Nutrition and exercise in Maltese secondary schools

Abstract

Adolescence is a time when great changes occur. These changes affect nutrition requirements and attitudes towards food. Due to the rapid development occurring during this age, the individual's appetite increases to meet the nutritional needs of the growing body. In order to lead a healthy lifestyle, adolescents should correlate their nutritional knowledge to physical activity. A study was conducted through a questionnaire distributed amongst two hundred Form 3 students (13 to 14 year olds) coming from four different secondary schools in Malta. The results revealed that some nutrition awareness is present amongst our adolescents, but there is still room for more nutrition education. As food is a basic element for life, it seems sensible for everyone to become well informed about the role that nutrition pays in everyday life. Nutrition education should be aimed at reaching all members of the general public by making use of all possible means available, from school to mass media. Nutrition should be introduced in the physical education curriculum and teachers should be prepared in order to teach nutrition.