were used to collect the data from the respondents. Results: Out of 400 parents (respondents) 14% were fathers and 86% were mothers. 59% were Hindu, 20.75% were Muslim and 20.25% were from other religions. Majority of 87.75% were urban residents and 12.25% were residing in rural. Regarding the SES, 59.75% were from middle SES, 25% from lower SES and15.25% from upper SES. Regarding children, 43.5% were male and 56.5% were female children, which were 44% from 3 – 4 years of age, 23% from 4.1 – 5 years of age and33% from 5.1 – 6 years  of age, among which 49% were vegetarian, 26.5% were non-vegetarian and 24.5% were eggetarian. It was recorded that 49.8% children consume junk & processed food on daily basis, 25.5% on alternately basis, 21.3% on weekly basis and 3.5% on monthly basis. Females (27.25%) consumes more junk & processed foods than males (22.5%) on daily basis, followed by 14.25% of females and 10.75% males on alternately basis, 12.25% females and 9.5% males on weekly basis and 2.75% females and 0.75% males on monthly basis consumes junk & processed foods. Conclusions: The status of frequency of junk food consumption among preschool aged children in western U.P. is in a serious and worrisome condition, which in turn is greatly contributing to the whopping crisis of malnutrition in all forms in children of early developmental years, which is also making childhood malnutrition a nutritional epidemic, despite of financial strength as compared to rural. Consumption of junk & processed foods by children is an exigency for making healthier future