Relationship between eating behavior and healthy eating

Človek vsak dan sprejme več odločitev o hrani in hranjenju, na katere vplivajo različni osebni, družbeni, kulturni, okoljski, časovni in ekonomski dejavniki. Kar pojemo in kolikor pojemo, vpliva na to, kako se počutimo, zato je zdrava in uravnotežena prehrana bistvena predvsem za zdrav in optimalen razvoj otroka. Da lahko razumemo kaj, kako, kdaj, koliko in s kom otroci jedo, je potrebno poznati njihovo prehransko vedenje. Namen magistrskega dela je bil preučiti prehransko vedenje otrok devetletne osnovne šole in ugotoviti povezanosti le–teh z njihovim odnosom do zdravega načina prehranjevanja. Ugotavljali smo, kako so prehranski vzorci družine, šole in vrstnikov povezani z oblikovanjem prehranskega vedenja otrok in tudi, ali je oblikovano prehransko vedenje otroka povezano z njegovo starostjo in spolom. V raziskavi smo uporabili deskriptivno metodo raziskovanja in kvantitativni raziskovalni pristop. V vzorec je bilo vključenih 230 šestošolcev in devetošolcev iz osnovnih šol po Sloveniji, od tega 102 fanta in 128 deklet. Za zbiranje podatkov smo uporabili spletno anketiranje. V magistrskem delu smo na podlagi lastnega oblikovanega kriterija zdravega načina prehranjevanja, ki je vključeval priporočila glede uživanja posameznih skupin živil (zelenjava, sadje, mleko in mlečni izdelki, meso, ribe, ocvrte jedi, sladka živila, sladke pijače in voda) ter dnevnih obrokov (zajtrk, dopoldanska malica, kosilo, popoldanska malica in večerja) ugotovili, da imajo otroci manj zdrav način prehranjevanja. Učenci se ne prehranjujejo zdravo predvsem zaradi prekomernega uživanja sladkorja in sladkih živil, ne zadostnega uživanja mesa, mesnih izdelkov in rib ter izpuščanja dopoldanske in popoldanske malice. Fantje izpolnjujejo večje število kriterijev zdravega načina prehranjevanja kot dekleta, predvsem zaradi nezadostnega uživanja beljakovinskih živil (mesa, mesnih izdelkov in rib) med dekleti. Izpolnjujoči kriteriji zdravega načina prehranjevanja se med obema spoloma razlikujejo. Dekleta bolje kot fantje izpolnjujejo predvsem kriterije glede uživanja zelenjave, sadja, mleka in mlečnih izdelkov, ocvrtih jedi, sladkih živil in malic, fantje pa bolje kot dekleta izpolnjujejo kriterije glede uživanja mesa, rib, vode in vseh glavnih dnevnih obrokov (zajtrk, kosilo in večerja). V skupini učencev z bolj zdravim načinom prehranjevanja smo ugotovili, da fantje pridobijo od svojih vrstnikov več informacij glede zdrave prehrane kot dekleta. V skupini z manj zdravim načinom prehranjevanja pa statistično pomembne razlike ni. Tako učenci z manj zdravim načinom prehranjevanja kot tudi učenci z bolj zdravim prehranjevanjem ocenjujejo, da ima ustrezna in zdrava prehrana za zdravje pomembno vlogo. Ugotovili smo tudi, da je prehransko vedenje učenca glede uživanja maščob povezano z družinskim prehranskim vzorcem. Starejši učenci ocenjujejo, da so v šoli pridobili malo informacij glede zdrave prehrane, mlajši učenci pa ocenjujejo, da so pridobili v šoli veliko informacij o zdravi prehrani. Ocenjujemo, da bi bilo potrebno izboljšati način prehranjevanja otrok in jih spodbujati k izbiri zdravih živil. Starše, vzgojitelje, učitelje in ostale strokovne delavce, ki so vključeni v vzgojno-izobraževalni zavod bi bilo potrebno seznaniti z nasveti glede odklanjanja živil pri otrocih, odpravljanja izbirčnosti in spodbujanja in krepitvi zdravih prehranskih navad med otroki.Every day, one makes several decisions about food and nutrition, which are influenced by various personal, social, cultural, environmental, temporal and economic factors. What we eat and how much we eat affects how we feel, therefore a healthy and balanced diet is essential for a healthy and optimal development of a child. In order to understand what, how, when, how much and with whom children eat, it is necessary to know their eating behavior. The purpose of the master\u27s thesis was to study the eating behavior of primary school children and to determine the connection between them and their attitude towards a healthy diet. We found out how family dietary patterns, school and peers are related to the formation of children\u27s eating behavior and whether age and gender have any effect on that. We used a descriptive research method and a quantitative research approach in the research. The sample included 230 sixth- and ninth graders from primary schools in Slovenia, of which 102 were boys and 128 were girls. We used an online survey to collect data. Based on our own criteria for a healthy diet, which included recommendations for the consumption of individual food groups (vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, meat, fish, fried foods, sweet foods, sugary drinks and water) and daily meals (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner) we found out that children have a less healthy diet. Pupils do not eat healthy, mainly due to excessive consumption of sugar and sweet foods, insufficient consumption of meat, meat products and fish, and because they skip morning and afternoon snacks. Boys meet a higher number of criteria for a healthy diet than girls, mainly due to the insufficient consumption of protein foods (meat, meat products and fish) among girls. Meeting the criteria for a healthy diet differs between the sexes. Girls meet the criteria for eating vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, fried foods, sweet foods and snacks than boys and boys meet the criteria for eating meat, fish, water and all major daily meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) better than girls. In a group of students with a healthier diet, we found out that boys gain more information about healthy eating from their peers than girls. However, there is no statistically significant difference in the group with a less healthy diet. Students with a less healthy and students with a healthier diet believe that a proper and healthy diet plays an important role in their health. We also determined that a student’s eating behavior regarding fat intake is related to family dietary patterns. Older students estimate that they gain little information about healthy eating at school, while younger students estimate that they gain a lot of information about healthy eating at school. We believe that it would be necessary to improve the way children eat and encourage them to choose healthy foods. Parents, educators, teachers and other professionals involved in education should be informed about advice on refusing food to children, eliminating pickiness and promoting and strengthening healthy eating habits among children