[Dietary and personal hygiene habits of adolescents in a rural population].
BACKGROUND
A healthy diet and adequate personal hygiene are essential factors for good health. Adolescents gradually achieve a degree of autonomy in these areas. The aim of the study is to find out the diet and hygiene habits of adolescents in Navalcarnero, a rural town in the Autonomous Region of Madrid (Spain).


METHODS
A descriptive study of a cross section of the relevant population, by previously validated, self-completed and anonymous questionnaire, filled in by adolescents (3 degrees BUP/ESO/FP) in by 13- and 14-year old school children (EGB.) The diet survey assessed the weekly consumption frequency of different foodstuffs.


RESULTS
The respondents normally had milk and cocoa for breakfast, with toast or a bun. Lunch was more abundant than the evening meal, and more fruit was consumed more often in the former. Most of the children drank milk every day, usually in its natural state, but in two out of three cases, the consumption of dairy products was not as recommended, vegetable consumption was low. Among the children of BUP/ESO/FP, the girls consumed greens, salad, fruit and sliced bread more often, this difference being particularly marked in the case of the bread, and the boys consumed considerably more meat and bread of the French-stick kind. With respect to personal hygiene, most of them have a shower and wash their hair every two or three days and brush their teeth and change their underwear on a daily basis; the girls proved to be much more assiduous in having a shower, brushing their teeth and changing their underwear.


CONCLUSIONS
In some areas, behaviour as regards diet and hygiene shows differences depending on the sex of the individual, certain habits ought to be improved upon.
Martín Moreno
V
V
Centro de Salud de Navalcarnero.
Molina Cabrerizo
M R
MR
Fernández Rodríguez
J
J
Moreno Fernández
A M
AM
Lucas Valbuena
J C
JC
D000293:Adolescent; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population