| Abstract [eng] |
Adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables is the undisputed evidence of healthy nutrition skills. These foods are extremely important for the children because of their ability to protect against cancers and cardiovascular diseases and the consumption of these foods during childhood is associated with decreased risk of stroke and cancer. It is scientificly proven that higher fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a lower risk of overweight or even obese and healthy eating habits formed by consumption of fruits and vegetables tend to persist into adulthood. The objective of this research – to evaluate and assess the pecularities of the fruits and vegetables consumption among primary classes of Lithuanian schools. The tasks of the paper – assessment of the fruits and vegetables consumption and concordance with healthy nutrition recommendations among primary school pupils, evaluation the circumstances affecting fruits and vegetables consumption among primary school pupils, assessment of the knowledge and opinion of primary school children about fruits and vegetables consumption healthy eating. In this randomized study 72 general education schools of the Republic of Lithuania were selected. 3750 questionnaires were distributed, 2402 correctly filled questionnaires received. The response rate – 64,1%. The statistical data was processed with the help of SPSS 13.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) and Epi Info (Version 5.1). As the reserch data shows, it is estimated less than one third (27,5%) of primary school children consumed fruits and vegetables at schools several times a day every day and 45,6% of them – at home, more girls than boys responded they ate fruits and vegetables at home and at school. Also more girls were aware of the daily fruits and vegetables intake and nutritional benefits than boys. It was found a proximate relation between the primary school pupils‘ knowledge and fruits and vegetables intake frequency and benefits of healthy nutrinion. The pupils ate more fruits and vegetables at home than at school. |
