INFLUENCE OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, FEEDING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF 8-15-YEAR-OLD BULGARIAN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS.

Objective: to study of impact of some socio-economic and demographic factors, feeding and physical activity on the prevalence of overweight, obesity and underweight among Bulgarian children and adolescents.

Material And Methods: the sample of this research included 881 children and adolescents from both sexes, aged from 8 to 15 years, that were measured transversally in the period 2012- 2014 in eight government school in Smolyan region, Bulgaria. Of each child the height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. The evaluation of nutritional status was made using the IOTF cut-off points of BMI for children and adolescents. By the questionnaire the information about educational level of parents, number of children in the family, place of residence, nutrition and feeding habits and physical activity of children and adolescents were collected. The data were analyzed by software Statistica 10.0.

Results: there is a significant positive relation between the factor ''overeating" and the BMI values for both sexes and a negative relation between the factor ''meals frequency" and BMI for boys (p.