TITLE:
A study on the impact of street food consumption on health
AUTHORS: (F1 Batch)
Mudra Sonchatra, Amisha Kala, Shrishti Baranwal
INTRODUCTION:
Street food consumption has become an integral part of urban culture globally, offering convenient and often culturally rich culinary experiences. However, concerns have risen regarding the potential health implications associated with frequent consumption of street foods. Street foods often lack proper sanitation and hygiene standards, raising risks of foodborne illnesses and microbial contamination.
Moreover, they are often high in calories, fats, and sugars, contributing to the prevalence of diet-related health issues such as obesity and non-communicable diseases. Understanding the impact of street food consumption on health requires an examination of both nutritional content and socio-economic factors influencing food choices. This study seeks to explore the complex dynamics between street food consumption patterns, dietary behaviours, and their subsequent effects on public health outcomes.
The research aims to provide insights and aims at promoting healthier eating behaviours and minimizing health risks associated with street food consumption.
OBJECTIVE:
To understand the importance of risks associated with consumption of street food.
LITERATURE REVIEW:
Article 1
An article titled ‘Street Food Consumption and Associated Health Risk’, by Abrar Sualeh, Mohammedsani Zakir, has highlighted how street foods which are widely consumed globally, particularly by low and middle-income urban dwellers, are sold in public spaces by vendors. Despite their socio-economic significance, street foods pose health risks due to vendors’ limited knowledge of food safety. The seminar aimed to examine factors influencing street food consumption, including microbial contamination and sanitation practices. It recommended research on local street foods to better understand health risks and improve safety measures.
Article 2
‘Street food consumption in terms of the food safety and health’, the descriptive study explores street food consumption, highlighting its popularity as an affordable alternative to homemade meals and restaurant fare. Despite its convenience, street food faces criticism due to concerns about cleanliness, contamination, and inadequate hygiene practices among sellers. The research aims to shed light on general aspects of street food, including reasons for its preference and overarching concerns related to hygiene, quality, and safety.
DATA COLLECTION:
The respondents’ primary data was collected using the survey method. A Google form was framed with 5 statements and circulated the same among the ITM students. The data was primarily collected by the members of the group. The sample size of this research is 102 respondents. For every statement – mean, standard deviation, standard error, and t-stat were calculated.
DATA ANALYSIS:
|
STATEMENTS |
MEAN |
STANDARD DEVIATION |
STANDARD ERROR |
T STAT |
RESULTS
|
|
1 |
3.62 |
1.10 |
0.11 |
5.67 |
Accept H1 |
|
2 |
4.13 |
0.97 |
0.10 |
11.72 |
Accept H1 |
|
3 |
3.60 |
1.06 |
0.11 |
5.67 |
Accept H1 |
|
4 |
3.49 |
1.01 |
0.10 |
4.89 |
Accept H1 |
|
5 |
3.93 |
1.03 |
0.10 |
9.16 |
Accept H1 |
CONCLUSION:
Statement 1 – Street Food a convenient option to have.
For statement 1, as T-stat is 5.67 which is more than 1.96, we accept the alternate hypothesis.
It can be concluded that street food is a very convenient option to have.
Statement 2 – Street food have more options availability.
For statement 2, as T-stat is 11.72 which is more than 1.96, we accept the alternate hypothesis.
From the results it can be concluded that street food offers a diverse array of options for consumers.
Statement 3 – There are high risks associated while consuming street food.
For statement 3, as T-stat is 5.67 which is more than 1.96, we accept the alternate hypothesis.
The conclusion derived is that consuming street food poses significant health risks.
Statement 4 – Limitations are done during consumption of food due to health concerns.
For statement 4, as T-stat is 4.89 which is more than 1.96, we accept the alternate hypothesis.
It can be concluded that health concerns often lead to limitations in food consumption, especially with street food.
Statement 5 – There are concerns regarding the cleanliness and hygiene of street food.
For statement 5, as T-stat is 9.16 which is more than 1.96, we accept the alternate hypothesis.
From the results it can be concluded that hygiene and cleanliness issues are a major concern surrounding street food.
REFERENCES:
Sualeh, A., & Zakir, M. (2020). Street Food Consumption and Associated Health Risk. International Journal of Research Studies in Agricultural Sciences, 6(7)
Retrieved from https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijrsas/v6-i7/2.pdf.
Sezgin, A. C., & Şanlıer, N. (2016). Street food consumption in terms of the food safety and health. Journal of Human Sciences 13(3):4072
Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309198074_Street_food_consumption_in_terms_of_the_food_safety_and_health
