ABSTRACT

The emphasis on thinness has led to the dramatic expansion of the diet industry. There is a vast array of Diet books, videos, programmes and commercial establishments emphasizing body size. Teenagers, the factors af1cting teenage food habits and the relationship between the perception of ideal body image and teenage food habits, carried Out this study to examine the perceptions of ideal body image. Data were collected from five hundred teenagers. from five secondary schools and two high institutions in Umuahia and Port I mi-court. Standardized, validated and pre-tested questionnaire was used. Information’s were collected on their socio-economic status, food habits and perceptions of size. Data were also collected on 24-hour dietary recall and the weekly frequency of meal for a complete assessment of food habits; information’s On anthropometry (weight and height) were collected to determine the nutritional status of the teenagers. It was found that skipping of meals due to time constraint, high cost of food and preoccupation with weight and size issues were the major problems the teenagers encountered in their eating patterns. It was also found that t relationship existed between how the teenagers perceived themselves and their attitudes and habits to food ManY of the teenagers sampled were found to have body mass index (BMI) values less than the normal of 18.5-24.99.and some of them had body mass index values higher than normal