title: Relationship between diet and physical activity level in adolescents from post-grammar schools.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Appropriate diet and physical activity are vital determinants of psychophysical development in children and adolescents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to analyse an association between dietary habits and physical activity levels of adolescents from post-grammar schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 110 girls and 65 boys between 16 and 19 years of age from two post-grammar schools in Biała Podlaska in Poland. They were subjected to a diagnostic survey providing information on their diet (number of meals a day, their regularity, frequency of bread, dairy, meat, fish, sweet, fruit, vegetable and fast food consumption, preferred ways of food processing). Physical activity levels were determined with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire--Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Based on these data, the respondents were stratified to high, moderate and low physical activity groups. Due to small number of participants presenting with low physical activity levels, we did not include this group in further analyses. The significance of differences in the dietary habits of adolescents presenting with high and moderate physical activity levels was verified with the χ2 test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most girls and boys presented with high levels of physical activity. However, we did not find an evident relationship between dietary habits and physical activity levels. Girls from high and moderate physical activity groups differed solely in terms of the number of daily meals, frequency of meat and sweet consumption, and significant intergroup differences observed among boys pertained to the frequencies of whole-wheat bread, meat and fast food consumption. The abovementioned food products were consumed more often by girls and boys presenting with high physical activity levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dietary mistakes observed in physically active adolescents from post-secondary schools justify intensification of their dietary education programs.
authors.affiliation: Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in Biała Podlaska, Department of Biology and Anatomy, Biała Podlaska, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dmitruk
authors.affiliation: Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in Biała Podlaska, Department of Biology and Anatomy, Biała Podlaska, Poland.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kunicka
authors.affiliation: Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in Biała Podlaska, Department of Biology and Anatomy, Biała Podlaska, Poland.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Popławska
authors.affiliation: Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Tourism and Health in Biała Podlaska, Department of Cosmetology, Biała Podlaska, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hołub
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011044:Poland; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult