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Evaluation of physical activity and dietary behaviors in young athletes: a pilot study
Cristian Petri1, Gabriele Mascherini2, Vittorio Bini3
1Sports Medicine Department, University of Florence, Florence, Italy - cristian.petri25@gmail.com.
Background:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the lifestyle based on the physical activity and eating habits of young athletes.
Methods:
In order to measure physical activity and eating habits in young people, 922 young athletes between the ages of 8 to 18 have been analyzed in this study. The participants were all patients come to our Department for sport eligibility evaluation; we have asked them to complete an accurate questionnaire in order to assess their personal physical activity levels and their regular eating habits. Parents were invited to sign a letter explaining the aims of the study and were asked for permission on behalf of their child to take part on the study.
Results:
The eating habits and the physical activity levels of the young athletes observed, resulted improper. We have noticed that the 13.7% of the participants were overweight and obese, despite their practiced sport activity. Physical activity, without sport activity, resulted inadequate in 38.6% of participants: they did not practice regular physical activity.
Conclusions:
The results of the study clearly indicate that higher education is therefore necessary in order to promote a healthy lifestyle in terms of both eating habits and physical activity not only in young people, but also in parents and coaches of teams.
