Hábitos alimentares em alunos do oitavo ano: diagnóstico e prevenção de doenças relacionadas ao consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados

Abstract

This paper aims to raise the awareness of youngsters between 13 and 14 years old about eating habits and their influence in their present and future quality of life. Research indicates a significant increase of obesity and hypertension cases between children and teenagers, which can entail in future chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCDs), which can interfere in the quality and expectancy of life. As methodological process a didactic sequence was applied with 62 students of the Father Carlos Zelesny State School of Ponta Grossa, Paraná. Focusing in the social reality of the students, which was identified by questionnaires that guided the research. The enlightenment about eating habits is independent of socioeconomic conditions, since ultra processed food can be found in the trivial diets of the world population. There is little information in schools and in daily life about the production and excessive consumption consequences of such products, which are unleashed by their attractive shapes, colours and taste. This practice was executed with three classes of the eighth grade, whose activities were split into four discreet works: the analysis of a table about the chemical composition of foods, the questionnaires, the expository class and a game about eating habits. Working with eating-related diseases in schools can help students acquire knowledge on the theme, but in itself is not enough to change eating habits. Such a change can only be made through the collaboration of schools and governmental agencies, together with the mainstream media so that the population as a whole can improve its eating habits.