Evaluating Consumer Perspectives on Quick Service Restaurants Practices and Challenges in Addressing Non-Communicable Diet Related Diseases in Port Harcourt

Abstract

There is rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa, especially in Nigeria, and needs urgent public health attention. High consumption of nutrient-poor diets and the reduction in physical activity has increase in the prevalence of NCDs, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers. NCDs now account for 71% of all deaths globally, posing a major threat to public health worldwide especially in developing nations. Rise of urbanization and the increasing influence of Western culture has allowed traditional diets to be replaced by processed, calories-dense foods, which can be due to socioeconomic factors such as poverty, lack of education, and limited access to healthcare. The aim of this study is to evaluate consumer perspectives on Quick Service Restaurants Practices and Challenges in addressing Non-Communicable Diet related Diseases in Port Harcourt (QSR). Port Harcourt, Rivers state Nigeria is the study area with a diverse range of quick-service restaurants, including Kilimanjaro, Genesis Fast-food Restaurants, Chicken Republic, Kentucky Fried Chicken Fast-food, and Dominos Pizza. 206 subjects participated in this descriptive study, which comprise male and female, with ages ranging from 20 years and above, including married and single respondents of diverse occupations, different levels of education, and frequencies of quick-service restaurant visits. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 26, frequency and percentage were obtained. T-test and ANOVA was used to test for hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Gender distribution of the subjects showed that 56.3% identified as male, while 43.7% identified as female and majority of subjects were 31-40 years 8.3%, 99.0% of the subjects had tertiary education, the frequency of visiting QSR showed that most subjects 80.6% visited monthly. QSR most visited was Kilimanjaro Fast-food 37.9%. An independent t-test showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.00) between the perceptions of males and females suggesting that gender affects how people view QSR practices, but both genders agreed that QSRs are not doing enough to educate the public on healthy eating. ANOVA results showed a p-value of 0.65, indicating no statistically significant differences in perceptions across age groups. This suggests that age does not significantly influence how consumers perceive QSR practices. Independent t-test showed no significant difference between genders perspectives on challenges facing employees in effectively addressing non-communicable diet-related diseases in QSR (p = 0.48). This means that gender does not have a significant impact on how employees perceive the challenges in addressing NCDs in QSRs. The ANOVA results showed borderline significance (p = 0.05), suggesting that age may have a weak influence on how employees perceive these challenges. Although employees across all age groups acknowledge the challenges, 51-60 years view them as more severe. In conclusion, the findings of this study emphasize the urgent need for action to address the growing burden of non-communicable diet-related diseases in Nigeria and other developing countries. Policymakers, food industry leaders, and public health organizations must work together to implement strategies that promote healthier diets, regulate harmful food practices, and make nutritious foods more affordable.