• Payal
• Dr. Priya Singla

This cross-sectional interventional study examined whether structured nutritional counselling can narrow the knowledge–practice gap in processed food purchasing and consumption among three occupational cohorts in Ludhiana, Punjab: working women, non-working women, and students (N = 375; 125 per group). Baseline data demonstrated high reliance on ultra-processed foods, especially among students (82.4%), accompanied by frequent meal skipping (56%) and late-evening snacking. Although general health consciousness was reported across cohorts, label literacy and time-pressured decisions limited healthier choices. Following a standardized counselling module emphasizing label interpretation (added sugars, sodium, saturated fat), front-of-pack cues, and simple planning strategies, all cohorts reduced processed food consumption: working women by 12.8 percentage points, non-working women by 14.4 points, and students by 17.6 points. Purchase drivers shifted meaningfully from taste and advertising toward nutritional value and health consciousness with increase of 26.4% among students . Temporal patterns improved as evening and late-night intake declined across groups for evening with decrease of 9.6% working; 8.0% non-working; 6.4% students and for late night with decrease of 5.6%, 3.2%, 5.6%, respectively. These findings align with literature showing that active education amplifies the effect of labels and that timing-sensitive cues can support self-regulation later in the day. The results indicate that brief, targeted counselling can translate awareness into practice, particularly among students who began with the highest risk profile, and support policy measures combining education with simplified front-of-pack warnings to sustain behavior change.

Nutritional counselling; nutrition labelling; ultra-processed foods; knowledge-practice gap; consumer behaviour; occupational cohorts; Ludhiana; Punjab

"IMPACT OF NUTRITIONAL COUNSELLING ON CONSUMER AWARENESS AND PURCHASE PRACTICES OF PROCESSED FOODS AMONG DIVERSE OCCUPATIONAL COHORTS IN LUDHIANA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no.b338-b345, September-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609138.pdf

"IMPACT OF NUTRITIONAL COUNSELLING ON CONSUMER AWARENESS AND PURCHASE PRACTICES OF PROCESSED FOODS AMONG DIVERSE OCCUPATIONAL COHORTS IN LUDHIANA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no. ppb338-b345, September-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609138.pdf