Effectiveness of role play in enhancing knowledge on health hazards of fast food among adolescents: A pre-experimental study

Background: Fast food consumption among adolescents poses a serious public health concern, contributing to increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular issues, and other non-communicable diseases. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of role play in enhancing knowledge about the health hazards of fast food among high school adolescents. Methods: A pre-experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design was employed. Sixty students aged 13–16 years from Basaveshwar Kannada Medium High School, Gadag, were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. A role play intervention was conducted, followed by a post-test. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. Results: The mean knowledge score increased significantly from pre-test (M = 11.5, SD = 2.3) to post-test (M = 17.8, SD = 1.9). The paired t-test value was 8.17 (p< 0.05), indicating a statistically significant improvement. No significant association was found between post-test knowledge scores and socio-demographic variables. Conclusion: Role play was found to be an effective method to improve adolescent knowledge about fast food hazards. Schools should adopt interactive strategies like role play for adolescent health education.