Abstract
Aim. The study aimed to examine the relationship between food purchases in and outside school tuck shops and BMI in students aged 7-18 in Bielsko-Biała, as well as the influence of weekly physical activity and pocket money on BMI.
Material and methods. The study on the purchase of food products was conducted using a proprietary questionnaire among 290 boys, 328 girls aged 7 to 18 years.
Results. Incorrect body mass was noted in 26.4% of the study participants, wherein excessive body mass occurred four times as often among the participants as insufficient body mass. The analysis showed that pupils purchased buns, sandwiches and water several times a day, both inside and outside school. The analysis of all the food products purchased by pupils showed that children made purchases outside school statistically significantly more often than at school.
Conclusions. Students purchase chips and chocolate bars more frequently outside of school than within school premises. They also buy products outside of school that are not available in the school’s offerings. Students’ physical activity, limited mainly to mandatory physical education classes, showed no significant association with BMI. BMI values are influenced by the amount of pocket money received by students.