Nutritional status and dietary habits of young people

Abstract

Objective. Poor nutrition due to insufficient or unbalanced food intake often leads to poor growth and developmental disruption, as well as to the development of diet-related diseases. Our physiological needs provide the basic determinants of food choice. which varies from individual to individual, and these determinants include꞉ cultural, social, economic, and psychological lifestyle factors. Assessing nutritional status and related factors among children and young people can serve as a predictor of their future health. The aim of the present study is to assess the adolescents' nutritional status and healthy dietary habits adjusted for gender and school-age, as well as to assess the need for improved health education in schools. Methods. The research was conducted using cross-sectional study. A total of 307 students of School of Nursing in Novi Sad were surveyed, including students from first through fourth grades. Results. The results obtained show there was statistically significant difference between the first and fourth grade students in terms of whether they were well informed about good nutrition. The percentage of young people with excess amount of body weight among those being investigated was 10%, while 12% of students were undernourished. A higher consumption of sweets and snacks was observed among students, and most of them did not have a set amount of meals per day. Conclusion. Based on our data, we may conclude that the majority of high school students have poor eating habits and that this study has only been a useful starting point for initiating dietary change in poor eating habits among young people.