Abstract
This study was an investigation of obesity, food habits and daily nutrient intakes of the 4th grade elementary school students in daejeon. A total of 148 children(male:71, female:77) participated in the study. We classified the subjects into normal group and obese group according to the grade of obesity indices by body fat ratio(BFR), 70% of the male and 31% of the female were obese group. The average height, weight were $140.1{\pm}4.9cm$, $33.0{\pm}3.6kg$(obese group), $141.9{\pm}5.7cm$, $42.0{\pm}3.6kg$(normal group) for the male, $141.2{\pm}6.4cm$, $42.4{\pm}6.2kg$(obese group), $139.5{\pm}6.4cm$, $33.0{\pm}4.5kg$(normal group) for the female. Weight showed a noticeable increase in the obese group, but height was not statistically significant. In dietary habits, it wasn't statistically significant but male obese group showed statistically increase in terms of eating fast(p>0.05) and eating snacks before sleeping(p>0.01) and female obese group was higher in frequency of eating out a month than normal group. Energy intakes of obese group was more than normal group and the average intakes of Vit. A, folic acid, Ca, were below the RI. The average intakes of vit A, vit C, folic acid, Ca, were also below the RI in normal group. The average intakes of vit A, folic acid, Ca, Fe were below the RI in female. Especially in female the intake of Ca was only 53.6%(obese group), 56.4%(normal group) of RI. From these results, we knew prevalence of obesity in elementary school students were high and obese groups were high in energy intakes but low in essential nutrients. Therefore we have to try to prevent and treat childhood obesity. So nutrition education of balanced diet and good dietary habits is needed for elementary school students.
