Food consumption and weight status in third cycle basic education students and their parents: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: The eating behaviors acquired in childhood tend to be perpetuated in adulthood, so adherence to a healthy diet from an early age becomes important to prevent the appearance of chronic non-communicable diseases related to diet. The objective of this study is to evaluate the food consumption of students in the third cycle of basic education and their parents, and its relationship with weight status. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study. Data from 358 students and 318 parents residing on Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal) were included. A questionnaire was developed to collect sociodemographic, eating habits and anthropometric data, it was applied directly between May and June 2015. A food frequency questionnaire was used and weight and height were used to calculate the body mass index. . A descriptive analysis of the study variables was performed and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the means between groups. Results: A high prevalence of pre-obesity/obesity was found (students: 33.0%; parents: 62.4%). Vegetables are most frequently consumed by parents, while fruits, fast food and sweets are most frequently consumed by students. Normal weight students reported a higher frequency of consumption of soy, olive oil, oil and sweets compared to overweight students, while overweight parents reported a higher frequency of consumption of milk, pork, oily fish, potatoes, vegetables , citrus, and oil, compared to normal-weight parents. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of pre-obesity/obesity found, as well as the high frequency of consumption of unhealthy foods, it is recommended to take health promotion measures in these schools.