Original scientific paper
CHOCOLATE, SNACKING AND SELECTED DIETARY HABITS IN PUPILS: BMI-FOR AGE APPROACH
Dragana Šoronja Simović
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bul cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Biljana Pajin
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bul cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Szabolcs Halasi
; University of Novi Sad, Hungarian language teacher training faculty, Štrosmajerova 11, 24000 Subotica, Serbia
Aleksandar Fišteš
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bul cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Ferenc Kiš
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bul cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Miljana Djordjević
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bul cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Andrej Ovca
; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences, Zdravstvena pot 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Žana Šaranović
; Economics Institute, Kralja Milana 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Zita Šereš
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Bul cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Abstract
Besides pleasant taste, the potential health benefits of cocoa and chocolate products have been known for many years. Formerly accepted as a medicine, chocolate nowadays among consumers represents everyday delicacy primarily associated with caries, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. However, recent studies indicate the potential role of chocolate in cardiovascular diseases prevention and benefits linked to lower body mass index (BMI). The presented study aims to examine adolescents’ habits regarding chocolate, sweets, salty snacks and fast food consumption as well as corresponding products intake frequency and relate them with BMI. The study population encompassed 525 participants attending elementary and high schools in the province of Vojvodina, Serbia, from which 42.5% were boys and 57.5% girls. The risk for overweight and participants’ nutritional status were determined through BMI assessment. The majority of participants had normal range nutritional status (70.5%) followed by overweight (19.8%) and obese (7.6%). Increased number of overweight and obese nutritional statuses was recorded among boys compared to girls. Results revealed that fruits as a snack are most frequently consumed between meals, followed by salty snacks and sweets, regardless of the participants’ nutritional status. The highest share of sweets consumption between meals was noticed among participants with obese nutritional status (15%). Furthermore, more than 40% of participants with overweight and normal range nutritional status do not consume chocolate at all, while 2.5% of participants with obese nutritional status stated that they consume chocolate on a daily basis.
Keywords
adolescents; snack; consumption frequency; chocolate; body mass index
Hrčak ID:
230165
URI
Publication date:
17.12.2019.
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