author(s)
Dr. S Kala Barathi, Jesintha Esther Rajathi A, Joy Lovis, Kalpana Devi V

abstract
Adolescent is a transitional stage of physical and physiological development that usually occurs during the period from puberty to authorized adulthood usually connected with teenage years. Puberty is a subject that mesmerizes and ward off, a stage that all human progress through, puberty is both extremely personal and an up-to-date public issue. Most girls will commence puberty at some phase in their schooling. In recent times early puberty has arose as a major problem due to lifestyle modifications and eating habits. There is a deficient knowledge in the community regarding eating habits leading to early puberty. So it is important to impart knowledge regarding eating habits leads to early puberty to the adolescent girls and their family members. The present study aims to assess the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding eating habits leads to early puberty among adolescent girls. A descriptive one group pretest posttest design was conducted among 100 adolescent girls. Convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample. Self-prepared knowledge questionnaire was used to assess the pretest knowledge and structured teaching programme was given. After 5 days posttest was done through the same self-prepared questionnaire. The study results shows that the 26(26%) had inadequate knowledge, 64(64%) had moderate knowledge and 10 have adequate knowledge in pretest. And out of 100 samples 80(80%) had adequate knowledge, 20(20%) had moderate knowledge and none of them had inadequate knowledge in posttest. The pretest mean percentage knowledge scores regarding eating habits leads to early puberty was found to be less than the posttest mean percentage knowledge scores. A study conducted on the effectiveness of structured teaching programme regarding eating habits leads to early puberty among adolescent girls showed a significant improvement in knowledge level of adolescent girls as well as their family members after the administration of a structured teaching programme.