FACTORS INFLUENCING SENIOR HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENT’S BEHAVIOR ON
FOOD SELECTION AND EATING HABITS
AT QUIRINO GENERAL HIGH SCHOOL:
A QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Researchers:
Krismel Furoc
Elijah Ocampo
Adriana Ysa Rochel Surat
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Over the past three decades, youth in
developed countries face increased obesity,
diabetes, and weight loss issues due to
unbalanced diets.
In the study of Kuzbicka and Rachon's (2013),
it was found that obesity is primarily due to a
lack of physical activity, high-calorie diets,
and a sedentary lifestyle. Poor eating habits,
such as skipping breakfast, watching TV, and
frequent eating, contribute to obesity. Stress
also influences students' eating behaviors.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The Nutritional Status Report for the School Year 2022 to
2023 before the feeding program showed a significant
increase in "Severely Wasted" and "Wasted" individuals,
while "Overweight" and "Obesity" individuals were found to
be overweight and obese respectively. The prevalence of
chronic malnutrition and growth issues was also higher in
"Severely Stunted" individuals. However, the percentage of
overweight, obese, stunted, and tall individuals remained
constant, indicating a need for further research
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Input Process Output
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Academic pressures can lead to
increased stress, causing students
to develop unhealthy eating habits,
such as skipping meals, consuming
single, less nutritious meals, and
favoring unhealthy snacks. These
lifestyle changes can lead to health
issues like obesity and chronic
diseases (Mani et.al., 2020)
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
According to Tadena et.al. (2020), to
enhance positive attitudes toward healthy
eating it will be essential to develop
educational approaches specifically
designed for those who use social media.
A study by Vera (2023) states that schools
should transform into hubs of balanced
nutrition, addressing the issue of unhealthy
foods containing harmful sugars for
students. While providing free meals.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the profile of the students in terms of:
1.1 Age
1.2 Gender
1.3 Grade level
1.4 Strand
2. How are environmental factors, such as access to healthy food options and
affordability effective for students' food selection and consumption patterns?
3. How effective is education and awareness for the students' choices when it
comes to food selection and nutritional habits?
4. How effective are the factors such as peer influence, parental influence, social
and cultural influence, behavior etc. in food selection and habits?
5. How effective are psychological factors, like stress or emotional well-being in the
eating habits and food choices of students?
6. What are the challenges that respondents encounter in their eating habits?
SCOPE AND DELIMITATION
This research aimed to study the factors influencing the students'
behavior on food selection and eating habits at Quirino General
High School, exploring the family influence, traditional influence,
social influence, peer influence etc. implemented to cope. It
examined the effects of eating habits on the students' health and
lifestyle during this time. The study was focused at Quirino
General High, District of Quirino, located in a particular region or
country. Our respondents were the students who are influenced
by their behavior and kind of eating habits this present time.
METHODOLOGY
This study investigates factors influencing senior high school
students' dietary choices at Quirino General High School,
aiming to develop healthier eating habits. A sample of 35
students will be randomly selected using a simple random
sampling method. Data will be collected through structured
questionnaires and surveys. A systematic data analysis plan will
be used, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis,
multiple regression analysis, hypothesis testing, factor analysis,
and cluster analysis. The results will provide implications and
recommendations for schools or policymakers.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
The survey results showed that
access to healthy food options
significantly influences food
choices, with a mean response
of 3.97. Nutritional labels had a
mean response of 3.4, while
peer influence had a mean
response of 3.6. Family had a
mean response of 3.53, and
financial factors had a mean
response of 3.83. .
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
The survey reveals that affordability
significantly influences dietary habits,
with a score of 3.77%. Emotional
eating is also acknowledged, with a
score of 3.6%. Financial constraints
have a neutral stance of 3.3%, while
stress levels influence eating
preferences with a score of 3.73%. The
lack of healthy food options in the
area is a notable factor affecting
eating habits with a score of 3.53.
Financial constraints received the
lowest mean score.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
The survey revealed that education is the
most influential factor in influencing food
selection and eating habits, with a
significant agreement rate of 4.00%.
Education received the highest agreement
rate, while peer, social, parental, and
cultural influence had the lowest
agreement.
CONCLUSION
The After analyzing and interpreting all the data, the researcher found
out that access to healthy food options, family influence, and financial
factors majorly influence the students behavior towards food selection.
On the other hand, the affordability of the foods is the most influential
factor in shaping their eating habits, indicating a tendency for students
to prioritize cost over health considerations.
RECOMMENDATION
The The researchers suggest future research should explore factors
influencing senior high school students' food selection and eating habits,
considering socio-economic, social, familial, and environmental factors.
Also They recommend expanding the investigation to include junior
high school students and observing school canteen foods to gain
insights into dietary behaviors during adolescence.
REFERENCE
The El-Mani, S. F., Mansour, R. M., Abdessamad, A. E., Al-Abbar, E. A., Shallouf, N., &
Amer, R. (2020). Factors influencing the eating behavior of Benghazi University
students. Asian journal of medical sciences.
https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v11i4.26464
Ramosa, B. A., & Bulusan, F. (2020). Obesity among college students in the
Northern Philippines: Input for a National Policy and University Anti-Obesity
Program. Int J Innov Creativity Chang, 12(12), 1256–64.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar? hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Ramosa%2C+
B.+A.%2C+%26+Bulusan%2C+F.+%282020%29.+Obesity+among+College+
Students+in+the+Northern+Philippines%3A+Input+for+a+National+Policy+an
d+University+Anti-
Obesity+Program.+Int+J+Innov+Creativity+Chang%2C+12%2812%29%2C+1256-
64.&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1698367789776&u=%23p%3DYKZexFhzRvQJ
THANK YOU
The Researchers
