Knowledge and attitudes towards food in a sample of school-aged youth.

A survey conducted in a group of secondary school students highlighted that 24,5% of participants showed anomalies both in their attitudes towards jood (EAT 40) (1) and anthropometric parameters (BMI) (2). The study was continued and jocused on those participants presumed to be at risk. The survey was conducted by carrying out interviews in the same schools that took part in the first survey. A total of 188 youth (61 boys, 127 girls) were interviewed, 91 of which were considered "cases", Regarding the knowledge oj levels of sugar, fats and calories, it emerged that a fair knowledge was held of the properties of the foods in questiono Almost alt "cases" show interest in the nutrional values of food (92,3%) and many declare that they ojten read labels on jood (40,6%). The main sources oj injormation on "correct food intake" and "diets" are magazines, television, friends and jamily. When asked "does the idea of gaining weight worry you?", 100% of "cases" respond in the affirmative; of these, 34% say that it is a constant worry. 74,3% of young people participating in the survey worry about putting on weight while they eat and, of these, 91,2% are represented by "cases" (of the latter, 29,6% are frequently worried by this and 27,5% only sometimes). Asked if they are able to exercise self-control when hungry, 67% say that they manage in a variety of ways: by thinking that if theyeat, they'll feel guilty (32,8%), by distracting themselves (31,1%), by thinking about their diet (21,3%) or by leaving some jood on the plate (19,7%). Because of the importance of diet (a common precursor of eating disorders though by no means their only cause) and the problems of adolescence (when the first symptoms of eating disorders generally emerge), we must face the problem of nutritional education in schools. This educational, informative process aims to promote adequate eating habits and should be seen both as a means of correcting unhealthy eating habits as well as a source of information to evaluate the principles of nutrition and diets; if the subject should decide to go on a diet, he or she has to know that it must be done under full medical supervision. The aim of alI this would be to enable an early intervention, thus avoiding the development of eating disorders, keeping in mind that many persons at risk will provide indicators and alert one to the problem.