Selected nutritional behaviors in children and youth at school age – preliminary study

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate diet, frequency and type of products consumed and offered at school shops. Materials and methods: Studies were conducted in 2014 among 159 pupils of three randomly selected schools in Bialystok (elementary school, middle school, and high school). The original anonymous questionnaire was used as a research tool. Analysis of results depending on age of the respondents was performed using contingency tables and Pearson's chi-squared test. For hypothesis testing evaluation, significance level of 0.05 was assumed. Results: Consumption of four or more meals during the day was declared by more than half of respondents. Three meals were consumed by 41.5% of middle school pupils, 29.8% of primary school children, and 27.1% of secondary school pupils. Percentage of pupils eating meals outside the home increased with age. Elementary school pupils (91.5%) took water to school significantly more often than middle school or high school pupils (64.2% and 54.2% respectively) (p<0.05). The highest percentage of pupils buying fast food at school was elementary school children, while sweet rolls were mostly bought by middle school pupils (75.5%). Elementary school pupils (78%) are provided information on healthy eating habits from family and school, while middle school (66%) and high school pupils (74.6%) receive this information from the media and magazines. Conclusions: Dietary mistakes reported in the group of pupils were more pronounced with age of respondents. Buying at school shops was associated with an increase in the amount of junk food at the cost of nutritious food