Eating behavior associated family factors of preschool children during the COVID 19 epidemic / 中国学校卫生

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To investigate eating behavior and associated family factors of preschool children during the prevalence of Corona Virus Disease(COVID-19), and to provide scientific basis for healthy eating behavior for preschool children.@*Methods@#A total of 1 829 preschool children were investigated by electronic questionnaire from 5 kindergartens in Shenzhen from March 18-20, 2020. SPSS 19.0 was used to perform logistic regression analysis on the factors for eating behavior.@*Results@#The rate of unhealthy eating behavior during the prevalence of COVID-19 was 47.2%. The rate of unhealthy eating behaviors in boys and girls were 46.1% and 48.4%, respectively. And there was no significant difference between different genders(χ 2=1.02，P=0.31). The rate of unhealthy eating behaviors of preschool children aged 3-, 4-, 5- and 6- were 56.6%, 56.8%, 42.3% and 29.9%, respectively, and the differences between different ages were significant(χ 2=72.17，P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that fathers high education level, mothers education level(OR=0.78，0.77，0.21), and parents satisfaction with children s eating were associated with low nutritional problems of child, while parental permission to play while eating, criticize while eating, force child to eat more and force child to eat foods they do not like, and parental concerns about children s appetite, were associated with more unhealthy eating behavior(OR=6.29，1.80，2.20，1.70，2.16)(P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The prevalence of unhealthy eating behaviors of preschool children during the prevalence of COVID-19 is lower than usual, but the health education of preschool children s families still needs to be strengthened.