Teismeliste linnatüdrukute arvamused toiduriskidest

The aim of the Bachelor’s thesis titled “Teenage Town Girls’ Opinions about Dietary Risks“ was to study how teenage girls interpret their everyday eating choices, effect on heath thereof, and what shape their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes related to dietary risks and eating. The theoretical part of the thesis focuses on the replacement of traditional food culture for one that is more varied, and the diversification of dietary risks – if in Soviet times, such dietary risks as salmonellosis, excessive sugar and fat were mostly feared, then at present, we are also affected by dangers and risks indirectly and unawares – in the form of food additives, pesticide residues, etc. The theoretical part of the thesis the author also drew from the theory Ulrich Beck, such as risk society and individualisation. The study method of the thesis was a non-standardised in-depth interview combined with intervening approach. Proceeding from the study questions, the author compiled a plan for in-depth interview, the analysis of which was based on qualitative text analysis. The empirical part of the thesis includes the placement of study problem and study questions, description of target group and methodology selected as well as study results. On the basis of the empirical data it could be said that the 10 teenage (15 years old) town girls participating in the study do not acknowledge the diet risks, although they have been taught healthy dieting at school. That they do not perceive the risks was mostly evident by the fact they have indifferent attitude towards the information about additives and preservatives written on the packaging. The girls also lacked knowledge about preservatives, and, as to the additives, they held certain false beliefs. For example, they think that food additives, or E numbers, are the same as Vitamin E. The discussion and conclusions provide criticism of the method employed in the thesis and the author’s recommendations for further research. The author recommends organising an informative campaign, the target groups of which would be children and their parents. As such a campaign related to dietary risks directed to these groups has not yet been organise in Estonia, its purpose would be well justified. The topic related to dietary risks is relevant in society since today our diet includes various additives and preservatives, this topic concern our society as a whole, for our health and quality of life depend on the awareness of dietary risks.http://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2450508~S1*es