How do young Poles eat? The dietitian points out the two biggest mistakes

Irregular meals and excess of industrially processed products in the diet are the biggest nutritional mistakes of the young generation of Poles – says Dr. Joanna Pieczyńska from the Department of Dietetics and Bromatology, Medical University of Wrocław.

– We can observe a clear change in the habits of the young generation in the way Poles eat. Haste, busyness and simple convenience have resulted in people increasingly reaching for industrially processed products. They are easily available, cheap, just heat them up and you have dinner. But what is its value? There is a clear difference in the nutritional quality between such dishes and meals prepared at home – emphasizes the expert.

Another issue is irregular eating rhythm. According to Dr. Pieczyńska, regular meals are necessary for the proper functioning of the body, and a common problem is that children, for example, do not eat their first or second breakfast at school.

– A sandwich or an apple taken from home is rare. More often than not, these are sweets bought in the school shop or even dry rolls. Often, they are eaten only on the way back from school. This is also the result of peer pressure, because children are even ashamed to bring their own food to school. Therefore, nutritional education is extremely important and should be introduced from an early age – added the specialist.

However, Dr. Pieczyńska doubts whether the problem will be solved by the introduction of health education in schools, planned from next year, which will also include nutrition education.

– The topic of healthy meals should be present at kindergarten level. For children, the best form of play, sensory activities, and joint preparation of simple dishes with attention to their aesthetics. Meals should be associated with joy. This also applies to adults. We have lost the pleasure of eating itself and what comes with it. Sitting down at the table together in a good atmosphere, as well as being mindful of what and how we eat, emphasizes Dr. Pieczyńska.

As the expert added, it is the pleasure of a meal, and not torturing yourself with rigorous or fashionable diets, that is the key to breaking the spell of healthy eating.

– As dietitians, we emphasize the need for moderation and variety. We warn against monotony. Even something that is considered healthy should not be eaten all the time. If we constantly eat oatmeal for breakfast, we provide our body with many necessary nutrients, but at the same time we deprive ourselves of others. First of all, the diet should be varied, this is the golden rule in dietetics, said Dr. Pieczyńska.

For this reason, all elimination diets are not recommended for people who are not affected by specific diseases. For example, the currently fashionable keto diet is recommended for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, but in healthy people it causes numerous deficiencies, including: fiber and water-soluble vitamins.

– Variety also applies to the way meals are prepared. It is known that frying is not beneficial to health, unlike steaming, stewing or baking in a sleeve – emphasizes the expert.

In Dr. Pieczyńska's opinion, however, the increasing obesity among young people is not caused solely by a poor diet. The problem is more complex because it is also related to too little physical activity.

November 8 is the European Day of Healthy Food and Cooking. It was initiated in 2007. The aim is to promote good eating habits and inform about the consequences of a poor diet.

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