Nutrition and Physical Activity Behavior in 11–14-Year-Old Schoolchildren in Serbia
2021
Regular physical activity and healthy diet have a significant positive impact on children’s
health. Lack of physical activity increases the risk of various diseases, while obesity has become an
alarming health problem worldwide. The aim of this study is to investigate the patterns of physical
activity and diet among 11–14-year-old school children in Serbia. The sample included 623 primary
school children, of whom 333 were boys (53.45%) and 290 were girls (46.55%). The children were
also divided according to their age/grade: fifth grade/11 years (24.40% (n = 152; M = 84, F = 68)),
sixth grade/12 years (25.68% (n = 160; M = 91, F = 69)), seventh grade/13 years (26.81% (n = 167;
M = 83, F = 84)) and eighth grade/14 years (23.11% (n = 144; M = 75, F = 69)). Children’s lifestyle
was assessed using two subscales of questionnaires based on the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile
model II. The Mann–Whitney U test showed no statistically significant difference between boys and
girls in the variables Nutrition (p = 0.81) and Physical Activity (p = 0.91). The Kruskal–Wallis test
was applied and showed no statistically significant differences between children of different ages,
regardless of gender, in the variable Nutrition (p = 0.63). However, differences were evident in the
variable Physical Activity (p < 0.001), with the highest mean scores recorded in 12- and 13-year-old
children and the lowest in 14-year-old children. Additionally, no statistically significant differences
were found among boys as a function of age in the variables Nutrition (p = 0.55) and Physical Activity
(p = 0.15), nor among girls in the variable Nutrition (p = 0.43), but in the variable Physical Activity
(p = 0.01). In general, it can be concluded that the older primary school children have relatively
satisfactory dietary and physical activity habits, but that these behaviors decrease with age, especially
the level of physical activity. There is a need for better and more effective education of children about
the benefits and importance of proper nutrition and regular physical activity.
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