Delhi kids high on list of junk food lovers, beat other metros

Burgers, pizzas, French fries and deep-fried samosas are favourite pre-dinner snacks among children in the Capital, says a study by AC Nielsen, a research agency, that surveyed 1,000 respondents in five metros — Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. HT reports.

Burgers, pizzas, French fries and deep-fried samosas are favourite pre-dinner snacks among children in the Capital, says a study by AC Nielsen, a research agency, that surveyed 1,000 respondents in five metros — Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata.

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The study further establishes that children in Delhi rank high on the list of those who consume unhealthy snacks.

In Delhi, 33% kids snacked on fast food every day and around 60% families had dinner late, leading to unhealthy lifestyle. The study points out that late dinner habit causes infrequent snacking, indicating that people, especially the kids, skip meals due to their hectic schedules. Apart from regular schooling activities such as tuitions and homework, online gaming, Internet surfing and extra-curricular work keep the young ones busy.

“Eating a healthy and light snack helps ensure that the hunger pang is satisfied, while not encroaching on dinner. Some good snacking options are idlis, soups, salads and fruits,” said Sheela Krishnaswamy, diet and nutrition consultant.

The study revealed that consumption of soup as a snack had increased in the past three years. From ranking 10th in 2010, it has become the fourth choice for a pre-dinner snack pan-India, including Delhi.

Snacking habits in Mumbai seem to have undergone a sea change. Soup, which ranked 10th two years ago, has become the first choice for a pre-dinner snack this year. Kolkata has also showed increasing fondness for healthy snacking as is reflected in the study findings. The consumption of soup has shot up by 20% since 2010.