Is Healthy Lifestyle a Science Education Topic? – Study of a Healthy Way of Life, Beverages and Meal Choices among Primary School Children

Abstract

A healthy lifestyle is a somewhat neglected science topic in the field of science education. In order to provide a more nuanced understanding of young people’s decision-making, this study examines 138 primary school students (from 9 to 12 years old from Maribor, Slovenia) and their decisions regarding a healthy way of living, consumption of liquids and meal choices. A questionnaire with close type questions for pupils served as the research instrument. The results show that an important shift towards an unhealthy way of life, such as more TV-watching, skipping breakfast and drinking more sweet carbonated beverages, is already occurring in the early teenage period and is more distinct in boys, who choose more salty and sweet snacks than girls. The paper provides suggestions for improving the current situation, which can be particularly affected by the school’s use of beverage machines and even more through the hidden curriculum and the way of life in school, including the relevant selection of food and beverages; the suggestions include the engagement of student emotions, which could serve as potential motivators to raise the level of interest in science.