Abstract
A survey of the activity level and nutritional intake was performed for 1 week in May in 64 students admitted to a nursing school in April, 2005. Of the subjects, 1.6% were obese, and 21.9% were lean. The mean number of steps of walking/day was 10, 419, which was about 2, 500 higher than the average in females of comparable age. The activity level was significantly correlated with the time of walking to school and whether there was a gym class or extracurricular sports activity on the day. The duration of exercise of all intensity levels from mild to hard was longer on the days with than those without a gym class or extracurricular sports activity. Their diet was characterized by a high fat-energy ratio, deficiency of Ca and Fe, frequent omission of meals, and a small number of food items eaten. The energy intake was inadequate for the activity level. These results suggest the importance of practical health education that helps young females correctly perceive their physique and promotes desirable behavioral changes concerning the diet and exercise.
