Gender Differences in Physical Activity, Dietary Habit and Nutrient Intake of Upper Grade Students in Elementary School

This study was conducted to find gender differences in physical activity, dietary habit and nutrient intake in 4∼6th grade students in elementary school. Physical activity assessment showed that males significantly engaged in more vigorous activity with longer duration than females. It was found that females skipped their breakfast more often and had more snack than males. On the other hand, males were more indulged in peaky eating, despite their good practice of drinking milk. Twenty-four hour dietary recall revealed that energy intakes in both males and females were not sufficient. Furthermore, subjects, regardless of gender, consumed marginal intakes of Ca and Fe. Special attention should be given to marginal intakes of Ca in the subjects. Due to low Fe intake in females, more caution should be taken to include a meal which can enhance iron absorption. It might be suggested that effective intervention strategies need to be developed and implemented to choose nutrient dense foods and activities that lead to better health.