Healthy eating behaviors and the role of parents and family in children aged 11, 13 and 15 years

Abstract

All people acquire healthy or unhealthy habits during family life where the influence of the parental model is decisive. It is precisely the influence of parents at these ages that taken in the study 11,13 and 15 years based on the European study HBSC. A total of 240 children’s were included in the study, as follows: 120 children’s from rural areas (40 children’s 11 years old, 40 children’s 13 years old, 40 children’s 15 years old), and from urban areas the same number. In the contemporary literature of dietetics, it is a well-known fact that eating family together plays a decisive role in modelling healthy behaviours in children where the parent plays the main role. The recommendations show that it would be very valuable in many educational aspects for the family to consume most of the three meals, breakfast and dinner together. This lifestyle keeps the family together and children are educated with healthy eating behaviours. Data show that these ages in a large percentage do not consume breakfast (which is considered the most important meal) and this percentage increases with age. A more in-depth study at national level is needed to understand its causes. It is noticed that children consume in many cases an intermediate meal of the fast-food type. These should be followed by specific interventions aimed at raising parents' awareness of their key role in influencing children and creating the basic premise for a healthy lifestyle in their ongoing lives as status changes from child to adult.