Self-perceived assessment of nutritional status as a determinant of health-promoting and anti-health-promoting behaviors of adolescent boys.

BACKGROUND Analyses were conducted for the effect of selected elements of lifestyle determining the attitude of adolescent boys to health, care over good physical condition and own appearance against self-consciousness and the real nutritional status of their bodies. OBJECTIVES, MATERIAL AND METHODS: Investigations were conducted at Collective School No. 1 in Wrocław and covered 369 boys (103 at the age of 16, 104 at the age of 17 and 162 at the age of 18) from Poland (Wrocław). The boys were subjected to anthropometric measurements and nutritional status assessment. A questionnaire survey referred to: 1) interests in own appearance, self-perceived assessment of body mass and nutritional status; 2) nutritional behaviors, applying a body mass-reducing diet, other "special diet" and dietary supplements; 3) the level of physical activity; and 4) the use of stimulants (cigarettes, alcohol). Data was also collected on the educational status of parents and the number of siblings, which were then analyzed for their effect on the above elements of lifestyle. Results obtained were subjected to a statistical analysis. RESULTS Proper body mass (BMI between 10th and 90th percentile) was observed in 81.8% of the boys; malnutrition (BMI < 10th percentile) in 5.7% of the boys; whereas overweight and obesity (BMI > or = 90th percentile) in 12.5% of the examined boys. Analyses have also shown that 34.2% of the boys were evaluating their nutritional status, whereas 19.5% did not think about it. Only approx. half the examined pupils (51.0%) considered their body mass "fine", i.e. were satisfied with their body mass. A lack of satisfaction with their own appearance was declared by 21.4% of the boys. CONCLUSIONS The self-perceived assessment of body mass was observed to diverge from the results of objective analyses of the nutritional status of the boys. That factor was found to determine, to a considerable extent, behaviors of the pupils with respect to going on a body mass-reducing diet, taking dietary supplements and smoking cigarettes. The study indicates that the nutritional status of youth should be monitored and that actions should be undertaken to increase their awareness of the principles of a healthy lifestyle.