Hubungan Sikap dan Gaya Hidup Konsumsi Junk Food dengan Kejadian Overweight di SMA Kristen Immanuel Medan

Abstract

Attitudes and dietary lifestyles are important factors in determining the nutritional status of adolescents, particularly concerning the incidence of overweight. In recent years, the increase in junk food consumption among adolescents has shown an alarming trend, as it has the potential to cause various physical and psychological health problems. This study aimed to determine the relationship between attitudes and junk food consumption lifestyles with the incidence of overweight among students at SMA Kristen Immanuel Medan. This research used a descriptive-analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. The sample consisted of 56 students selected using total sampling. Data were collected through questionnaires measuring attitudes toward junk food consumption, lifestyle habits (related to eating patterns, physical activity, and snacking habits), as well as measurements of body weight and height to determine nutritional status based on Body Mass Index (BMI). Data were analyzed using the chi-square test to determine the relationship between variables. The results showed that students' attitudes toward junk food consumption were mostly in the moderate category (69.6%), followed by the good category (30.4%). Regarding lifestyle, most students were in the moderate category (87.5%), followed by the good category (12.5%). There was a significant relationship between attitudes toward junk food consumption and the incidence of overweight (p = 0.008), while the lifestyle of junk food consumption was not significantly associated with overweight (p = 0.108). These findings indicate that a permissive attitude toward junk food consumption is significantly associated with an increased risk of overweight among adolescents, whereas the junk food consumption lifestyle was not statistically significant in relation to overweight in this study. The results are expected to serve as a basis for schools and parents to strengthen health education and foster positive attitudes toward healthy eating among adolescents, in order to prevent obesity and its long-term health impacts.