• Mr. Nagaraj Sunagar
• Prof. Milind Manohar Kale

Abstract: Our modern eating environment has an effect on the way children eat. Junk food consumption tends to the occurrence of many life threatening diseases during adulthood and later life. Studies proved the school based education programme might be effective in influencing adolescents to choose a healthier diet. The health teaching programme is an effective teaching strategy, which can be used for this purpose. Objectives of the study: 1.To assess the knowledge on health hazards of junk food and its prevention among adolescents. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding junk food and its prevention among. 3. To find the association between the level of knowledge with selected socio-demographic variables. Methodology: An evaluator approach was used for this study. The research design was pre-experimental one group pre-test and post-test design. In view of the nature of the problem and to accomplish the objectives of the study, structured questionnaire was prepared focusing on knowledge of adolescents regarding health hazards of junk food and its prevention. Validity was ensured in consultation with guides and experts in the field of nursing. Reliability of the tool was tested. The study was carried out in selected high schools at Kudal. A sample of 60 adolescents was selected by using simple random sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Paired‘t’ test was used to find the effectiveness of STP and chi-square test was used to find the association of pre-test knowledge score with selected demographic variables. Major findings and results: The result of this study showed that the adolescents have moderately adequate knowledge regarding health hazards of junk food and its prevention. The pre-test mean knowledge score was 14. There was a marked gain in mean knowledge score after administration of structured teaching programme was 20.57. The difference in mean knowledge score was statistically significant at 0.05 level ‘t’ value is 14.635. There was no significant association between pre-test knowledge score on health hazards of junk food and its prevention with selected socio-demographic variables such as age (2 =2.032), gender (2¬¬¬¬¬¬¬=0.188), area of residence (2¬¬¬¬=0.0705), pocket money per month (2¬¬¬=6.841), occupation of father (2¬¬¬¬¬¬¬=1.005), occupation of mother (2¬¬¬¬¬¬¬=2.029), family income per month (2 =2.700), source of information (2¬¬¬¬¬¬¬=6.709), frequency of junk food consumption (2¬¬¬¬-=1.043), and source of junk food (2¬¬¬¬¬¬¬=1.251) at 0.05 level of significance. Conclusion: The findings of this study support that there is need for conducting an awareness programme on health hazards of junk food and its prevention among adolescents. The study proved that adolescents had moderately inadequate knowledge on health hazards of junk foods and its prevention before the administration of STP. Structured teaching programme carried out and the study has improved the knowledge of adolescent regarding health hazards. Such teaching programme can be carried out in the hospital and community to improve the health of adolescents and thereby reduce the health hazards among adolescents and promote healthy eating habits.

Structured teaching programme, Health hazards of junk food, Adolescents, evaluatory approach.

" A study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching program on knowledge regarding health hazards of junk food and its prevention among adolescents in selected high schools at Kudal.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.7, Issue 5, page no.313-326, May-2020, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2005047.pdf

" A study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching program on knowledge regarding health hazards of junk food and its prevention among adolescents in selected high schools at Kudal.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.7, Issue 5, page no. pp313-326, May-2020, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2005047.pdf