Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Socio-economic Factors as Correlates of Meal Skipping and Poor Eating Habits among Ghanaian Adolescents

Osei Jonathan K., Brobbey Emmanuel O., Appiah Nathaniel O., Panti Jesus S., Abalem Juliana

Asian Journal of Food Research and Nutrition · pp. 1259–1269 · Published 14 Dec 2024

10.9734/ajfrn/2024/v3i4214

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between socio-economic factors, meal skipping, and poor eating habits among Ghanaian adolescents, with a focus on identifying the prevalence of these behaviors and their underlying determinants. Study Design: A descriptive research design was employed to explore the influence of socioeconomic conditions on dietary behaviors among adolescents in Ghana. Methodology: Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire administered to 310 adolescents selected through convenience sampling. The analysis included descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and means, and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation to examine the relationships between socio-economic factors, meal skipping, and poor eating habits. Results: The findings revealed a high prevalence of meal skipping, with 77.1% frequently skipping breakfast (Mean = 3.21) and a similar percentage relying on street food for lunch due to affordability (Mean = 3.34). Socio-economic factors were moderately correlated with meal skipping (r=0.451, p=0.008) and strongly correlated with poor eating habits (r=0.654, p=0.001). Stress, peer pressure, and cultural norms further exacerbated unhealthy dietary behaviors. Conclusion: Meal skipping and poor eating habits among Ghanaian adolescents are significantly influenced by socio-economic disparities, including financial constraints and limited parental education. These behaviors contribute to nutritional deficiencies, obesity, and diminished cognitive performance, necessitating targeted interventions.

Meal skipping poor eating habits socio-economic factors adolescents food insecurity dietary behaviors

References (7)

  1. 1 Schools and Obesity Prevention: Creating School Environments and Policies to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity [DOI]
  2. 2 Eating for the better: a social marketing review (2000–2012) [DOI]
  3. 3 Assessing gender differences in food preferences and physical activity: a population-based survey [DOI]
  4. 4 The effects of skipping a meal on daily energy intake and diet quality [DOI]
  5. 5 Risk of mental health problems in adolescents skipping meals: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010 to 2012 [DOI]
  6. 6 Nutritional quality and diversity in Ghana’s school feeding programme: a mixed-methods exploration through caterer interviews in the Greater Accra Region [DOI]
  7. 7 The promotion of healthy breakfast and snacks based on the social marketing model: a mixed-methods study [DOI]

Cited by 2

Inequities in Children's Food Environment: A Comparison between Slum and Non-slum Settings in Urban Bangladesh.

T. A. Chowdhury, N. Akhter, Kaniz Fatima Emy · Journal of urban health · 2026

Influence of Economic Hardship on Household Meal Related Issues among Rural Households in Ekiti State, Nigeria

A. I. Adebayo, Taiwo Owoeye, T. O. Bamisaye · Journal of Home Economics Research · 2025

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

127

Page views

0

PDF downloads

18

Outbound clicks

2

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.