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HKBU releases survey results of Hong Kong adolescents' attitudes toward healthy eating and knowledge of food labels

Overweight and obesity pose long-term health problems for adolescents. This obesity problem among adolescents is prevalent in Hong Kong. According to the Student Health Service (SHS), the percentage of secondary school students who are overweight and obese rose from 13.6% in 1997/98 to 17.7% in 2008/09.

Professor Kara Chan, Head of the Department of Communication Studies, and Professor Gerard Prendergast, Head of the Department of Marketing, of Hong Kong Baptist University, conducted a survey to investigate the attitudes and intentions of Hong Kong secondary school students regarding healthy eating and their knowledge of nutrition information on food labels.

A cluster sample survey of 561 students from eight schools studying in secondary forms 1 to 5 was conducted in March 2012. Results showed that Hong Kong adolescents thought healthy eating beneficial and desirable, but boring and non-enjoyable. Their attitudes towards advertisements advocating healthy eating had high positive correlation with attitudes toward healthy eating. The two professors also made some recommendations to health communicators, the Government and the non-profit organizations.

Attached is an abstract of the survey. For enquiries, please contact Professor Kara Chan (tel: 3411 7836, email: karachan@hkbu.edu.hk).

Full report on Health Eating and adolescents