Probl Hig Epidemiol 2017, 98(3): 254-259pl

Natural bee products and artificial honey in adolescents´ diet

Bożena Kiczorowska ^1/, Wioletta Samolińska ^1/, Agnieszka Marzec ^2/, Anna Winiarska-Mieczan ^1/, Renata Klebaniuk ^1/, Edyta Kowalczuk-Vasilev ^1/, Małgorzata Kwiecień ^1/, Elżbieta Rusinek-Prystupa ^3/

1/ Zakład Bromatologii i Fizjologii Żywienia, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Lublinie
2/ Zakład Dietetyki Klinicznej, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie
3/ Katedra Biochemii i Toksykologii, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Lublinie

Summary
Introduction. In addition to its high content of nutrients, honey exhibits antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. However, despite these health benefits, honey and bee products are rarely included in the daily diet.
Aim. An assessment of consumer behavior of junior and senior high school students in terms of consumption of artificial honey.
Material & Method. The study involved junior and senior high school students (n=237) living in Lublin. A modified survey was employed with questions concerning nutrition, meal regularity, preferences for natural bee products and artificial honey, and motives for including honey in the diet.
Results. Proper timing of meals during the day was declared by nearly 70% of the respondents, but only 34% of the students assessed their eating habits as proper. The natural honey was included in the diet on the average once a week but pollen and royal jelly - very rarely or never. The respondents used honey as a sweetener for desserts (50%) and beverages (54%). Most frequently, they consumed liquid (73%) and dark (44%) honey. Family meals (76%) and natural origin (62%) were reported as the main reasons for inclusion of honey in the diet. Over half of the respondents regularly used honey as a therapeutic agent in treatment of common cold.
Conclusion. Over 50% of the respondents were aware of nutritional errors and expressed readiness to eliminate them. Despite the respondents´ high awareness of its nutritional and therapeutic values, natural honey was a rare element in the daily diet. There is a need for educational campaigns among young people to disseminate knowledge about the nutritional and health benefits of honey and bee products.

Key words:  students, consumer preferences, nutrition, honey, bee products