Measuring Differences in Food Iintakes and Dietary Habits of Preschool Children by the Weight-Length Index

This study was conducted to obtain data and offer advice regarding dietary intake at kindergarten and to recommend dietary habits to prevent childhood obesity. The study was conducted in 85 children aged 4 to 5 years. Body weight and height, dietary intakes of lunch served at Kindergarten and questionnaires for dietary behaviors in Kyeongnam area were studied. All subjects were classified by their weight-length index (WLI). According to the standard WLI values, 41.2% of the children were within the normal value (90 or =120). The mean energy intake at lunch for kindergarteners was 287.1+/-13.4 kcal in the normal group, 307.6+/-10.2 kcal in the overweight group and 323.7+/-8.6 kcal in the obese group. The percent energy of estimated energy requirement (EER) was 21.8%. The intake of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and pyridoxine were significantly different by WLI (P<0.05). A comparison of nutrients in the lunch menu provided with those of 1/3 recommended intake (RI) showed that preschoolers took in fewer calories, calcium, and vitamin B2, and that their deficiency rates were high (81.2%, 76.5% and 70.6% of recommended levels, respectively). There was a significant difference in the preference of fruits and milk and dairy products by WLI. Therefore, a nutritional education program and new guidance in the proper nutrition management for kindergarteners should be developed to enhance nutritional status during childhood.

Comparison of Growth from First to Sixth Grade Based on the Obesity Index of Sixth Grade Students at an Elementary School in Seoul

This study was conducted to identify differences in growth based on the obesity index in sixth grade. Heights and weights of 141 students from first to sixth grades were collected from school records. Other information was gathered by survey, and the weight length index (WLI) was calculated. Subjects were classified into three groups: underweight (n = 57, UG), normal (n = 53, NG), and obese (n = 31, OG) using the WLI. Differences in weight, height, and growth velocity were compared among the three groups from the first to sixth grades. With regard to growth, the past physical status of the three groups was maintained. More than 50% of the OG was in the overweight range when they were in the third to fifth grades. Approximately 60% of NG was in the normal weight range between the first and fifth grades. More than 70% of UG was in the underweight range when they were in the first to fifth grades (p < 0.001). Growth velocity was faster in OG than that in NG and UG (p < 0.001). The annual growth rate of children was the highest when they moved from the third to the fourth grade (p < 0.001). The results indicate that general balanced diet education should be implemented in lower grades, because physical growth formed in lower grades tended to be maintained in senior grades. It would be better to educate students about diet to prevent obesity before the fifth grade when a major change in body structure has occurred.

Evaluation of the health status of preschool children stratified based on the weight-length index (WLI)

This study was conducted to prepare basic materials and offer advice regarding dietary habits to prevent and cure childhood obesity by comparing and analyzing dietary habit, nutritional status, blood factors, and mineral contents of hair. All subjects were stratified by their weight-length index (WLI). According to the standard WLI values, 64.9% of children were within the normal value, 13.5% of children were underweight, and 21.6% of children were overweight and obese (WLI > or = 110%). Overall, the score assessed dietary habit for all children was 21.32 +/- 2.55 point (921 subjects), with 5.1% of children having excellent dietary habits and 3.1% having poor dietary habits. Additionally, 37.9% of underweight children, 37.6% of normal weight children, and 43.2% of overweight and obese children consumed higher amounts of protein than underweight children did (meat, fish, eggs, and soy products) (P < 0.05). Overweight and obese children consumed more fried foods than underweight or normal weight children (P < 0.05). Moreover, 38.0% of the children had hemoglobin levels of 12 g/dl, while 7.6% were anemic (11.1 g/dl). When a hematocrit level of 33% was taken as the standard, 11.0% of children were anemic. The plasma transferrin content was 263.76 +/- 54.52 mg/dl in overweight and obese children. The mean values of Fe, Cu, Ca, Cr, Mn, Se, Na, K, Li, V, Co, and Mo were within the reference values, but the Zn concentrations of underweight, normal weight, and overweight and obese children were 67.97 +/- 28.51 ppm, 70.09 +/- 30.81 ppm, and 73.99 +/- 30.36 ppm, respectively. The Zn concentration of overweight and obese children (73.99 +/- 30.36 ppm) was lower than that of the standard value (180~220 ppm). Therefore, a nutritional education program and new guidance for dietary pattern should be developed to reduce the number of underweight and overweight and obese children.

Do mother's interests in weight control influence preschoolers' obesity and weight related concerns?

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the mother's interest in weight control and its association with the preschooler's obesity and weight related concerns. This was a cross-sectional study based on 470 parents' self-reports. To score interests in weight control, mothers rated each of 6 items on a five-point Likert scale ranging from disagree (1) to agree (5). The perceptions of mothers' weights and their children's weights, mothers' Body Mass Index (BMI), preschoolers' Weight-Length Index (WLI) (%), and weight-related concerns were determined. The mothers' BMI was significantly correlated with interest scores of weight control in mothers (r=0.632, p<0.001) while their children's obesity was weakly correlated with the mothers' interest scores (r=0.133, p=0.025). Mothers with a high interest of weight control reported higher percentages of family history of obesity than mothers with lower interests (63.2% vs. 36.8%, p<0.001). Two-thirds of the mothers (65.4%) were accurate in their perceptions about their weights. Similarly, 63.7% of mothers knew exactly their children's weight-statuses. Compared with mothers with low interest in weight controls, mothers with high interest in weight control had lower correct-perceptions about their weights (p<0.05) but higher correct-perceptions about their children's weights. More than two-thirds of mothers (85%) reported not worrying about their children's obesity in the future. Only 14.3% of the mothers were satisfied with their current weight statuses. Three-fourths of mothers preferred exercise as an effective weight-control method for their children, 20% preferred diet therapy and 5.5% preferred behavior modification. More girls were overweight / obese, than boys (overweight: 16.1% (girl) vs. 12.8% (boy), obese: 5.4% (girl) vs. 4.5% (boy)). About 40% of overweight girls' mothers had low interests in their weight controls with low correct-perceptions in their children's weights, which suggests possible elevated risk of obesity, especially in girls, in the future.

A Comparative Study on Dietary Habits and Dietary Attitudes among Middle School Students with Different Obesity Indexes / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The object of this study was done to assert the dietary habits, food intake, and dietary attitudes of 332 middle school students in a small city. The subject were divided into doe groups based on weight length index (WLI). Anthropometric data showed that the mean height and weight were 169.5 +/-8.2 cm and 55.1 +/-11.5 kg in the male students and 158.9 +/-5.9 cm and 48.1 +/-7.6 kg in the female students. The mean WLIs for male and female students were 103.0 +/-19.7 and 96.3 +/-12.8, respectively. Of the male students 27.9% and of the female students 32.1% were underweight, and of the male students 28.9% and of the female students 13.0% were overweight based on WLI index. Lack of good dietary habits in the overweight group tended to be the highest, the normal group was the second highest, and the underweight group was the lowest. The regularity of eating breakfast and flood prejudice scores in the overweight group were significantly higher than those in the normal and underweight group. With respect to flood intake, the normal group tended to consume grains, yellow or green vegetables, vegetables with light color, fruits, milk, yogurt, cheese\`, seaweeds, fat-floods, instant floods, sweet floods, carbonated drinks, and spicy and salty floods more frequently. The underweight group tended to consume meat-ham, eggs, fish and fried, stir-fried flood more frequently In dietary attitudes, the overweight group tended to have more favorable dietary attitudes, and the normal group tended to have negative dietary attitudes. The underweight group showed more negative responses to trying to eat/drink milk, yogurt, or cheese everyday than the overweight groups. It might be suggested that more effective nutritional programs should be developed and implemented to ensure good dietary habits in middle school students, including the overweight, as well as the underweight group. Further research on the comparison of dietary characteristics is needed, with consideration of the subjects' WLI.