Ajay Kumar Ahirwar

We assessed the impact of socio-economic factors on age at menarche among the adolescent female population from the state of Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Records such as date of birth, chronological age, caste affiliation, size of place of residence, parents’ level of education and occupation, number of siblings, body height and weight, and age at menarche were collected for 330 students of A Central University, Sagar. The impact of socio-economic factors on age at menarche was analysed using analysis of variance. To establish the probability of menarche occurrence at a given age, time-to-event analysis was carried out using Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test for curve comparison. The association between probability of attaining menarche and the independent variables was investigated using Cox proportional-hazard model. ANOVA and the Kaplan-Meier curves showed statistically significant differences in age at menarche according to size of the place of residence, number of siblings, parental level of education, father’s occupation and females’ BMI. The Cox proportional hazard model revealed that father’s occupation was the strongest factor affecting age at menarche among all SES characteristics under study. Irrespective of rapid economic progress over the past few decades, Indian society is still patriarchal with societal male dominance. This translates into participation of fewer women in the paid workforce and labour market, their lower wage rates and smaller contribution to the household budget compared to their male counterparts.

Objectives: We aimed to test whether birth season is associated with age at menarche in the sub‐tropical climate of Central India where temperature and photoperiod differences between seasons are very small.Methods: Date of birth and age at menarche were collected for 330 female students of Central University, Sagar. The impact of birth month and birth season on age at menarche was analyzed using ANOVA and time‐to‐event analysis with the use of the Kaplan‐Meier curve.Results: ANOVA, Kaplan‐Meier estimation and Cox Proportional Hazard did not show statistically significant differences in age at menarche according to birth month and birth season.Conclusions: Constant sun exposure during the whole year, related to a stable vitamin D amount and to equal access to fruits and vegetables, may translate into a lack of association between seasons and age at menarche.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the indirect effects of nutritional knowledge and attitude toward food label use on food label use through self-efficacy and trust, as well as whether gender moderates this relationship. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of Indian adults with multiple chronic conditions was surveyed about their nutritional knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and use of food labels. Hypotheses were tested using Hayes’s (2013) PROCESS macro for SPSS. Findings: The results show that nutritional knowledge and attitude toward food label use positively predict food label use through self-efficacy and trust. However, these mediation effects are moderated by gender such that the indirect relationship is stronger among men than women. Practical implications: Food marketers and government agencies engaged in nutrition education campaigns should aim to increase patients’ confidence in comprehending food label information. Social implications: Since food labels can be a valuable tool to help patients with chronic diseases to make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle, regulators may consider mandating nutritional labels on foods to help them improve their food or dietary choices. Originality/value: This study uniquely applies Fisher and Fisher’s (1992) information–motivation–behavioral skills model as a theoretical framework to examine the influence of nutrition knowledge and attitude toward food label use on food label usage of Indian patients with multiple chronic diseases.

Background: There has been little research conducted within developing nations examining the link between knowledge and diet-related perceptions and behaviors. In addition, prior investigations have rarely examined interrelationships between knowledge and other nutrition-related factors. Purpose: This study explored the relationship between nutrition knowledge, social/informational factors, and diet-related outcomes among Indian adults with multiple chronic conditions. Methods: A snowball sampling technique was employed to recruit individuals. Hierarchical regression analysis was employed to examine mediating and moderating relationships. Results: Results from a cross-sectional survey indicated that knowledge only predicted use among those reporting greater pressure/concern from close others. Furthermore, social support and social trust were found to moderate the relationship between knowledge and diet-related perceptions and behaviors. Discussion: Results suggest that social factors may play a critical role in moderating the impact of nutrition knowledge on diet-related perceptions and behaviors. Translation to Health Education Practice: Public Health Education interventions targeting developing nations should aim to maximize consumers’ nutrition knowledge while identifying valued close others who can help encourage positive health action. Furthermore, Health Educators as well as government and local communities must engage in outreach efforts to reinforce or, if necessary, change public perceptions regarding the food industry.