THE ROLE OF NUTRITIONAL HABITS AND BEHAVIOR FOR THE ETIOLOGY OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY

• Main Author: T. Cvetanov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Trakia University 2020-12-01
• Series: Trakia Journal of Sciences
• Subjects: healthy and balanced nutrition; nutritional habits; overweight and obesity; students
• Online Access: http://tru.uni-sz.bg/tsj/TJS%20-%20Suppl.1,%20Vol.18,%202020/31_T.Cvetanov.pdf

Obesity is one of the most widespread diseases of our days .Because of its wild distribution not only among adults but also among children, adolescents and young people, the WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO) include it in the list of socially and medically significant diseases with serious effects on human health. The factors for its etiology and development are complex, but the most authors identify the unhealthy nutritional habits and lack of regular physical activity as leading ones. The purpose of this study was to reveal the most common causes of weight increase above its normal levels in medical students. Material and methods. The study included 120 students from the Medical Faculty of the Thracian university -Stara Zagora. They carried out an individual anonymous questionnaire, with a total of 21 questions – closed, open and mixed, which aim was to reveal some of the possible causes leading to excess weight in the contingent studied. Methods used: Research and analysis of information sources, survey sociological method, alternative analysis. Results and discussion. In that report we will analyse the answers to those questions concerning the nutritional habits and behaviour of the respondents. It turns out that among the most common reasons for increasing body weight above the normal range is the presence of a number of unhealthy nutritional habits, such as the intake of high-energy food products of low biological value, the intake of a higher amount of food/overeating/and irregular eating. Conclusion. Based on the research carried out, we can summarize that a large number of the students surveyed demonstrate a good knowledge about the healthy and balanced nutrition, but unfortunately most of them do not follow it because of their dynamic and strenuous daily life, and this in combination with the decreased habitual physical activity will inevitably lead to an increased body weight.