Poor Health Habit Factors in Sabon Gari Secondary Schools

Adolescence is a pivotal chapter in human development, a time when the body and mind are rapidly changing and when the habits formed today often set the course for a lifetime. During these years, young people are particularly sensitive to the world around them, shaped not just by their own choices but by the people they spend time with, the families they come from, and the digital environments they navigate. Scientists have long understood that what teenagers eat, how much they move, and how they sleep are influenced by a complex web of social pressures and environmental factors. In many parts of the world, the increasing availability of processed foods and the rise of screen-based entertainment have added new layers of complexity to these daily routines. Understanding how these forces interact is essential for public health, because the patterns established in the school years can determine long-term well-being and the risk of chronic disease later in life.

In a recent study conducted in Sabon Gari, a local government area in Kaduna State, Nigeria, researchers set out to map these influences among secondary school students. The team, led by Usman Ndabata Abdullahi and Alim Hammawa Hammajam, focused on identifying the most common poor health habits among students and understanding how they perceive the role of their friends, their families, and the media in shaping those habits. They surveyed 380 students across ten government-run schools, asking them to report on their daily routines and their feelings about what drives their behavior. The goal was not to prove that one thing causes another, but to paint a clear picture of what students are actually experiencing and what they believe is influencing their choices.

The results reveal a pattern of daily life that many adults might recognize, yet the scale of the habits is striking. The most frequently reported poor health habit was the consumption of junk food or sugary snacks, with nearly three out of four students agreeing that they eat these foods often. Closely following this was the habit of skipping breakfast before school, a routine endorsed by almost three-quarters of the respondents. The study also highlighted a significant shift in how students spend their time: more than two-thirds reported spending over two hours a day watching television or playing video games, while a similar proportion admitted to getting less than seven hours of sleep each night. Perhaps most concerning was the finding that more than half of the students reported engaging in very little physical activity during the week. These are not isolated incidents but widespread behaviors that define the daily rhythm of a majority of the students surveyed.

When the researchers asked the students about the forces behind these choices, the influence of their social circle emerged as a powerful factor. A large majority of students agreed that the pressure to fit in with their peers often leads to unhealthy behaviors. They acknowledged that their friends influence what they eat and that they sometimes adopt unhealthy habits simply because their friends are doing them. However, the picture of peer influence was not entirely negative. More than half of the students also noted that their friends discuss and encourage healthy habits, suggesting that peer groups can act as both a risk and a protective force. This duality indicates that the social environment is a double-edged sword, capable of pulling students toward poor choices or pushing them toward better ones depending on the specific dynamics of their friendships.

Family and economic background also played a central role in the students' narratives. While a significant number of students reported that their parents encourage a balanced diet and support physical activity, there was a strong recognition that money matters. Nearly eight out of ten students agreed that their family's socioeconomic status affects their ability to access healthy foods. This suggests that even when parents want to provide healthy options, financial constraints can make it difficult to do so. The students also felt that their family background shapes their food preferences, indicating that the home environment sets a baseline for what is considered normal or desirable to eat.

The digital world, too, was identified as a major driver of these habits. Students reported that social media influences their food choices and that advertisements for unhealthy foods affect their snacking. They acknowledged that the time they spend on screens often exceeds the time they spend being physically active. Interestingly, while the digital environment was seen as a source of unhealthy influence, only about half of the students reported using technology to track their own physical activity or health. This points to a gap where digital tools are widely used for entertainment and consumption but less frequently leveraged for personal health management.

The researchers were careful to frame their findings as a snapshot of perceptions and reported behaviors rather than a definitive proof of cause and effect. Because the study was conducted at a single point in time, it cannot say for certain that watching television causes a lack of sleep or that peer pressure forces a student to skip breakfast. Instead, the study offers a detailed account of what students believe is happening in their lives. It highlights that poor health habits are not merely the result of individual willpower but are deeply embedded in a social and economic context. The students see their choices as being shaped by the cost of food, the expectations of their friends, the messages they see online, and the routines of their families.

Ultimately, the study suggests that improving the health of adolescents requires looking beyond the individual. The findings point toward the need for integrated strategies that involve schools, families, and the broader community. If students feel that healthy food is too expensive, if they feel pressured to conform to unhealthy norms, or if they are constantly bombarded with advertisements for junk food, simply telling them to make better choices is unlikely to work. The authors recommend that schools strengthen health education, that parents be engaged in reinforcing healthy routines, and that efforts be made to address the economic barriers to healthy eating. By understanding the real-world pressures that students face, communities can begin to build environments that support, rather than hinder, the development of healthy habits.