[Anthropometric nutritional status and food habits of students of the secondary schools of Umbertide (author's transl)].

Abstract

A survey has been carried out on anthropometric nutritional status and food habits of students of the secondary schools of a little town of Umbria that is now in an economic development. The anthropometric data (body weight and height, skinfolds, diameters, muscle and fat areas and body mass index) show that in the girls the body fat mass is higher than in boys and american girls of the same age. The boys of professional men are fatter than the boys of workmen. The survey of food habits (using the method of frequency of occurrence for three days) shows that milk, eggs, legumes and cheese are not frequently consumed, while meat (particularly beef and veal), alcoholic beverages, animal fats and sucrose occur rather frequently in the diet. The excess of body fat mass and the biological and economic errors in the diet of these children need to be corrected with a nutrition education program. It is well recognized that both diet and physical activity play an important role in the prevention of metabolic degenerative disease and this prevention has to be started as early as possible.