Objective. The analysis of the dietary preferences of the students. Material and methods. The present study involved 101 first-term students including 79 women, initially at the mean age of 17.6±1.4 years. All the participants were examined twice, before and one year after the onset of the study. The active interventions included either physical exercises alone or the physical exercises in the combination with nutritional education. Results. It was shown that taking physical exercises during one year promoted the formation of the dietary preferences in the students. However, the beneficial effect of this approach was most pronounced when the exercises were combined with the education in the principles of rational nutrition. Such a combination makes it possible to reduce the risk of the development of general obesity in the girls and of central obesity in the boys. Conclusion. The results of the study give reason to recommend the combination of physical exercises and nutritional education for the prevention of overweight in the young people.