Background: The consumption of industrially processed food, popularly known as junk food, is a growing public health concern worldwide, including in Nepal. Schoolchildren are a vulnerable group and they consume junk food at school. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine multi-level determinants of junk food consumption among basic schoolchildren using the socio-ecological model as a framework. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students ( n = 404), and a self-reported questionnaire was used to collect the data. The chi-square test and logistic regression were applied to analyse the results using SPSS version 26. Results: Nearly half (47%) of the students reported that they consumed junk foods at snack time. Important variables for explaining junk food consumption were knowledge of food and nutrition—a micro-level determinant; sharing knowledge of food and nutrition with classmates at school—a meso-level determinant; grade of student—an exo-level determinant; and occupation of parents—a macro-level determinant. However, multivariate analysis found that knowledge of food and nutrition ( p < 0.05), and sharing knowledge of food and nutrition with classmates at school ( p < 0.05) were the significant predictors of junk food consumption. Conclusions: Junk food consumption is common among basic-level students in the study schools. Multi-level determinants explain the factors associated with this behaviour, extending from micro to macro as the socio-ecological model asserts. This study points to the need for comprehensive school-based nutrition education that targets multiple levels of influence, focusing on active learning approaches to promote healthy dietary behaviour in students.

Young people’s sexuality is often stigmatized in South Asian societies, including Nepal, where premarital sex is not accepted socially and culturally. However, the prevalence of early sexual activities among adolescents has increased over time. Given this background, this paper aimed to explore the prevalence of premarital sexual behaviour among the urban high school adolescents. This study utilized a cross-sectional design and collected a total of 609 students of grade 9-12 [ages 10-19] from both community and institutional schools in the Kathmandu metropolis. A validated structured questionnaire was employed and data were analyzed using SPSS with version 24. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed to interpret the results. The study showed that the mean age of the respondents was 16 years. More than half of adolescents (52.4%) ever watched pornography, amongst whom eight percent did it on a regular basis. Similarly, 14 percent of in-school adolescents ever experienced premarital vaginal sexual intercourse, where the median age for the sexual debut was 16 years. Male respondents tended to be 13 times more likely to have premarital sex compared to the girls. Respondents who were exposed to pornography materials were likely to be exposed by 5.7 times higher than that who were not. Further, 48 percent respondents who ever had sex did not use condoms during their first sexual intercourse, followed by 45 percent who had multiple sex partners.The study concluded that a notable proportion of adolescents was involved in premarital sexual behaviours followed with vaginal sexual intercourse, especially among the boy students. Hence, the results of this study suggest school-based comprehensive sexuality education to minimize the risky sexual behaviour and promote the safer sexual activities among the secondary level school adolescents.

Consumption of unhealthy snack foods among young children in low-and-middle-income countries is high and Nepal is no exception. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 259 students to investigate their snacking behaviors and examine factors that influence the behavior from a socio-ecological Framework. The study used self-reported questionnaires, food recall diaries, and participant observation forms to collect data. Students' snacking behavior was the dependent variable where as age, sex, grade, parent's education, parent's sources of income, religion, ethnicity, family type, and living arrangements were the independent variables. Chi-square test and logistic regression were applied to analyze the results. The main findings of the study indicate that 89 percent of students consumed school snacks regularly, including unhealthy snacks, which were either commercially prepared junk foods bought from nearby vending shops and grocery stores or deep-oil-fried snacks food prepared at the school canteen. Bivariate analysis shows that age, grade, father's education, and the student's religion were significantly associated with snacking behaviors of students. The multivariate analysis indicates that grade (aOR= 0.259, P < .05) and religion (aOR= 0.373, P < .05) were the significant predictors. The snacking behaviors among basic level students are influenced by multilevel factors, which is consistent with the socio-ecological model. The study's findings further suggest that comprehensive and effective school-based nutrition education interventions are necessary to promote healthy snack consumption behaviors of students.

This article highlights the practice of tobacco consumption among high school adolescents of Hariwan municipality, a growing semi-urban area of Sarlahi district in Nepal. The study utilized descriptive cross-sectional survey research design with quantitative method to get the required information to the study. Four high schools (two community and two private schools) were randomly sampled to select the respondents. In total, 224 adolescents (n=224) aged 15 to 19 years studying in grade eleven and twelve were selected. A set of pretested self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect the required information. Before data were collected, verbal consent was obtained from the authority of schools and respondents themselves. Only self-reported primary nature of data were utilized to obtain answers to the research questions. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS software with 16.0 versions. Chi-square test and t-test of bivariate analysis were used to analyze the results. The study revealed that around one-fourth (22.8 %) of high school adolescents consumed at least one type of tobacco products. Cigarette was the most common tobacco product among the youth followed by Panparag and Gutkha. Most of them consumed tobacco for entertainment followed by experimentation. Various factors are associated with the consumption of tobacco amongst which peer pressure, parental and relatives' influence, and media exposure remain significant ones. Monitoring high-risk behaviors, announcing tobacco-free public places, making aware towards glamorized tobacco promotional pro-active advertisements, etc. will be effective to minimize the tobacco consumption practice among in-school youths.Journal of Health Promotion Vol.6 2008, p.86-91

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