Meal Skipping Behaviour among Professional Women

This study analyses meal-skipping behaviour and its implications for the health of professional women, with particular attention to the impact of work, family responsibilities, and daily lifestyle habits. The study aimed to assess the recurrence and types of meal skipping, identify the main reasons for skipping meals, determine respondents' self-reported health effects of meal skipping, and understand meal skipping in the broader context of professional and family life. A quantitative survey design was adopted. Primary data were collected from a structured interview schedule from 282 permanent female teaching faculty members working in government and aided undergraduate colleges in Dharwad, Gadag and Uttara Kannada districts of Karnataka. The data obtained were analysed using frequencies and percentages, along with field-based accounts of the respondents’ experiences. Findings show that skipping meals is mainly an occasional practice, with 66.66% of respondents reporting that they skip meals sometimes, while 6.38% of respondents reported doing so regularly. Among those who reported skipping meals, most skipped breakfast (69.42%), followed by lunch (18.93%) and dinner (11.65%). Work-related constraints were the primary reason for skipping meals (47.58%), followed by family-related constraints (40.77%) and intentional choices (11.65%), primarily related to dietary habits and weight control. Stress was the most commonly reported health effect (54.61%), followed by PCOS (27.65%), headaches or weakness (23.05%), difficulty managing daily activities (20.56%), fatigue (20.22%), concentration issues (20.22%), and mood swings (19.15%). The study concludes that skipping meals is not merely a personal dietary choice but is closely linked to competing professional and family responsibilities, time constraints, and limited opportunities for self-care. Based on these findings, the study recommends adequate meal breaks, supportive workplace arrangements, accessible dining facilities, health-promotion programs, and greater attention to work-family stressors. Such measures would help professional women maintain healthy eating habits and improve their overall well-being.

Meal skipping, Professional women, Health effects

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