The purpose of this study was to analyze changes in the prevalence of weight reduction behaviors (WRBs) among European adolescents from 26 countries between 2001/2002 and 2017/2018. The impact of the perception of body weight on WLB was also analyzed, with particular attention being paid to overestimation. The data of 639,194 European adolescents aged 11, 13, and 15 years who participated in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey were analyzed. Age-standardized prevalence rates of WRB were estimated separately by survey round and gender for each country, using the overall 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study population as the standard. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess WRB trends over time, adjusted for survey year, body mass index, body weight misperception, and family affluence and stratified by gender and age. In the 26 countries examined, the overall age-adjusted prevalence rates of WRB were 10.2% among boys and 18.0% among girls. The prevalence of WRB was higher for girls, but in the more recent surveys, gender differences in WRB decreased. There was a significant increase in the percentage of WRB among boys in most countries. Among girls, most countries did not experience significant changes. Increases in body mass index and overestimation of body weight were significant factors increasing the risk of WRB in both genders. The change in the prevalence of WRB by gender warrants greater attention from researchers and practitioners alike.

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between psychosocial school factors and life satisfaction, symptoms of depression and psychosomatic health complaints among first grade secondary school students in Serbia. We analysed data from the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in the Republic of Serbia. Analyzed psychosocial school factors included satisfaction with school, schoolwork pressure, teacher support, classmate support and being bullied at school. Life satisfaction was assessed by the 11-step Cantril’s ladder (cutoff >5). Symptoms of depression were measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) and psychosomatic health complaints by using the HBSC symptom checklist. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of students’ life satisfaction, symptoms of depression and psychosomatic health complaints in the school environment, while also considering their socio-demographic characteristics and perceived family and friend support. The study included 1605 students (average age 15.26 ±0.44 years), of whom 50.3% were females. Results from the binary logistic regression analyses showed that life satisfaction was positively related to school satisfaction and classmate support, and negatively to being bullied at school. Symptoms of depression were positively associated with schoolwork pressure and being bullied at school, and negatively with teacher and classmate support. All analyzed factors of the school environment were significantly related to psychosomatic health complaints, whereby schoolwork pressure and being bullied at school were positively associated, while teacher and classmate support and satisfaction with school were negatively associated. Given the established association of psychosocial school factors with mental health, there is a need for targeted measures both at school and community level with the aim of improving social support in the school environment, reducing schoolwork burden and preventing bullying at school, potentially resulting in the overall improvement of mental health of the first grade secondary school students.

Proper nutrition is important for the healthy growth and development of preschool children. During this period, they undergo rapid physical, cognitive, and emotional changes, making it essential to provide both the necessary nutrients to support their overall development and hygienically safe foods. Maintaining high sanitary and hygienic standards in preschool food facilities requires a comprehensive approach that integrates regulatory compliance, facility design, staff training, and effective sanitation practices. By prioritizing these standards, preschools can provide a safe and healthy environment that supports the well-being and development of preschool children. Regulatory requirements form the backbone of sanitation standards in preschools. These guidelines are often established by public health authorities and childcare regulators, setting out minimum standards for cleanliness, food handling, and facility maintenance. Adherence to these regulations ensures that preschools provide a safe and healthy environment for children. Essential components include proper kitchen design, adequate ventilation, pest control measures, and accessible handwashing facilities. Assessing the effectiveness of hygiene practices in preschools involves a multi-pronged approach, including regular inspections, health monitoring, feedback collection, staff training assessments, and incident analysis. By continuously evaluating and improving hygiene practices, preschools can provide a safe and healthy environment for children.

Adolescence represents a high-risk period for weight gain, due to hormonal and metabolic changes that lead to changes in body composition, but also to changes in diet and exercise-related behaviours. Dietary habits of adolescents have a significant impact on their nutritional and health status; establishment of adequate habits is important, due to their impact on growth and development at this stage in life, but also on health consequences in adulthood. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of diet and diet-related behaviours in adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 in Serbia and to examine their relationship with nutritional status categories. In this paper, data from the Health Behaviour in School-age Children Study in Serbia from 2018 were used. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study of a national representative sample of adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15. In this study, according to the BMI, 12% of the respondents were underweight, 70.8% were of normal weight, while 17.2% were overweight and obese. When it comes to dietary habits, 59.3% of the respondents regularly eat breakfast during the working week. Fruits are consumed once per day or more often by 42%, and vegetables by 41.5% of the respondents. Sweets are consumed once per day and more often by 35.7% of adolescents, while a fifth of the adolescents drink juices every day, older children more often than the younger. A fifth of the adolescents have snacks every day while watching TV and working/playing on a computer, and the same number have at least one meal per day while watching television, as well. Findings of this study indicate a need for a more intensive health education for adolescents, not just for the purpose of preventing obesity, but also to prevent unwanted diet-related behaviours such as snacking or "grazing", skipping meals etc, since dietary habits adopted in childhood and adolescence persist in adulthood.

Background and aim: Adolescence is a nutritionally vulnerable life phase. Poor eating habits formed during adolescence can lead to obesity and diet-related diseases in later years. The adoption of healthy eating habits is of particular importance, not only because of the direct impact on growth and development at this age, but also because of the impact on health in adulthood. A change in dietary habits in adolescence is marked by a higher intake of soft drinks, sweets, and salty snacks, with a decrease in the intake of vegetables, fruits, and milk and dairy products. The aim of this study was to show current trends in the eating habits of Serbian adolescents. Method: This study comprised a secondary analysis of data collected from 11-15-year-old students who participated in two cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Surveys (HBSC), conducted in Serbia in 2018 and 2022. Data on breakfast consumption and the intake of fruit, vegetables, soft drinks, and sweets were analyzed. Results: About two thirds of students (67.7%) in 2022 were eating breakfast every day during the working week, significantly more than in 2018 (58.8%), with no gender differences. The number of students who never eat breakfast during the working week is increasing (7.5% in 2018, 9.9% in 2022), with the highest numbers in the oldest age group. When it comes to the intake of fruit and vegetables, students do not meet the recommendations: in 2022, less than half of the students consumed fruit and vegetables once a day or more (39.6% fruit, 39.7% vegetables), while the frequency of a daily intake of fruits and vegetables decreased with age. The results show a decrease in daily consumption in comparison to 2018. Less than one fifth of students in 2022 consumed soft drinks daily (18.8%), boys more often than girls (21.5% vs. 16.4%), significantly less than in 2018 (22.4%). The consumption of soft drinks increases with age. More than a third of adolescents in 2022 ate sweets once a day or more often (34.8%), girls more often than boys (38.7% vs. 30.3%). This consumption has not changed since 2018. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a need for a more intensive nutrition-related health education of adolescents in order to improve their eating habits.