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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH IN COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT & SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJARCMSS) [ Vol. 9 | No. 3 (III) | July - September, 2026 ]

Health-Related Perceptions of Online Food Delivery Applications among University Students in Rohilkhand Region: A Health Belief Model Based Descriptive Study

Kunwar Ankush Saxena & Prof. (Dr.) Raj Kamal

The present study is an effort to investigate the perception of university students in Rohilkhand region towards Online Food Delivery Apps like Eternal, Swiggy and other brands offering their services in the region. In a study, university students in UAE and Malaysia who were using OFDAs were found to acknowledge health-related consequences that may come along with the various benefits these food delivery applications offer (Ismail et al., 2024), (Eu & Sameeha, 2021). The students in Rohilkhand region; most of whom are young, are likely to demonstrate a distinct behaviour based on their perception regarding the various aspects of OFDAs. In this descriptive study, through a cross-sectional survey of students in Rohilkhand Region of Uttar Pradesh, the researcher has captured their perception about some important dimensions of the various OFDAs they use. The study focusses to answer 3 important questions, viz. 1. perceived effects of OFDAs on overeating, junk-food consumption and late-night eating. 2. perception of freshness, hygiene, nutritional value, and overall food quality; 3. perceived benefits/harms of OFDA convenience. For this study, the Health Belief Model (HBM) is used as the theoretical lens; which provides the most appropriate constructs required to capture the perception of students in the setup of OFDAs. The constructs of HBM are adapted, and the wording of the (items) questions is modified according to the objectives of this study. The survey was conducted and 231 valid responses were received and used for further analysis. The study found that students perceive OFDAs causing them their poor eating habits and adversely impacting their dietary balance. The study also found that they perceive availability of junk food items on OFDAs as causing harm to their health and indulge them in overeating. The results also revealed concerns around nutritional value of the food options available on online food delivery applications.

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