Introduction: Most countries have witnessed an increasingly sedentary lifestyle in recent decades. Experts estimate that only one third of adolescents undertake sufficient physical activity to guarantee normal physical, mental and emotional development. Study aims: To determine the frequency of PE (Physical Education) lessons as well as after-school movement activities and sedentary behaviour. To establish the association between physical activity, TV watching and computer use (screen time) with the risks of overweight and obesity in students. Material and methods: A survey of 3,548 middle school students, 4,423 from high school and 5,595 university students was performed in 2011. In the former two groupings, the questionnaire had been devised by Poland's GIS (Chief Sanitary Inspectorate), based on one previously employed for WHO global school-based student health survey (GSHS) studies. The university students used an electronic questionnaire made available on an internet site from Lublin, Poland. Results: Half the middle and high school students undertook 2 to 5 hours of physical activity per week, while only 16% of university students did so. In their free time after school, one quarter of middle and high school students engaged in selected sporting activities, usually for one hour each week. Of the university students, 84% did not undertake any movement activities at all. Excessive body mass was most frequently found in students spending 3 to 4 hours per day watching TV or using computers. Conclusions: Students, in particular at the university level, demonstrated a somewhat poor commitment to undertaking PE lessons or other movement activities, whilst focusing mainly on sedentary activities.
Introduction: According to a report from the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), there are 200 million overweight and obese school children in the world today. To assess body mass for students in Poland, in middle schools, high schools and universities, according to growth charts and BMI. Also, to investigate the link between chosen dietary habits and the risks to these subjects of being overweight and obese. Material and methods: The 13,566 subjects surveyed in 2011 consisted of middle school (3,548), high school (4,423) and university (5,595) students. The two younger groups received a questionnaire that had been devised by GIS (Poland's Chief Sanitary Inspectorate) based on one previously used for the WHO's global school-based student health survey (GSHS). An electronic questionnaire was used for the university students, made available at a designated internet site. Results: Overweight rates of 13%, 11% and 14% were found in students from middle-school, high-school and university. Overall obesity rates were 3%. Most subject ate three meals daily, although almost 1 in 5 said they ate only 1 to 2 meals daily. Snacking between meals was admitted by 84%, 89% and 89% of students, respectively, whereas corresponding rates for nighttime eating were 24%, 37% and 36%. Conclusions: The survey demonstrated that overweight status, according to growth charts and BMI, occurs in 13%, 11% and 14% of subjects in each student group, respectively. Overall, obesity accounts for 3% of respondents. Numerous instances of abnormal dietary habits were found, highlighted by irregular mealtimes, between-meal snacking and nighttime eating.
Introduction: The National "Keep Fit" Programme is aimed at educating school children and their families so as to achieve sustainable development of pro-healthy eating habits through promoting an active lifestyle and balanced diet. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationships between mealtime rates, self-assessment of weight and measurable body mass index (BMI), estimated slimming rates and undertaken physical activity for junior high school and high school pupils along with university students in Poland, taking into account gender, age, place of residence and whether they took part in the "Keep Fit" programme. Material and methods: Subjects were 13,537 youngsters aged 12-18 years randomly selected in 2011. Of those, girls and boys not participating in the programme (non-participants) numbered respectively 6,535 (89.42%) and 5,328 (85.54%), whilst girls and boys who participated numbered respectively 773 (10.58%) and 901 (14.46%). For the junior high school and high school pupils, the research tool was a questionnaire developed by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, based on one previously used in a GSHS study. Students were however surveyed by electronic means, using forms available on a specific website of the Institute of Agricultural Medicine. Data analysis was performed by the STATISTICA 10.0 programme. Significance was taken as p being not greater than 0.05. Results: Participating in the "Keep Fit" programme had a beneficial effect on the number of mealtimes as well as the desire to maintain current body weights. There was no association/agreement between selfassessment of weight and the measurable BMI. Mostly it was male students participating in the "Keep Fit" programme who demonstrated higher weekly levels of physical activity compared to those not participating. Conclusions: The results suggest that the national "Keep Fit" programme had beneficial effects on shaping attitudes and behaviour regarding proper nutrition and maintaining a physically active lifestyle. These subjects showed an increased health awareness reflecting the effectiveness of the programme and the need for its continuation in subsequent years of school education.
Introduction. Taking psychoactive substances constitutes a significant problem for Public Health, particularly in preventing drug abuse and addiction.Objectives. To estimate the amount and incidence of drug consumption in middle and high school pupils, including the circumstances in which drug taking first started, and to determine pupils' knowledge about the consequences of taking psychoactive substances and designer drugs (DDs). Materials and methods. A randomised study was conducted throughout Poland on 9,360 pupils attending middle school (junior high school) in 2009 and 7,971 pupils from middle and high school pupils in 2011. The survey consisted of a questionnaire devised by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS) and the replies obtained were subject to the relevant statistical analyses. Results. Drug taking was found to have increased between 2009-2011, especially among those attending high school; proportionally rising from 4% - 11%. The numbers who had ever taken designer drugs were 3% for middle school pupils and 4% from high school. Conclusions. 1) Adolescent drug consumption has increased, particularly in those of older age and in boys. 2) Despite the only brief interval for which designer drugs were legal, they have gained high popularity among the young. 3) Adolescents have insufficient knowledge about the dangers of using DDs. 4) Faced with the growing threat of a dynamic designer drug market, appropriate counter-measures in education and prevention are therefore necessary.
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