Senior Tutor (Professional Studies) Stranmilllis College Belfast FOLLOWING a general investigation of knowledge and behaviour of fifth formers in 1977 2, and as Northern Ireland has the highest rate of coronary heart disease deaths in the world, it seemed an appropnate time to study m more detail the nutntional knowledge and behaviour of school pupils, and then to widen the age range to mclude 11-and 13-year-olds m addition to those nearing the school leaving age.
MethodThe sample had a total of 2740 pupils between the ages of 11 and 16 years, consistmg of 1722 primary 7 pupils, 1403 third formers and 1334 fifth formers, with almost equal numbers of boys and girls (2212 and 2250 respectively) The post-pnmary pupils consisted of 70 per cent of pupils from secondary schools and 30 per cent of pupils from grammar schools*.The questionnaires were admimstered by teachers in the schools, and the completed scripts returned for coding and analysis.The behaviour of subjects m relation to nutrition was ascertamed by means of a 24-hour dietary recall, and further questions relating to the favourite meal.The knowledge test, administered to the post-primary pupils, consisted of 40 multiple-choice questions, on the mam nutnents m food, their sources and uses, and the results of food excess and deficiences.
Nutrition behaviourIn the 24-hour diet recall pupils were asked to write down all they had consumed during the previous day, over six specified periods, as shown m Table 1.More boys than girls had both cereal and toast or cooked food for breakfast, while more girls has toast only or toast and fruit. Of those who had little or nothmg before school there were twice as many girls as boys, and three times as many pupils m secondary schools as m grammar schools.The most popular snacks eaten during the morning interval at school were crisps, sweets and biscuits, or scones, with or without a drink. With the exception of frmt and a small number who had milk (mainly pnmary pupils), these snacks were poor quality foods, although providing considerable energy. Almost half of the fifth formers did not eat anythmg at this time, compared to 35 per cent of third formers and 30 per cent of pnmary pupils.At lunchtime 55 per cent of subjects had a substantial meal -either a dmner or a good food value packed lunch.A larger percentage of rural dwellers had a dmner (56.3 per cent compared to 32.5 per cent), while sandwiches, and chips alone or with other food were more popular with urban dwellers (40 per cent compared to 21 per cent).Many subjects had a snack between the end of school and the evemng meal, but over half had either nothing to eat or food of little nutritional value, for example, sweets or biscuits. However, a slgmficant number had a substantial meal at this time, the majority being post-primary pupils (9.3 per cent) compared to primary pupils (1.6 per cent) and rural dwellers rather than urban dwellers (7.3 per cent compared to 3.7 per cent). In the evening, almost 70 per cent of subjects had a substantial meal (69.5 per cent of u...