Knowledge-Practices regarding a balanced diet and nutrition and its sociodemographic correlates among adolescent girls in Lucknow, India

Background Unhealthy eating habits are frequently mentioned as contributing factors to the increasing prevalence of malnutrition. Therefore, comprehending the relationship between nutrition knowledge and practices related to balanced diet and nutrition is imperative to help tip these scales. Objective The present study addresses knowledge and practices related to a balanced diet and nutrition among adolescent girls (10–19 years) in Lucknow, India. The study also evaluated the associations of the knowledge levels of adolescent girls with sociodemographic factors and practices according to age group. Methods A school-based, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 472 participants via a self-constructed and validated questionnaire. The results were analyzed via the chi-square test via SPSS version 22. Results An unsatisfactory number of adolescents showed an acceptable level of knowledge. Significant results were found for the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge levels (KLs). Adolescent girls from families with higher incomes, educated mothers and fathers, and nuclear families scored better than the other adolescents. A better KL was observed with increasing age. The majority followed acceptable practices. The association of age with practices showed that most young adolescents were not taking lunch to school. Late adolescents ate more from the canteen than others did, whereas more young adolescents ate out than others did. The majority of late adolescents assisted in cooking more than others did. Fried foods were the most liked food among all the age groups. Conclusion Overall, the study concluded that the knowledge level was below average. While general practices were acceptable, unacceptable practices were found with respect to the age groups. A strong correlation with sociodemographics highlights calls for education and awareness programs and community empowerment.