Nutrition habits of high schoolers

Abstract

It is commonly known that one reason for the high mortality and incidence rate of the Hungarian population is the unhealthy way of
life and the improper nutrition. The proper nutrition of the children is indispensible for their optimal growth and development and it
also effects their health in the future. A lot of Hungarian and foreign researches have shown that improper nutrition habits have a significant
role in the development of heart and vascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes and many types of cancer. Puberty is a very
important part of human life since the habits that will have an effect on their health in their whole life are developed in this period.
For an efficient Hungarian healthgenerating program it is vital to know and use the results of the surveys concerning the state of
health of the young population as well as their attitude towards health.
The research called Health Behaviour in School-aged Children, HBSC is the most outstanding and most comprehensive survey. The
survey was launched by four countries (Norway, Finland, Austria, England) at the beginning of 80s. Hungary joined in 1985. The survey
is repeated every four years and consists of a countrywide representative and anonym survey which is carried out with a questionnaire.
The survey application in 2002 included 35 countries from all over Europe and North-America. The aim of the survey on
the one hand is to monitor, and on the other hand is to review the facts which influence the teenagers’ lifestyle and their mood.
Our intention with the survey is to test the Hungarian high school students’ nutrition habits and knowledge, and to discover the nutrition
influencing factors and the sources of their information concerning healthy nutrition. The obtained answers may give us a basic
knowledge of the young generation and of the methods with the help of which we can inform them about the importance of healthy
nutrition and the principles and methods that are necessary to adopt it.