A Study on Dietary Habits and Food Frequency of Young Children Who Like Sweets

당류편식 아동의 식습관 및 식품섭취패턴

  • Son, Hyang-Nam (Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University) ;
  • Park, Min-Jung (Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University) ;
  • Han, Ji-Sook (Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University)
  • 손향남 (부산대학교 식품영양학과) ;
  • 박민정 (부산대학교 식품영양학과) ;
  • 한지숙 (부산대학교 식품영양학과)
  • Received : 2008.09.10
  • Accepted : 2008.12.10
  • Published : 2009.02.02

Abstract

The objective of this research was to assess the dietary habits, food frequency, and nutrition knowledge of young children who like sweets in the Busan area; the study was conducted using survey method with questionnaires. One hundred eighty three children, aged 8 to 9 years, were divided into two groups: the sweet preference group (SPG) and the control group, based on the subjects' scores for sweets-related dietary habits, sweets preference, and sweets frequency. For dietary habits, the score for eating more snacks than meals was significantly higher in the SPG group than the control group. The SPG group members were also more likely to skip breakfast, have irregular meals, and consume instant and fast food more frequently (p<0.001) than the control group. Nutrition knowledge scores for proper snack intake and proper dietary attitude were significantly lower in the SPG than in the control group (p < 0.05). With regard to food frequency, the SPG consumed more bread, cake, chicken, ham, sausage, hamburger, and ice cream, but less fish, tofu, beans, kimchi, bean sprouts, and milk than the control group. Strong positive correlations were noted between sweets preference, sweets frequency, and sweets-related dietary habits, whereas all of them were correlated negatively with nutritional knowledge. Sweets frequency was related negatively to meal regularity, having breakfast, eating the adequate amount of meals, and recommended food frequency.

Keywords

References

  1. 대한소아과학회 (1998): 한국 소아 및 청소년 신체 발육 표준치
  2. Cha YS (2005): A study on the status of beverage consumption of the middle school student in Jeonju. Korean J Comm Nutr 10(2):174-182
  3. Elfhag K. Erlanson-Albertsson C (2006): Sweet and fat taste preference in obesity have different associations with personality and eating behavior. Physiol Behav 88(1-2):61-66 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.03.006
  4. Hwang GH, Jung LH, Yoo MJ (2001): The eating behaviors, nutrient intakes and hematological status of the lower grade primary school children in Gwangju. Korean J Dietary Culturel 4(4):293-299
  5. Jun SN, Ro HK (1998): A study on eating habits and food preference of rural elementary school students, Korean J Dietary Culrurel 13(1):65-72
  6. Kim EK (2001): Eating behaviors and nutrition related problems in Korea children. Proceedings of KSCN Conference. Autumn source book. Korean J Comm Nutr. Seoul. pp.905-920
  7. Kim HA, Kim EK (1996): A study on effect of weight control program in obese children, Korean. J Nutr 29(3):307-320
  8. Kim HK. Kim JH (2006): A preliminary study on nutrition education for reschool children in day-care center-dietary habit and nutrition nowledge-. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr 35(7):866-873 https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2006.35.7.866
  9. Kim KW (2006): Strategy on educational public reactions for healthful food selection. Proceedings of KSCN Conference. Autumn source book. Korean J Comm Nutr. Seoul. pp.42-57
  10. Kwon SY (2005): A study of the dietary patterns and analysis of the factors that influence snack intake of middle school students in Seoul. Masters degree thesis. Sookmyung Women's University. pp.30-73
  11. Lee JW, Lee MS, Kim JH, Son SM, Lee BS (2007): Nutritional Assessment. Kyomunsa. Seoul. p.121
  12. Lee YM (2006): Eating Trends in Korean Children. Proceedings of the KSCN Conference. 2006 autumn source book. Korean J Comm Nutr. Seoul. pp.9-31
  13. Liem DG, Mars M, Graaf CD (2004): Sweet preferences and sugar consumption of 4- and 5-year-old children: role of parents. Appetite 43(3):235-245 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2004.05.005
  14. Ministry of Health and Welfare (2002): Report on 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey (Dietary intake survey)
  15. Ministry of Health and Welfare (2006): Report on 2005 Nutritional Health and Nutrition Survey (Dietary Intake Survey)
  16. Park HK (2006b): Prospects of policies to improve the safety & quality of foods for children. Proceedings of KSCN Conference. Autumn source book. Korean J Comm Nutr. Seoul. pp.58-64
  17. Park HR (2006a): Nutrition state and policy in Korean Children. Proceedings of the KSCN Conference. Autumn source book. Korean J Comrn Nutr. Seoul. p.65
  18. Sung CJ, Sung MK, Choi MK, Kang YL, Kwon SJ. Kim MH, Seo YL, Adachi M, Mo SM (2001): An ecological study of food and nutrition in elementary school children in Korea. Korean J Comm Nutr 6(2):150-161
  19. The Korean Nutrition Society (2005): Dietary reference intakes for Koreans. The Korean Nutrition Society. Seoul
  20. Yang IS, Kwak TK, Han KS, Kim EK (1993): Needs assessment: Nutrition education & training program for day care children. Korean J Dietary Culture 8(2):103-116
  21. Yim KS, Lee TY, Park HS (2003): The development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire to assess diets of Korean adolescents. Korean J Comm Nutr 8(2):149-159
  22. Yoon HS, Yang HL, Her ES (2000): Effect of nutrition education program on nutrition knowledge, dietary diversity of elementary school children. Korean J Comm Nutr 5(3):513-521