Abstract:
The objective of this study is to examine the factors that influence unhealthy
eating habits among youth aged 15-24 years. The study used data from the 3rd round
of Kanchanaburi Demographic Surveillance Survey (DSS) which was conducted by
the Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, in 2002. The
sample size of the study was 5,157 youth. Frequencies, percentage, mean, bivariate
and multivariate were used for analysis.
It was found that 44 percent of youth reported having regular unhealthy eating
habits (fast food and snack food). Individual characteristics of youth such as age,
sex, education and ethnicity strongly affected unhealthy eating habits. The study
also found that education was the strongest predictor, followed by wealth index, for
unhealthy eating habits among youth. Family factor of youth namely, parental living
arrangement did not show a significant relationship with unhealthy eating habits of
youth in logistic regression models. Regarding community factors, location had
significant relationship with unhealthy eating habits of youth. From multivariate
analysis, the result supports the hypotheses that female youth are more likely to have
unhealthy eating habits than male youth, media exposure has also played a role in
unhealthy eating habits of youth and youth residing in non-municipal areas are more
likely to have unhealthy eating habits than those in municipal areas.
To promote healthy eating habits in Kanchanaburi province, therefore,
programs should take into consideration gender, media exposure and location.