## 4 Discussion
observed that 37.10% of the 735 adolescents studied consumed milk daily, and 20% consumed meat daily [21]. Similar to the study by [PERSON] et al., boys reported more frequent consumption of meat [25]. Sweets consumption is very popular among adolescents, as are fast food products. Skipping one meal, more frequently breakfast, determines a high consumption of other foods like sweets [25]. [PERSON] et al. found in their study on 400 adolescents that many of them consumed sweet foods (87%) [27]. A high percentage (46.40%) was also found in the study by [PERSON] et al. [14]. The reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables also implies a lower supply of fibers with a role in the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases, cancer, and improvement of motility and the functions of the gastrointestinal system [23]. A study on Spanish adolescents' eating habits showed that in the majority of them, the ingestion of fruits and vegetables was less than recommended [13]. Similar data were provided by an Albanian study in which 72.5% of adolescents did not eat at least 2 servings of fruits and vegetables per day and by a Nigerian study in which only 15.20% of adolescent girls at fruits and vegetables daily [3; 4]. In Nordic countries, 38.10% of adolescents ate fruits rarely, and 26.90% only had them 1-3 times per week [28]. According to the questionnaire administered, the adolescents studied by us consumed more fruits than vegetables, but the serving of fruits and vegetables consumed was not sufficient in the diet of many adolescents (39.31% compared with 22.90 \(\pm\) 10.30% in the study by [PERSON] et al. (2000)) [24]. In the same study, 3.20 \(\pm\) 1.90% of adolescents consumed alcohol daily, with the boys doing so more often than the girls [24]. One hundred five adolescents who participated in the \"Cooking and Active Leisure\" TAS program consumed at least one alcoholic beverage during the week [13]. Alcohol consumption is present among adolescents, with alcohol altering nutrient absorption and metabolism. In our study, most adolescents (77.00%) consumed a maximum of 3 servings of whole grains per day, while 36.60% consumed over 6 servings/day. No statistically significant differences were observed between adolescents who consumed at least 6 servings of whole grains per day and those who consumed between 1 and 5 servings/day. In addition, no differences were observed between those who consumed refined cereals in high quantities (over six servings/day) and those who consumed small quantities. A higher percentage of underweight subjects was found in adolescents that practiced physical activity. Adolescents with low levels of physical activity are more predisposed to develop unhealthy eating habits [29]. Adolescents that practice low physical activity have shown high rates of consumption of sugar [13]. In Finnish adolescents, a decreasing trend in physical activity, especially in adolescent girls, was found [28]. The body image consists of perceptive and attitudinal (body dissatisfaction regarding weight and physical appearance) dimensions. In adolescents, body dissatisfaction is associated with weight and the percentage of body fat [29]. In our study, body dissatisfaction was found in approximately equal numbers in the 2 sexes: 197 boys (30.82%) and 219 girls (32.15%). The study of the self-perception profile showed that 86.7% of normal-weight and 84.8% of underweight adolescents considered that they had attractive bodies, while only 73.5% of overweight and 56.7% of obese adolescents thought so. Therefore, we can conclude that the obese adolescents had low self-esteem. Taken all together, we consider that nutritional education is necessary for adolescents, with the goals being the following:  
* The introduction and development of healthy eating behaviors;
* Creating a positive attitude about food;
* Development of healthy eating habits;
* Encouraging the acceptance of various foods;
* Understanding the relationship between food and health;
* Offering foods that contain adequate amounts of nutrients but are not excessive [30].