Perceived and desired body weight among female university students in relation to BMI-based weight status and socio-economic factors

The aim of the study was to verify if the accuracy of weight perception among young women depends on their socioeconomic status and BMI–based weight status. In addition, the survey contained questions whether women were satisfied with their weight and tested if the desire to change weight is affected by real body weight and weight perception. The sample consisted of 1,129 female university students, aged 20–24. BMI was calculated from measured weight and height. The questionnaire contained questions about socio-economic status, weight perception and desired body weight. 71.9% of the surveyed students correctly estimated, 24.2% overestimated and 3.9% underestimated their body weight. Underweight women tended to incorrectly assess their body weight more often than normal weight women or overweight women (43.2% vs. 75.4% vs. 77.2%). Students from families of high socio-economic status slightly more often estimated their weight status correctly than students with average and low status, but the difference was statistically significant only in the case of the factor “mother’s education”. Most of surveyed women expressed the desire to weigh less or/and to have thinner waist, hips or thighs. The desire to be thinner was associated with body weight status and body weight perceptio

Procjena životnog stila mladih žena smanjene, normalne i prekomjerne tjelesne težine

The aim of this study was to compare eating and lifestyle habits between underweight, normal weight and overweight young women. Data obtained from a survey of 1129 students of the three higher education institutions in Kielce, Kraków and Opole (Southern Poland) were analysed. BMI was used to define underweight, overweight and obesity. Eating and lifestyle habits were assessed based on the information received from surveyed students. The study group consisted of women of childbearing-age and a special attention was paid to analyse habits correlated with the risk factor for pregnant women (low consumption of dairy products, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, cigarette smoking, alcohol and caffeine intake). In the studied group, the prevalence of underweight was higher than the prevalence of overweight and obesity (11.1% vs. 7.0%). There were no significant differences in nutritional habits between the three weight groups. The responding students, regardless their weight status, presented numerous unhealthy eating habits. Underweight students more frequently took multivitamin supplements, less frequently followed an alternative diet, smoked cigarettes or drank larger amounts of coffee than normal weight and overweight women. Underweight and normal weight women more frequently participated in sports activities than overweight and obese women. However, 39.2 percent of the surveyed women declared that they seldom or never perform any sport activities. The results show that majority of young women present numerous unhealthy behaviours. Unhealthy habits occur with the same frequency among underweight students as among normal weight students or overweight ones.Cilj je ovog istraživanja usporediti navike u hranjenju i životnom stilu izmedu mladih žena smanjene, normalne i prekomjerne tjelesne težine. Analizirani su podaci prikupljeni istraživanjem 1129 studentica u tri ustanove visokog obrazovanja u Kielce, Kraków i Opole (južna Poljska). BMI se rabio za definiciju smanjene, normalne te prekomjerne tjelesne težine te pretilosti. Navike u hranjenju i životnom stilu procijenjene su na temelju podataka dobivenih od istraživanih studentica. Posebna pažnja posvečena je navikama koje su povezane s faktorima rizika za trudne žene (smanjena konzumacija mliječnih proizvoda, mesa, ribe, voča i povrča, pušenje, konzumacija alkohola i kofeina). U istraživanojskupini prevalencija smanjene težine bila je veča od povečane težine ili pretilosti (11.1% vs. 7.0%). Nije bilo značajnih razlika u navikama hranjenja izmedu tri kategorije težine. Studentice su bez obzira na svoju težinu pokazale brojne nezdrave navike u hranjenju. Studentice smanjene težine češče su uzimale multivitaminske preparate, rijede su slijedile alternativnu dijetu, pušile ili pile velike količine kave nego one normalne ili prekomjerne težine. Žene smanjene i normalne težine češče su se bavile sportskim aktivnostima od pretilih ili onih s prekomjernom težinom. 39.2 % ispitanih žena izjavilo je da se rijetko ili nikad ne bave nikakvim sportskim aktivnostima. Rezultati pokazuju da večina žena pokazuje nezdrava ponašanja. Nezdrave navike jednako su učestale medu studenticama sa smanjenom kao i u onih s normalnom i prekomjernom težinom

Assessment of vitamins and minerals content in the diets of preschool children

Introduction. A proper, varied diet is indispensable to ensure the correct growth and development of children. Nutrition of this period of life also affects health status in adulthood. Evaluation of nutritional status in this vulnerable group can provide significant information, some of which will be applicable to the entire community. Findings can provide suggestions for measures that can be instituted to alleviate the problems observed and to improve nutritional status. Aim To assess the intake of selected vitamins and minerals by preschool-age children. Material & methods The study population comprised 102 children aged 4 years (46 girls and 56 boys). The intake of vitamins and minerals was assessed by using the 24-h dietary recall for 3 days. The results were compared with the Polish EAR and AI levels. Results. Total calcium and vitamin D, as well as vitamin E intakes did not meet the Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) among both groups of children. The mean intake of calcium values 10%, vitamin D 72% and vitamin E 75% of EAR respectively. Also the water intake was insufficient according to EAR. Conclusion Study confirmed that diets of preschool children, in context of vitamin and mineral contents, need urgent modification to prevent many chronic diseases related to diet in the future

Evaluation of nutrition in children of preschool age

Suliga Edyta, Cieśla Elżbieta, Zemlik Joanna, Pietraszkiewicz Magdalena Joanna. Evaluation of nutrition in children of preschool age. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2017;7(10):52-58. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1000963 http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/4956 The journal has had 7 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education parametric evaluation. Part B item 1223 (26.01.2017). 1223 Journal of Education, Health and Sport eISSN 2391-8306 7 © The Authors 2017; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 15.09.2017. Revised: 10.10.2017. Accepted: 10.10.2017. Evaluation of nutrition in children of preschool age Edyta Suliga1, Elżbieta Cieśla2, Zemlik Joanna3,4, Magdalena Joanna Pietraszkiewicz5 1The Department for the Prevention of Alimentary Tract Diseases, The Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce 2Department of Developmental Age Research, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce 3Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce 4Joanna Zemlik Child Dentistry Clinic, Kielce 5Health Sciences PhD student, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce Corresponding author: Magdalena Joanna Pietraszkiewicz Edyta Suliga http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3063-0380, e-mail: [email protected] Elżbieta Cieśla http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6090-9900, e-mail: [email protected] Joanna Zemlik http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1045-0243, e-mail: [email protected] Magdalena Joanna Pietraszkiewicz http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8374-0909, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract Introduction. Overweight and obesity resulting in preschool are difficult to reverse, and are associated with many serious health complications and increased risk of premature illness and death in adulthood. Few of the existing publication evaluates daily food rations preschool children. Aim of the study. Evaluation of nutrition of children of preschool age in terms of demand for energy and macronutrient intake in children of normal BMI and overweight children and obesity. Material and methods.The analysis included 102 children. Nutritional status was assessed on the basis of anthropometric characteristics and indicators in relation to the WHO centile charts. Feeding analyzed on the basis of average daily intake, calculated as the mean of the 3-day storage menus. Estimation of the nutrient content in the children’s diet was carried out using diet 5. The analysis used statistical package STATISTICA 12.0. Results. BMI correct in 83% of subjects, and 16% of excess body weight were observed. With regard to the energy and nutritional average daily food rations showed no statistically significant differences between the group of children with normal BMI and a group of children with overweight and obesity. The supply of energy and macronutrients in average daily diet of children deviated from the recommended standards among both groups of children studied. Conclusions.The results showed a number of deficiencies in the nutrition of preschool children. Intake of nutrients in daily food rations differ from dietary recommendations for this age group. It is necessary to educate parents on the proper nutrition of children. Keywords: preschool children, nutrition assessment, normal BMI, overweight

Evaluation of Lifestyle of Underweight, Normal Weight and Overweight Young Women

The aim of this study was to compare eating and lifestyle habits between underweight, normal weight and overweight young women. Data obtained from a survey of 1129 students of the three higher education institutions in Kielce, Kraków and Opole (Southern Poland) were analysed. BMI was used to define underweight, overweight and obesity. Eating and lifestyle habits were assessed based on the information received from surveyed students. The study group consisted of women of childbearing-age and a special attention was paid to analyse habits correlated with the risk factor for pregnant women (low consumption of dairy products, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, cigarette smoking, alcohol and caffeine intake). In the studied group, the prevalence of underweight was higher than the prevalence of overweight and obesity (11.1% vs. 7.0%). There were no significant differences in nutritional habits between the three weight groups. The responding students, regardless their weight status, presented numerous unhealthy eating habits. Underweight students more frequently took multivitamin supplements, less frequently followed an alternative diet, smoked cigarettes or drank larger amounts of coffee than normal weight and overweight women. Underweight and normal weight women more frequently participated in sports activities than overweight and obese women. However, 39.2 percent of the surveyed women declared that they seldom or never perform any sport activities. The results show that majority of young women present numerous unhealthy behaviours. Unhealthy habits occur with the same frequency among underweight students as among normal weight students or overweight ones

Does an early rural life influence selected health-related parameters of female university students?

Objective. The aim of the study was to define whether in a group of young women the place of residence in their childhood and adolescence, as well as moving from a rural to an urban area, have affected their biological condition. Materials and method. The data were obtained from 1,305 unmarried and childless women aged 18–25. The respondents were university students. Each person’s height, weight and waist circumference were measured, and the BMI, WHR, and WHtR indices were calculated. A survey was used to collect data on the females’ socio-economic status, their health condition and course of menstruation cycle. Results. In the whole sample, apart from WHR, there was no significant difference in anthropometric characteristics depending on the urbanization degree of the place of residence before commencing studies. In comparing the two groups of women, changing place of residence from a village to a city and from a city to another city, more differences were visible. Women of rural origin presented significantly higher values of BMI, waist circumference and WHtR than those from the city. They were also more frequently characterized by overweight and abdominal obesity. The women from other cities were characterized by underweight and too low amount of abdominal adipose tissue. Health problems were found in both groups. Students of rural origin more rarely declared changes in body weight and health condition after beginning studies. Students of urban origin were more often affected by sleeping problems and spine pains. Conclusions. The results of the study do not indicate that a change of place of residence has a stronger effect on the biological condition of rural women than their urban peers

Eating habits and nutritional status of pregnant women and the course and outcomes of pregnancy

The eating habits and nutritional status of future mothers have an important effect, not only on the course of pregnancy and the development of the foetus, but also on the health of the children during subsequent years of life. The objective of the study was the analysis of the relationship between eating habits and nutritional status of pregnant women on the course of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, based on a literature review. In the presented study the following are discussed: nutritional risk factors of pre-term birth, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, low birth weight, infants born small for gestational age, as well as macrosomia and babies born large for gestational age. In the analysis, data was used concerning the consumption of individual products, groups of products, and dietary patterns, without consideration of dietary supplementation

Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages and the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components

The relationship between alcohol consumption and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome is not consistent and may vary between populations, depending on age, sex, ethnicity, cultural traditions and lifestyle. We have hypothesized that moderate alcohol consumption will be associated with the lowest risk of the syndrome. The aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between the current consumption of alcohol and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components. The research material includes data obtained from 12,285 men and women, in the age range of 37–66 years. Multiple logistic regression was used in the statistical analysis. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation. In men, a current consumption of >30 g of alcohol/day was significantly associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.25–2.39), high blood pressure (OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 1.64–4.65), elevated glucose concentration (OR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.24–2.32), and abdominal obesity (OR = 1.77; 95% CI = 1.07–2.92). In women, the consumption from 10.1 to 15.0 g of alcohol was associated only with a higher risk of abnormal glucose concentration (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.14–2.38.) In both sexes, current alcohol consumption was associated with higher high-density lipoproteins (HDL)-cholesterol concentration (p < 0.05). No relationship was found between alcohol consumption and triglyceride concentration. It is difficult to formulate unequivocal recommendations regarding alcohol intake in MetS prophylaxis due to its different association with particular MetS components. In order to explain the causal relationship between alcohol consumption and MetS and its components, prospective studies are necessary

Economic and social factors and the quality of nutrition of pregnant women

Introduction: The level of education and the social-and-economical status, connected with the amount of income, are some of the factors which decide in a significant way on the manner of a person’s nutrition. However, not much research has been carried out concerning the influence of these factors on the nutrition of pregnant women. Aim of the research: To assess the manner of nutrition of pregnant women depending on the level of education and financial resources required to buy the necessary food. Material and methods : Seven hundred and four pregnant women took part in the research. Information about social variables and the frequency of consumption of selected products and beverages, and intake of folic acid and other supplements was obtained using an anonymous questionnaire. Results: Women with the highest level of education consumed the most fruit, vegetables, milk and dairy products, saltwater fish and wholegrain foods in comparison to women with lower education; whereas they drank sweetened soft drinks less frequently. More frequent use of folic acid and other vitamin and/or mineral supplements was also connected with a higher level of education. 15.4% of pregnant women declared no sufficient financial resources to buy the necessary food. This factor was connected in a significant way to lower consumption of fruit, vegetables, products providing animal protein, milk and dairy products, saltwater fish, wholegrain products, and vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Conclusions: A lower quality of diet of pregnant women was connected both to the low level of education and the insufficient financial resources for buying the necessary food. Women with higher education, even if they had low income, chose products more consistent with the principles of proper nutrition, which confirms the positive influence of awareness and greater knowledge on their nutrition