Evaluation of Nutrition Quotient and Related Factors in Preschool Children / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the nutrition quotient (NQ) by gender and understand which factors influence NQ in preschool children. METHODS: Subjects were 245 children (110 boys, 135 girls) aged 4-6 years and their parents. The questionnaire composed of demographic characteristics, eating behavior factors and the NQ questions. The NQ consisted of 19 food behavior checklist items and all items were grouped into 5 factors: balance, diversity, moderation, regularity, and practice. Inbody J05, a measurement device that measures individual's body composition was used to measure children's anthropometric data. All data were statistically analyzed by SPSS program (Ver. 20) and the statistical differences in variables were evaluated by Student t-test, chi2-test, One-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test. RESULTS: The total NQ score of the subjects was 65.3. The NQ score of girls (67.0) was significantly higher than that of the boys (63.2) (p<0.01). The girls' average scores of NQ factors including diversity (p<0.01) and practice (p<0.05) were higher than those of the boys. The analysis of related-factors influencing NQ scores showed that there was a significant difference among the groups according to feeding methods during infancy (p<0.05), breast feeding group being the highest. Furthermore, the NQ score showed a significant difference depending on how to correct children's unbalanced diet as well as parents' nutrition knowledge. The NQ score of obesity group tended to be lower than that of underweight group although there was no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Overall results indicated that the girls had better quality of diet and eating habits than the boys. Children and their parents need proper nutrition education and counseling to correct children's eating habits and to improve diet quality in kindergartens and in children care centers.

Evaluation of Food Behavior and Nutritional Status of Preschool Children in Nowon-gu of Seoul by Using Nutrition Quotient (NQ) / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The objectives of this study were to assess food behavior and nutritional status of preschool children by using the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) for children and children's growth index. The subjects for this study were 424, 5-year old children, who enrolled in child-care centers (n = 219) and kindergartens (n = 205) in Nowon-gu, Seoul. The NQ was examined by NQ questionnaire which consisted of 19 food behavior checklist items. Their items were grouped into 5 categories: balance, diversity, moderation, regularity, and practice. Children's anthropometric measurements were performed by using InBody J05. All data were statistically analyzed by SAS 9.3 and significant difference was evaluated by Student's t-test and X2-test. The rates of overweight and obesity for subjects were 11.1% and 3.3%, respectively. Total NQ score of the subjects was 65.1, which was within medium grade. The NQ score of kindergartens (66.1) was higher than that of child-care center (64.2), showing significant difference by institution type. In addition, the NQ score of obesity was significantly lower than that of normal weight subjects. The scores of balance (p < 0.05) and regularity factor (p < 0.001) were higher in kindergarten compared to child-care center. Particularly, the frequency of consumption of white milk and Ramyeon was higher (p < 0.001) and lower (p < 0.05) respectively in kindergarten compared to child-care center. Frequencies of meal regularity (P < 0.01) and breakfast eating (p < 0.001) were also higher in kindergarten compared to child-care center. These results indicate that kindergarten's children had better eating habits than those of child-care center. Overall analysis of items for food behavior checklists implies that children in Nowon-gu are short of vegetables consumption. Therefore, children and their parents need proper nutrition education and counseling to correct their eating habits and to improve their nutritional status.