ASSESSMENT OF DIETARY HABITS AND NUTRITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AMONG FOOD AND NUTRITION STUDENTS

The prevention of lifestyle-related diseases and the maintenance of good health depend on good nutritional understanding and appropriate eating habits. This is particularly relevant for students studying food and nutrition as a major subject in their curriculums, as they are expected to possess both theoretical understanding and practical application of healthy eating behaviors. However, academic exposure to nutrition does not always translate into optimal personal dietary choices. In India, the situation is particularly concerning due to the double burden of malnutrition including both undernutrition, the rising prevalence of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases. Adolescents and young adults are at risk of developing poor dietary patterns, including high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, low intake of proteins and fibres, and inadequate hydration. This study aims to assess the dietary habits and nutritional knowledge of college-going girls pursuing studies in Home Science in which Food and Nutrition is one of the major subjects. By evaluating their meal patterns, food group intake, snacking behavior, awareness of dietary guidelines and self-perception of health, this research seeks to identify whether their theoretical knowledge is reflected in their dietary practices. The survey was conducted in Dayanand Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Kurukshetra and Hindu Girls College, Jagadhri during the academic year 2024-25. A total of eighty-two students were selected using purposive sampling, considering their relevance to the study focus. Questionnaire was developed to assess the young girl’s demographic profile, dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and preferences with the help of Google form. The girls were fully informed of the purpose and procedure of the investigation and provided consent at the outset. After submission of the questionnaire their nutritional knowledge was assessed and analysed. The results were analysed using arithmetic mean and standard deviation.A significant number of subjects still exhibit suboptimal practices like meal skipping, delayed eating and frequent dining out.The study reflect that even though these college students eat vegetables and choose whole wheat products, there are still some significant nutritional gaps in their total dietary intake pattern which include low fruit and protein consumption, suboptimal dairy intake and limited diversity in whole grain choices.Overall, the snacking and beverage patterns among these students reveal a combination of moderate hydration, occasional indulgence in unhealthy snacks and prevalent caffeine consumption, suggesting that while some healthy behaviors are present, there is ample scope for nutritional improvement. Overall, while a majority of the students demonstrated basic nutritional awareness and an intent to improve their habits, there are visible gaps in dietary implementation, supplement use and diet quality assessment. These findings underline the importance of converting academic nutrition knowledge into actionable, sustainable dietary behaviors. Thus, tailored strategies such as workshops, meal planning guides and motivational counselling may be beneficial for these students in future.