About the study
What is the Youth Nutrition Study?
The aim of the National Youth Nutrition Study is to produce reliable and up-to-date data on the food habits, nutritional intake, the amount of specific nutrients in the body, accumulation of environmental poisons, and socio-economic differences in nutrition and eating habits among young people aged 12–18 years.
Implementation of the study
We are inviting a total of 3,000 students from the seventh and ninth grades of lower secondary school and the second year of upper secondary school from 17 different municipalities to participate in the study. The study will be carried out in schools during the school year 2024–2025. Out of the invitees, a total of 600 young people from different age groups are invited to provide samples. In addition to the interview study, 200 ninth-graders are invited to a questionnaire.
The basic sample (n=2,200) consists of two food habit interviews and questionnaires, in addition to anthropometric measurements.
The first sub-sample (n=600) consists of testing, two food habit interviews and questionnaires, in addition to anthropometric measurements.
The second sub-sample (n=200) consists of three food habit interviews and a questionnaire, in addition to anthropometric measurements.
The collected data will be supplemented with data from national registers.
Utilisation of results
Good nutrition is essential for healthy growth and development. It is known that nutrition during adolescence has permanent and long-term health impacts. Poor nutrition during adolescence exposes people to overweight, many risk factors (e.g. blood pressure, cholesterol, vascular changes) and illnesses and is also linked to mental wellbeing. It is important to identify both insufficient and excessive nutrient intakes in order to influence a person’s development in time. It is also important to identify nutritional at-risk groups (including aspects such as the person’s origin and socio-economic status) in order to take targeted measures to remedy the situation.
The results of the study can be utilised in municipal and national decision-making, healthcare, food services and the food industry.
Contact information
Email: [email protected]
Tel. +358 29 524 7253 (weekdays 9.00–14.00)
