The authors investigated in the course of school years 1997/98 and 98/99 some nutritional risk factors (high energy intake, high fat and cholesterol intake) and protective factors (vitamin C, E intake, linoleic acid, fibre intake) of diseases with a mass incidence in the diet of fifth year medical students of the university in Martin. They evaluated small groups of students in relation to their daily energy intake and assessed risk groups of men and women. Using the method of 24-hour dietary recall for a period of 3 days, they found that risk groups had higher intakes, in particular of fats. In 1998/99 as many as 30% of the women and 58% of the men had a daily fat intake exceeding 150% of the recommended allowance, men even 200% of the recommended allowance which is alarming. Luckily the intake of protective nutrients (linoleic acid, vitamin E) in the diet of men was sufficiently high and could eliminate the adverse fat intake. In the women´s diet the vitamin E and fibre intake was inadequate. As to other negative features of the diet of medical students in Martin, irregularity of meals and the absence of breakfast (50% men and women) was recorded. Primary preventive activities during university studies should be focused mainly on risk groups of students

        Key words: diet of medical student - nutritional risk and protective factors