ZACHOWANIA ŻYWIENIOWE MĘŻCZYZN W WIEKU 20-60 LAT W ŚWIETLE ANTROPOMETRYCZNYCH WSKAŹNIKÓW STANU ODŻYWIENIA NUTRICTIONAL BEHAVIOURS OF MEN AT THE AGE 20-60 WITH REGARD TO ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICATORS OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS

The aim of this research was to analyse eating behaviours of men in regard to selected anthropometric indicators of nutritional status (BMI and waist circumference). The test sample for this research were men aged 20–40 (n=592) and 40–60 (n=802) employees of Tadeusz Sendzimir Steel Mill in Cracow. The indices of nutritional status were established on the basis of anthropometric measurements, whereas eating behaviours were described on the basis of an authorial questionnaire. Statistical analysis of data was conducted by means of chi2 independence test. The research corroborated the existence of a correlation between BMI and waist circumference indices and certain male eating behaviours. Having 1–2 meals per day was to be observed among men with a higher BMI, whereas having 4–5 meals per day among men with a healthy BMI (p<0,01). Younger men with proper body weight declare a higher regularity of having meals than obese ones (p<0,05). This research has not found any correlation between BMI and waist circumference indices and the frequency of eating vegetables, fruit, fish and “fast-food” products. However, a tendency among obese men to cut down on eating sweets has been discovered (according to BMI), irrespective of their age, as compared to men with proper body mass (p<0,05). The same phenomenon was also confirmed in the group of younger men in the waist circumference category (p<0,05). Hence, correlations exist between psychosomatic indices and certain eating behaviours of men aged 20–60, which explain the development of obesity. At the same time obese men tend to rationalise certain eating behaviours, whose purpose is to reduce excessive body weight.