[Eating habits and the frequency of food consumption in 8th-grade schoolchildren from a Basic Health Area of Mataró].

OBJECTIVE

To find the food habits and the qualitative food consumption of 8th-year school students, covered by a Base Health Area in Mataró (Barcelona), as the basis for a programme of health education.

DESIGN

A descriptive study, carried out by means of an open questionnaire on the frequency of food consumption over three consecutive days in a week, on an individual basis, self-filled and of a prospective character.

SETTING

The schools within the catchment area of a Base Health Area in Mataró (Barcelona).

PARTICIPANTS

All the 8th-year EGB students of those schools (216).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

180 students answered the questionnaire. Four were excluded for not meeting the conditions laid out. There were 81.4% of valid questionnaires. 98.2% did not have a healthy diet. 64% consumed milk products or derivatives once or less per day. 88.6% consumed raw vegetables less than once a day. 86.9% consumed cooked vegetables less than once per day. 40% consumed fresh fruit less than once per day and 55.1% consumed animal proteins less than once per day. 34.6% consumed two or more units per day of cakes or buns and 21.6% consumed three or more units per day of sweets. 31% did not vary their breakfast and 12% took nothing solid for breakfast on at least one of the study's three days. 13.1% did not vary their evening meal and 17% took nothing solid for their evening meal on at least one of the three days.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study show not very healthy eating habits, with insufficient consumption of milk products, vegetables and fruit and a an insufficient breakfast.