Development of an Eating Habit Checklist for Screening Elementary School Children at Risk of Inadequate Micronutrient Intake

The purpose of the study was to develop an eating habit checklist for screening elementary school children at risk of inadequate micronutrient intake. Eating habits, food intake, and anthropometric data were collected from 142 children (80 boys and 62 girls) in the 4th to 6th grades of elementary schools. Percentage of Recommended Intakes (RI) and Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) of six micronutrients; vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin C, calcium, iron, zinc, and the number of nutrients the children consumed below EAR among the six nutrients were used as indices to detect the risk of inadequate micronutrient intake. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between eating habit scores andinadequate micronutrient intake indices in order to select questions included in the checklist. Meal frequency, enough time for breakfast, regularity of dinner, appetite, eating frequencies of Kimchi, milk, fruits and beans showed significant correlations with indices of inadequate micronutrient intake. Stepwise regression analysis was performed to give each item a different weight by prediction strength. To determine the cut-off point of the test score, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were calculated. The 8-item checklist with test results from 0 to 12 points was developed, and those with equal or higher than 6 points were diagnosed as high-risk group of inadequate micronutrient intake, and those with 4 or 5 points were diagnosed as moderate-risk group. Among our subjects 14.1% was diagnosed as high-risk group, and 30.3% as moderate-risk group. The proportions of the subjects who consumed below EAR of all micronutrients but vitamin C were highest in the high-risk group, and there were significant differences in the proportions of the subjects with intake below EAR of all micronutrients except vitamin B6 among the three groups. This checklist will provide a useful screening tool to identify children at risk of inadequate micronutrient intake.

Development of an Eating Habit Checklist for Screening Elementary School Children at High Risk of Energy Overintake

The purpose of the study was to develop an eating habit checklist for screening elementary school children at high risk of energy overintake. Dietary habits, food intake, anthropometric data were collected from 142 children (80 boys and 62 girls) in the 4th to 6th grades of elementary schools. Energy intake, fat intake, and percentage of Estimated Energy Requirement (%EER) were used as indices to detect the risk of energy overintake of the children. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between dietary habit scores and energy overintake indices in order to select questions included in the checklist. TV watching during the meal, meal speed, meal amount, overintake frequency, eatingout frequency, snack frequency, frequency of eating Ramyun or fast foods showed significant correlations with energy overintake indices. Stepwise regression analysis was performed to give each item a different weight by prediction strength. To determine the cut-off point of the test score, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were calculated. The 7-item checklist with test results from 0 to 13 points was developed, and those with equal or higher than 5 points were diagnosed as a risk group of energy overintake. Among our subjects 13.4% was diagnosed as the risk group. Mean energy intake of the subjects in the risk group and the normal group were 2,650 kcal and 1,640 kcal, respectively. However, there were no significant differences of Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) of the other nutrients except eating fiber between the risk group and the normal group. This checklist will provide a useful screening tool to identify children at high risk of energy overintake.