title: Eating behaviours of middle- and secondary-school pupils from the upper Silesian region in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eating behaviours of school-aged youth condition their emotional and psychophysical development. Moreover, they influence the effectiveness of learning and affect one's health and the quality of life at older age.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was the evaluation of eating behaviours of the group of pupils from cities of the Upper Silesian region, as well as the identification of differences between middle-school and secondary-school pupils' eating behaviours.
  
  
  METHODS
  902 pupils (474 middle-school and 428 secondary-school pupils) participated in the study. The research materials included questionnaires prepared by the author of the study, containing the questions about the pupils' eating habits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The middle-school pupils constituted 52.5% of the 902 pupils and the secondary-school pupils were 47.5% of the total. On average, 38.2% of the pupils consumed 4 meals daily. Wholemeal bread and/or groats were eaten daily by 34.4% of the pupils. Milk and/or milk drinks were consumed by 56.3% of the pupils every day and 33.5% of the respondents had also fermented milk drinks daily. 61.3% of the participants declared eating meat at least once a day and 44.9% of the pupils had fish once or twice a week. Vegetables and fruit were eaten daily by 61.4% and 66.6% of the pupils respectively. Sweets were consumed at least once a day by 50.6% of the pupils. Occasional consumption of fast-food products and ready-made meals was declared by 63.9% and 49.7% of the pupils respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eating behaviours of the discussed group of pupils are mostly incorrect. There were differences found between the middle-school and secondary-school pupils' eating habits. The differences concerned the frequency of eating cheese and curd cheese, fruit, leguminous plant seeds, sweets, fast food products, sweetened drinks and ready-to made food products.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  eating behaviours, eating habits, eating frequency, pupils.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szczepańska
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Szeja
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szymkiewicz
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kowalska
authors.forename: Biruta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenard
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bulwicka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates