The aim Estimation of the frequency of regular consumption of particular meals and the characterization of nutritional habits of junior high schools pupils.

Methods The examinations included 986 students from junior high schools (435 boys and 551 girls) at the mean age 13 years and BMI 19.28±2.85 kg/m² (girls) and 19.90±4.51 kg/m²(boys). An anonymous standardized questionnaire concerning nutritional behaviors was used in the study.

Results Breakfast was eaten regularly by 71.7% (67.6% girls and 76.8% boys); second breakfast: 36.7% (38.1% girls and 34.5% boys); lunch: 87.8 (84.9% girls and 91.0% boys); desert 22.1% (21.7% girls and 22.3% boys) ; supper: 73.9% (66.5% girls and 82.8% boys). Basic meals were more often omitted by girls than by boys. 33.6% of girls and 29.0% of boys eat something among the main meals. It should be pointed out that 25% of these young people eat their meals alone. Nearly half of the examined group eat chips, cakes, sweets like Snikers, Mars etc. and drink cola, sprite, pepsi. When pupils were asked about the frequency of fast food consumption 2/3 of them answered “sometimes”. The answer “never” was chosen by 19.1% of girls and 18.2% of boys.

Conclusion The examined group of pupils showed many nutritional mistakes and the way of nutrition becomes far from traditional Polish pattern and becomes similar to nutritional model present in USA and West Europe.