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Background/Objectives : Problematic eating behaviours may affect food consumption and, therefore, body weight. However, these associations have not been well understood, especially among adolescents. The aim of the study was to evaluate the associations of restrained eating and disinhibited eating with diet quality and body weight status among adolescents. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1450 primary school students aged 11-13 years (52% girls). Dietary data were collected using the food frequency questionnaire (SF-FFQ4PolishChildren ® ). Two diet quality scores were evaluated: (i) the pro-Healthy Diet Index (pHDI), which included vegetables, fruit, dairy products, and fish, and (ii) the non-Healthy Diet Index (nHDI), which included fast food, sweets, sweetened beverages, and energy drinks. Based on the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, two eating styles were identified: restrained eating (RE) and disinhibited eating (DE). Body weight status was evaluated using the body mass index (BMI) z-score and the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Spearman's correlation coefficient and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association between eating styles, diet quality, and body weight status. Results : Restrained eating was negatively correlated with nHDI (r = -0.178, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with the BMI z-score (r = 0.253, p < 0.001) and WHtR (r = 0.197, p < 0.001). Disinhibited eating was positively correlated with nHDI (r = 0.232, p < 0.001). Among adolescents with different RE and DE levels, significant differences in the mean nHDI, BMI z-score, and WHtR were found. Compared to adolescents with 'low RE & DE', those with 'low RE & higher DE' were more likely to fall in the upper than bottom tertile of nHDI (odds ratio (OR) =1.90, 95% CI: 1.29-2.81). Adolescents with 'higher RE & low DE' were less likely to be underweight (OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.49) and more likely to be overweight (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.41-2.91) and to have abdominal obesity (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.13-2.82). Conclusions : The findings suggest that both eating styles may be predictors of diet quality among adolescents. Body weight status was related to restrained eating, which seems to characterise mainly adolescents with overweight or obesity.

Due to their high nutritional value, milk and dairy products should be a permanent element of a properly balanced diet for children and adolescents. The study aimed to identify (i) the frequency of milk and dairy product consumption by children aged 10-12 years in the opinion of children and their parents and (ii) the determinants related to the consumption of these products (including lifestyle, nutrition knowledge, and the nutritional status of children's as well as parents' nutrition knowledge). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 12,643 primary school students aged 10-12 and 7363 parents. Dietary data were collected using the Food Frequency Consumption and Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire (SF-FFQ4PolishChildren ® and KomPAN ® ). Anthropometric measurements were taken and body mass index (BMI) and waist/height ratios (WHtR) were calculated. A logistic regression model was used to assess the likelihood of the frequent consumption of dairy products in the opinion of both the children and their parents, and the quality of the obtained models was assessed using model fit statistics and the Hosmer and Lemeshow test. The frequency of consuming milk and milk products (every day and more) was low in the opinion of children aged 10-12 years (29.6%). According to their parents, the frequency of the consumption of dairy products was slightly higher (44.8%). Six factors associated with the frequency of milk and dairy product consumption were identified independently. These included schoolchildren and their parents' nutrition knowledge, physical activity, sleep, gender, and place of residence. More of these products were consumed by children with greater nutrition knowledge-both their own and their parents'-higher physical activity, longer sleep duration, males, and those living in the city. Family eating habits, particularly eating meals together, also played an important role in the consumption of milk and dairy products. According to the parents, the children in older grades were less likely to consume dairy products more frequently. The obtained results suggest an insufficient consumption of milk and dairy products. The identification of modifiable factors, such as nutrition knowledge, physical activity, sleep duration, and eating meals with the family, suggests the need to improve the existing strategies, including activities encouraging nutritional education for both schoolchildren and their parents.

The study aimed to identify predictors of the intention to eat less meat and more plant-based foods, including attitudes towards eating meat, habitual meat eating, subjective norms, and self-identity. A cross-sectional study using CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) was conducted in a group of 1003 Polish adults in 2023. To measure the predictor variables, the following tools were used: Beliefs and Eating Habits Questionnaire (KomPAN), Meat Attachment Questionnaire (MAQ), and scales to measure subjective norms and self-identity. Logistic regression analysis was used to verify associations between independent variables, and the intentions to eat more plant-based food and less meat next year were treated as dependent variables. More respondents were willing to increase their consumption of plant-based foods rather than reduce their meat consumption. The intention to consume less meat and more plant foods was more prevalent among women, older people (only intention to reduce meat consumption), and better-educated people (only intention to increase plant food consumption). Habitual frequency of eating plant foods, negative feelings about meat, and environmentally oriented identities had a stimulating effect on the intention to eat more plant foods and less meat, while experiencing pleasure in eating meat had a limiting effect on the intention to eat more plant foods and less meat. In addition, the habitual frequency of meat consumption and subjective norms reduced the likelihood of eating less meat, while no predictive effect was observed for the intention to eat more plant foods. In conclusion, educational and promotional activities to raise awareness of the link between food consumption and the environment can have a strong impact on eating less meat and more plant-based food, even among those strongly accustomed to meat consumption., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The aim of the study was to ascertain consumers' interest in innovative fruit and cereal bars and their expectations of changes that could be applied by manufacturers to improve their health-promoting properties. An additional aim was to assess how these interests and expectations, as well as the information provided on the product label, determine the willingness to purchase a fruit and cereal bar with health-promoting properties. Data were collected through a quantitative CAWI survey conducted in 2020. It involved 1034 respondents. A logistic regression model was developed in which the dependent variable was the respondents' interest in an innovative fruit and cereal bar on whose packaging the manufacturer declared its health-promoting properties. It was found that producers' efforts to change the packaging to an organic one (OR = 1.24) along with enriching the product with chia seeds/flaxseed (OR = 1.22), vitamins and minerals (OR = 1.19), as well as fruit (OR = 1.14) and protein (OR = 1.12), or removing ingredients that cause allergies, would significantly increase the chance of respondents purchasing such a bar. A celebrity image and a claim that the product "helps maintain a healthy body weight" on the label would also encourage purchases. On the other hand, reducing the sugar content or enriching a fruit and cereal bar with powdered insects would significantly reduce the propensity to buy it.

Nutrition education is a long-term process that should cover various population groups. A special focus should be placed on children, adolescents and their parents. The aim of this research was to find out the opinions of parents of primary school pupils aged 7-12 on their expectations towards school education in the areas of food and nutrition, addressed to both pupils and their parents. The research was conducted among 101 parents of primary school pupils with the use of the Focus Group Interview (FGI) method. It demonstrated that what is most needed are hands-on activities relating to basic theoretical issues. While parents see the need for nutrition education for their children, educating pupils in this area is of interest to only some of the respondents for whom nutrition aspects are quite important. All parents would like formal nutrition education at school, but at the same time, they do not want classes to take up too much of their children's time, due to the already excessive number of school subjects. It seems appropriate to include everyone in regard to nutrition education, regardless of their declared interest in this issue. The need for consistent presentation of educational content addressed to teachers and parents is very important, so that they can, in a uniform way, shape the attitudes towards food and nutrition of children and adolescents.

Increasing students' nutrition knowledge is an important goal of school education which may improve their lifestyle and consequently reduce the incidence of non-communicable chronic diseases, including obesity. This research aimed at assessing the dietary habits, nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes, and nutritional status of Polish students aged 7-12 years. Additional objectives included recognizing nutrition-related knowledge among their parents and teachers as well as the school food and nutrition environment. The final goal was to develop a nutrition education program. This study protocol presents a general and detailed approach for realizing the above-mentioned issues, including conducting quantitative and qualitative research. The study was designed as cross-sectional, covering primary school students from all over Poland, including rural, town, and metropolitan areas. Data on eating habits, lifestyle, nutrition-related knowledge, and attitudes were collected with questionnaires. Measurements of body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, and handgrip strength were performed in accordance with the International Standards for Anthropometric Assessment (ISAK) recommendations. Body composition was assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis. Ultimately, 2218 schools from all 16 voivodeships in Poland registered for the project. In total, quantitative data were collected among 27,295 students, 17,070 parents, and 2616 teachers. Anthropometric measurements were taken among 18,521 students. The results allow us to develop a multifaceted educational program based on knowledge and adapted to the perception of students. Our research may contribute to the identification of subpopulations of children and adolescents at risk of excessive body weight and define the predictors of obesity risk in Poland.

The aim of this study was to determine the association between eating behaviours, sedentary behaviours and physical activity based on a self-reported survey conducted on a sample of the Polish population of adolescents aged 13-16. The field survey was conducted on a nationwide group of 6818 respondents. The object of the statistical analysis was to develop a model regarding the influence of selected socio-demographic characteristics on engaging in physical activity and selected dietary behaviours. Due to the dichotomous nature of the dependent variable, logistic regression models were used in the model. It was found that the higher the level of physical activity, the more well-balanced the diet, including higher levels of fruit consumption, water consumption and protein-containing products, as well as the relatively less frequent occurrence of sedentary behaviour as a form of leisure activity. However, there is a constant need to develop, in cooperation with scientific and research institutions and educational establishments, mechanisms for influencing a change in the behaviour of young people towards a more pro-healthy lifestyle so that the effects of these educational activities are not only reflected in an increase in the level of knowledge in this area but also contribute to real changes in dietary behaviour.

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the physical activity level and commitment in adolescents, which has resulted in a body weight increase, and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that this negative trend must be now counteracted. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of food habits and participation in a national extracurricular athletics program (Athletics for All) on body weight within a pair-matched sample of Polish adolescents after one year of intervention. The #goathletics Study was conducted in a population of Polish adolescents within two pair-matched groups: 506 adolescents aged 10-14, including 281 female and 225 male adolescents, regularly participating in Athletics for All program for at least 9 months (one school year) (intervention group), and a pair-matched control group (matched taking into account city, gender, and age). The #goathletics Study included the assessment of the body weight, which was conducted based on the growth reference charts for Body Mass Index (BMI), and waist circumference to verify central fatness. Athletics for All participation and food habits were verified as determinants of body weight, while food habits were assessed using the validated Adolescents' Food Habits Checklist (AFHC). While compared the intervention group and control group, statistically significant differences were observed for body weight, BMI, and waist circumference, both for crude and relative values, with adolescents participating in the Athletics for All program presenting a lower risk of excessive body weight and central fatness ( p < 0.05), while, compared to sub-groups stratified by AFHC score, no statistically significant differences in general anthropometric characteristics were observed ( p > 0.05). While the body weight centile, height centile, BMI centile and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were assessed as the resultant variables, it was revealed that participation in the Athletics for All program is the only influencing factor in multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) for body weight centile ( F = 21.44; p < 0.0001) and BMI centile ( F = 47.98; p < 0.0001), but for height centile and WHtR, none of the assessed factors influenced these variables. It was concluded that regularly participating in the Athletics for All program for at least 9 months was the only determinant of a lower risk of excessive body weight in adolescents, with declared food habits and gender not being significant.

The family environment plays a crucial role in creating the health behaviours of children and youth. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of parents with children aged 7-12 who represent an influential environment for creating the eating behaviours of children. A qualitative study was conducted using focus-group interviews (FGI) involving 101 parents from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Three categories of parents were identified based on their level of involvement and awareness of nutrition: 'aware', 'determined', and 'relaxed'. Among parents of 10-12-year-old students, an additional category, 'distanced' parents, was identified. The study revealed that parents require support in terms of providing compelling arguments and practical recommendations related to meals and reducing or eliminating their children's consumption of sweets, snacks, fast food, and, in the case of older students, energy drinks. Parents reported that their children had a moderate understanding of the principles of proper nutrition. The majority of respondents viewed this knowledge as primarily theoretical and expressed a need for practical guidance and activities, which they believe should be offered by schools. To achieve positive outcomes in educational activities related to food and nutrition, it is essential to involve children, parents, guardians, teachers, and other school staff in these efforts.

Optimal nutrition is one of the most significant environmental factors affecting human health. The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of primary school students aged 7-9 towards nutrition considering three fundamental components: knowledge, emotional disposition, and dietary behaviors. The research was conducted using the Focus Group Interview (FGI) technique among 78 children. Considering their attitudes towards food and nutrition, four profiles were identified: "engaged", "obedient", "reluctant", and "indifferent". Children who were "engaged" and "obedient" due to their parents' involvement in creating their dietary attitudes exhibited the most alignment with the principles of optimal nutrition. Regardless of profile type, it was observed that children were familiar with recommended and unrecommended food products, as well as the role of water in proper nutrition. It was demonstrated that parents wield the most substantial influence on children's nutrition. As a result, initiatives promoting the proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle should commence with parents. Children of nutritionally conscious parents tend to eat more healthily and demonstrate a high nutritional awareness. Conversely, the children of busy parents who lack time for meal preparation more frequently replicate their parents' nutritional mistakes. These findings emphasize the importance of the family environment in shaping the dietary behaviors of children and youth.

The aim of our research was to assess whether and to what extent the perceived change in the content of selected ingredients in dairy products is important for Polish consumers in accepting the enhancement of the health benefits of dairy products, including yogurt. The data were collected using a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) survey on a sample of 983 consumers. The logistic regression model was used to predict the behavior of consumers associated with their willingness to accept the health aspects of improving dairy products. The results indicated that changes in the level of selected ingredients enhanced the willingness to accept increasing the health value of the product. The socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were not associated with the degree of their willingness to accept the improvement of the perceived health attributes. Practitioners in the dairy industry and policy makers can benefit from these results. When designing food products, it is worth focusing on increasing the nutritional value and enhancing the health value of food that is perceived by consumers as generally possessing positive health benefits, rather than on food that is perceived by them as possessing negative qualities.

The aims of the current study were (a) to deepen the understanding of food quality from animal origin with particular emphasis on dairy products, including yoghurt; (b) to determine the level of acceptance of methods and ingredients used to enhance the quality of food from animal origin; (c) to identify how the perception of animal products quality affects the acceptance of changes in production methods and (d) to identify the projective image of consumers purchasing high-quality yoghurt. The data were collected using a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) survey on a sample of 983 consumers. The k-means clustering method (k-means clustering algorithm is an unsupervised algorithm that is used to segment the interest area from the background) was used to identify five clusters of consumers. Moreover, the logistic regression models were used in order to examine the impact of opinions related to the quality of product on acceptance of food production methods. The results showed that food quality is generally perceived by consumers using the following attributes: its freshness, naturalness, production method, as well as appearance, taste and smell, but when it comes to the quality of food from animal origin, convenience, connected with the availability, nutritional value and health benefits is of primary importance. The most accepted production method of high-quality food is animal production that takes into consideration the welfare of farm animals. Results also show that the increase in the level of education among the surveyed people contributed to the acceptance of ensuring welfare of farm animals as a method of increasing food quality while consumers' openness to new products favored the acceptance of adding health-promoting ingredients to livestock feed. As regards the assessment of the level of acceptance of enhancing food with beneficial ingredients, people for whom health aspects were important declared their willingness to accept such a method of increasing food quality. The research findings can be used to develop educational campaigns as well as marketing communication of enterprises operating on the food market. Furthermore, the results could be used to strengthen the competitive position of food enterprises searching for innovative solutions.

The role of a properly balanced diet in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders has been suggested, while vegetables and fruits have a high content of nutrients that may be of importance in the case of depressive disorders. The aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review of the observational studies analyzing association between fruit and vegetable intake and mental health in adults. The search adhered to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), and the review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (CRD42019138148). A search for peer-reviewed observational studies published until June 2019 was performed in PubMed and Web of Science databases, followed by an additional manual search for publications conducted via analyzing the references of the found studies. With respect to the intake of fruit and/or vegetable, studies that assessed the intake of fruits and/or vegetables, or their processed products (e.g., juices), as a measure expressed in grams or as the number of portions were included. Those studies that assessed the general dietary patterns were not included in the present analysis. With respect to mental health, studies that assessed all the aspects of mental health in both healthy participants and subjects with physical health problems were included, but those conducted in groups of patients with intellectual disabilities, dementia, and eating disorders were excluded. To assess bias, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied. A total of 5911 studies were independently extracted by 2 researchers and verified if they met the inclusion criteria using a 2-stage procedure (based on the title, based on the abstract). After reviewing the full text, a total of 61 studies were selected. A narrative synthesis of the findings from the included studies was performed, which was structured around the type of outcome. The studies included mainly focused on depression and depressive symptoms, but also other characteristics ranging from general and mental well-being, quality of life, sleep quality, life satisfaction, flourishing, mood, self-efficacy, curiosity, creativity, optimism, self-esteem, stress, nervousness, or happiness, to anxiety, minor psychiatric disorders, distress, or attempted suicide, were analyzed. The most prominent results indicated that high total intake of fruits and vegetables, and some of their specific subgroups including berries, citrus, and green leafy vegetables, may promote higher levels of optimism and self-efficacy, as well as reduce the level of psychological distress, ambiguity, and cancer fatalism, and protect against depressive symptoms. However, it must be indicated that the studies included were conducted using various methodologies and in different populations, so their results were not always sufficiently comparable, which is a limitation. Taken together, it can be concluded that fruits and/or vegetables, and some of their specific subgroups, as well as processed fruits and vegetables, seems to have a positive influence on mental health, as stated in the vast majority of the included studies. Therefore, the general recommendation to consume at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day may be beneficial also for mental health., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study, in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data, in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Increasing the insufficient intake of vegetables in children may be difficult, due to the influence of parents and at-home accessibility. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between self-reported vegetable consumption behaviors and preferences of mothers and the behaviors and preferences of their children, as declared by them. The nationally representative Polish ( n = 1200) and Romanian ( n = 1157) samples of mothers of children aged 3-10 were obtained using the random quota sampling method, and interviewed for their and their children's general frequency of consumption and preferences of vegetables in years 2012-2014. A 24 h dietary recall of vegetable consumption was conducted for mothers and their children. Associations were observed for general number of servings consumed per day by mother-child pairs ( p < 0.0001; R = 0.6522, R = 0.6573 for Polish and Romanian samples, respectively) and number of types indicated as preferred ( p < 0.0001; R = 0.5418, R = 0.5433). The share of children consuming specific vegetables was 33.1-75.3% and 42.6-75.7% while their mothers also consumed, but 0.1-43.2% and 1.2-22.9% while their mothers did not. The share of children preferring specific vegetables was 16.7-74.1% and 15.2-100% when their mother shared the preference, but 1.3-46.9% and 0-38.3% when their mother did not. The mothers' vegetable consumption behaviors and preferences may be a factor limiting the possibility of increasing vegetable consumption in their children.

Sustainable and healthy food-related behavior is high on the public policy and research agenda due to its potential to cope with negative environmental and health outcomes. There are several measures related to sustainability in food choices but there have not been many attempts to integrate sustainable and healthy eating (SHE) behaviors into one measurement instrument so far. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to identify how young adults interpret the SHE concept and to develop an instrument that measures a self-reported consumer's SHE behavior. The process of scale development involved an exploratory qualitative study and two quantitative studies. As a result of 20 individual in depth interviews with Polish young adults, 50 items were generated reflecting their perspective on principles of SHE (Study 1). Two samples were used in the scale validation process: n = 217 (Study 2) and n = 220 (Study 3). Via principal component analysis, reliability analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis, the final form of the scale was derived. The proposed 34-item scale offers insights into the most relevant aspects of SHE behaviors, grouped in eight factors: "healthy and balanced diet", "certification and quality labels", "meat reduction", "selection of local food", "choice of low fat food products", "avoidance of food waste" and purchase and consumption of food products that are respecting "animal welfare" and finally choice of "seasonal food". Although the developed scale can benefit from further refinement and validity testing in different cultural and social background, it is clear that the scale, as developed, can be a useful tool for researchers who are interested in the study of SHE behaviors.

To increase teenagers' nutrition knowledge is an important target and has the potential to improve their dietary habits and lifestyle while reducing incidences of obesity-related non-communicable diseases throughout the whole lifespan. This study protocol presents the general approach and details of an assessment of nutritional knowledge, attitudes toward nutrition, diet quality, lifestyle and body composition that have been used to comprehensively evaluate the cross-behavioral patterns covering dietary and lifestyle behaviors in Polish teenagers. The study was designed in two paths as: a cross-sectional study (covering 1569 students) and an education-based intervention study (464 students) with a 9-month follow-up. We describe a short form of the food frequency questionnaire (SF-FFQ4PolishChildren) used to collect data and details of diet-related and lifestyle-related education program, which was developed and implemented by academic researchers involved in the study. We also describe details of the data development and statistical analysis, including multidimensional methods of clustering variables to identify cross-behavioral patterns covering diet and lifestyle. The results of the study will provide evidence-based support for preventive health care to promote normal growth and development of young population and reduce the risk of diet-related diseases in adulthood, by early shaping of adequate dietary and lifestyle behaviors. In the future, well-tailored education programs addressed to teenagers can be created as an important public health action, based on our results.

In general, dairy products are well regarded for their nutritional value. Consumer perception of dairy products is influenced by many interrelated factors but healthiness remains one of the key attributes and values for consumers. Furthermore, contemporary consumers increasingly seek out dairy products with additional health benefits and, therefore, it is essential to explore which attributes are important drivers of food choices and how producers can better respond to shifting consumer values and needs in each dairy product category. Therefore, the aims of the study were: (a) to identify consumer segments based on the importance they attached to selected attributes of dairy products, (b) to explore differences between the identified segments in their perceptions of health-related attributes of dairy products, (c) to determine if health-related aspects influenced consumers decisions to buy high-quality dairy products, and (d) to identify if consumers were open to novelties in dairy products. The data were collected within a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) survey on a representative sample of 983 adult Polish consumers. The non-hierarchical K-means clustering method was used to identify four clusters of consumers, namely: Enthusiastic, Involved, Ultra-involved and Neutral. Enthusiastic consumers attach more importance to the influence of dairy products on immunity and are more willing to agree with the opinion that dairy products are a source of mineral nutrients as well as vitamins. Ultra-involved and Involved consumers pay less attention to some health aspects of dairy products compared to other clusters; however, the Ultra-involved are more quality-oriented than are the Involved. Neutral consumers are more open to accept changes on the dairy product market and are relatively more inclined to choose new dairy products. However, these consumers have scored lower on those aspects related to the healthiness of dairy products and, in order to target them effectively, it is essential to develop well-tailored communication strategies highlighting the health benefits of dairy products. These results relate to the Polish market and are important for the development of new dairy products and for targeting public nutrition as well as for directing marketing communication. The results may provide important insights for those who develop educational strategies and campaigns.

Among the factors that may influence fruit and vegetable intake, there is a food neophobia level, but the other elements, including physical activity and place of residence, must also be taken into account as interfering ones. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between food neophobia level and the intake of fruits and vegetables in a nationwide case-control study of Polish adolescents (12⁻13 years), including the influence of gender, the physical activity program participation and the place of residence. The #goathletics Study was conducted among a group of 1014 adolescents, 507 individuals representative for a nationwide physical activity program "Athletics for All" participants (characterized by an active lifestyle) and 507 pair-matched individuals (characterized by sedentary behavior), while 502 were representative for urban and 512 for suburban area. The assessment of food neophobia level was based on the Food Neophobia Scale questionnaire and the assessment of fruit and vegetable intake was based on the validated food frequency questionnaire. It was observed that higher food neophobia level is associated with a lower fruit and vegetable intake, that was stated both for girls and boys, as well as both for individuals characterized by an active lifestyle and those characterized by sedentary behavior, both from urban and suburban area. Food neophobic individuals characterized by an active lifestyle and those from urban areas were characterized by a higher fruit intake than individuals characterized by sedentary behavior and those from suburban areas, from the same food neophobia category. It was found that food neophobia may reduce fruit and vegetable intake, but the physical activity education with peers may reduce the observed influence and should be applied especially in the case of neophobic individuals from suburban areas.