EXAMINATION OF PARENTS' FAMILY NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ATTITUDES IN TERMS OF VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES (ELAZIĞ EXAMPLE)

Abstract

Individuals who do not have balanced nutrition during childhood encounter the problem of obesity.
The most important environmental risk factors in the emergence of obesity are: changing dietary
habits, increased screen time spent with technological devices such as computers, tablets, phones,
and televisions, adopting a sedentary lifestyle as a result, and a decrease in physical activity. In
addition, factors such as increased academic stress on children, socio-economic level, and residing
in major cities are also risk factors.
In line with this information, the purpose of our research is to examine the relationship between
parents' family nutrition and physical activity attitudes and the eating behaviors of high school
students. First, the universe was determined in our study, followed by the use of the general survey
model from quantitative research methods. Parents of 375 high school students studying in the
2022-2023 academic year participated in the research. The relationships between the variables in
our research were analyzed statistically. The "Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Screening
Scale" (Özdemir, 2020) was used to collect data. Our application form consists of two sections. The
first section contains the demographic information form containing the data to be collected from the
participants. The second section contains the scale form to be used in the research. The scale
consists of five sub-dimensions: physical activity, parental behaviors, unhealthy eating habits,
healthy food intake, and sedentary behaviors, restriction/reward sub-dimensions.
SPSS 21 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) was used in the study. First, the analysis of
descriptive statistical data of the participant group was performed. Then, the internal consistency
coefficient was calculated. After that, t-tests and ANOVA tests were conducted to analyze the
differentiation of scale results. Under the Post-Hoc heading, the Tukey test was performed for scale
scores showing homogeneous distribution, and the direction of differentiation was determined.
In the research, when the average values of the groups were examined, it was observed that the
family nutrition and physical activity attitudes of males were higher than those of females. There
was no significant differentiation for variables such as age, class, monthly income status, school
type, success status, and parental education status. When the variable data on breakfast habits were
examined, it was found that the participants who answered "I have breakfast at home" significantly
differed from those who answered "I have breakfast at school" and "I do not have breakfast."