Nutrients intake and feeding habits of teenagers in Balaguer

Objective: We analyse the feeding habits of the teenagers in a rural area, The composition of the food ingested in energy and nutrients. Method: Transversal descriptiva study by means of a survey of food ingestion frequency (7 days). In a sample of 156 teenagers: 70 boys (45%) and 86 girls (55%) of the municipal term of Balaguer in Lleida. Results: Among the most frequently ingested food, are vegetables (240.4 ± 142.7 gr/d), milky/dairy products (295.9 ± 137.0 g/d), legumes (91.7 ± 72.5 g/d) and a little ingestion of fruit (144.7 ± 88 g/d), the rest of food is similar to other studies in this town. The contribution of calories in this diet is appropriate to their age. There is an excess of proteins 148.7 g/d (27% of calories) and a low quantity of fat 93.6 (21%). The calcium (746.5 mg) and the iron (20.1 mg) contributions are appropriate to their age.The dairy products constitute an important source of nutrients and the main source of calcium in this age. In general, the protein ingestion is higher than recommended, and since the highest percentage of them come from animals, our population eat much more proteins than recommended. Conclusion: The adolescent food habits in our town are the same as our surrounding habits, emphatizing a highest quantity of greens and vegetables and less consumption of fruits. This model diet gives the necessary calories but an excess in proteins in decrement of fats. The dairy ones constitute in these ages, an important source of nutrients and calcium adequate their needs. It is important to know the pattern of food in each community to design programmes of education in food and nutrition.