Knowledge about the Importance of Healthy Eating among Children of Younger School Age

Pravilan naĉin prehrane nuţan je za rast i razvoj svakog ĉovjeka. Iskorištavanjem bitnih hranjivih tvari iz namirnica, osiguravamo pravilan rad organa, tjelesne i umne aktivnosti, a pomaţemo i u oĉuvanju imuniteta. Pravilne prehrambene navike imaju znaĉajan utjecaj kod duševnog i tjelesnog zdravlja te je zbog toga vrlo vaţno ukazati djeci na njenu vaţnost. Cilj ovog diplomskog rada bio je uvidjeti koliko uĉenici ĉetvrtih razreda poznaju principe zdrave prehrane te hrane li se oni zdravo. U istraţivanju koje je provedeno u lipnju 2016. godine sudjelovalo je 49 uĉenika ĉetvrtih razreda iz osnovne škole Ostrog u Kaštel Lukšiću. Znanja uĉenika o pravilnim prehrambenim navikama su ispitana kroz tri anonimne ankete. Detaljnom analizom rezultata pokazano je kako uĉenici ne poznaju dovoljno principe zdrave prehrane. No, rezultati su takoĊer pokazali kako uĉenici ipak imaju razvijene zdrave prehrambene navike. Ĉinjenica da ne poznaju dovoljno namirnice i principe pravilne prehrane, ukazuje na potrebu za analizu postojećih sadrţaja nastavnih tema vezanih za prehranu u ranom osnovnoškolskom obrazovanju, kao i za uvoĊenjem novih naĉina obrade ovih sadrţaja koji će ukljuĉiti uĉenika u nastavni proces gdje će samostalnim istraţivanjem steći znanja za brigu i odrţavanje svog tijela i duha zdravim. Zbog vaţne uloge pravilne prehrane na cjelokupni razvoj i zdravlje ĉovjeka, ovi dobiveni podatci trebali bi djelovati motivirajuće ne samo na roditelje i uĉitelje, već i na cjelokupni školski sustav. Škola je idealno mjesto za usvajanje i utvrĊivanje znanja o zdravim prehrambenim navikama, kao i za razvoj vještog odabira pravih namirnica u svrhu oĉuvanja zdravlja. Rano školsko razdoblje je idealno za ostvarivanje spomenutih vještina i sposobnosti, što se moţe postići kvalitetnim nastavnim sadrţajima koji ne opterećuju, već omogućuju uĉeniku da vlastitim iskustvom stjeĉu i primjenjuju potrebna znanja u svakodnevnom ţivotu.Proper nutrition is very important for growth and developing of every human being. Using important nutrients from food, we are ensuring the proper organs work, physical and brain activities, and also we are keeping our immunity strong. Nutrition habits have a big influence on mental and physical health, so it is very important to teach and show children how significant proper and health nutrition is. Hence, the primary goal of this study was to determine how much the fourth-grade students know about principles of healthy nutrition, and what kind of nutrition habits they have as well. Study, which was conducted in June 2016., was attended by 49 fourth-grade students from Elementary School Ostrog in Kaštel Lukšić. Students' knowledge about nutrition habits were examed through three anonymous surveys. Through the detailed analysis of students' responses, it's shown that the students do not understand basic principles of optimal, healthy nutrition. In spite of this, the research has also shown that the students eat healthy food and have well developed nutrition habits. The fact that children dont know enough about food and proper nutrition principles, indicates the need for analysis of the existing content about teaching subjects related to nutrition in early elementary education. Nevertheless, the introduction of new ways of processing these contents will include students in the learning process where they will gain knowledge how to take care of their body and mind healthy, with their own independent research. Importance of healthy nutrition on people's health and development, should be motivating not only for parents and teachers, but also for entire school system. School is an ideal place to acquire and reinforce the knowledge about healthy nutrition habits, especially in the early school period, which can be achieved with quality educational contents that will allow student to gain and apply the knowledge necessary in life, with their own experience