• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.795-800
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• 2006

In order to examine nutritional and behavioral risk factors of atopic dermatitis (AD) in Korean preschoolers, we analyzed data on 144 children aged 3-6 years with AD and their 434 healthy counterparts. The data included breast-feeding history, current weight, food behaviors assessed by the Mini Dietary Assessment (MDA), food intake by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and behavior problems by the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale (PKBS). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed after controlling for preschool location and child's age, gender and total energy intake, as appropriate. There was no group difference of child and household characteristics. Breastfeeding history was related to lower AD risk (OR = 0.63, 95% Cl = 0.40-0.99), yet no statistically significant association was found with overweight status. Regarding food behaviors, AD risk was lower in children who drank milk at least one cup per day (OR = 0.52, 95% Cl = 0.35-0.78) and had regular meals (OR = 0.62, 95% Cl =0.42-0.92). Moreover, there were lower risks of AD in the second (OR =0.48, 95% Cl = 0.28-0.82) and the highest (OR = 0.55, 95% Cl = 0.32-0.94) intake quartiles as compared with the lowest quartile of kimchi intake. Similarly, AD risk was lower in the highest quartile of rice (OR = 0.51 Cl = 0.28-0.93) and the second quartile of fruit (OR =0.45, 95% Cl = 0.25-0.82) intakes. AD children had more problems in social interaction (OR = 1.97,95% Cl = 1.26-3.07) and independence (OR = 1.60, 95% Cl = 1.01 -2.54) measures than the healthy controls. Likewise, AD children tended to show more problem behaviors such as anxiety (OR = 1.63, 95% Cl = 0.99-2.69). Our results suggest that nutritional and behavioral dimensions are related to AD risk, yet the case control study design may preclude generalization of these results.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.96-101
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of?children with fall-down injuries according to age groups and to analyze the major trauma groups that were treated at the emergency room (ER). Methods: Among 1,222 children under age 6 who were treated at the ER from January 2008 to December 2009, a retrospective study was conducted through examination of medical records. The children were classified by age into 3 groups: infant, toddler, and pre-schooler. In each group, the differences between the causative factors that led to the fall-down injuries were analyzed. Also, ISS (Injury Severity Score) score above 4 was classified as major trauma, and an ISS score 0-1 was classified as a minor trauma. The relationship between major trauma and age group was also analyzed. Results: Through an analysis of child fall-down injuries, men (56.6%), toddler (47.3%), head-related symptoms (72.9%), furniture-related traumas (80.2%), and falls from less than a 1-m height (69.9%) were found to be common factors. Furthermore, in radiological studies, fractures and brain hemorrhages accounted for 16.9% of major traumas, and simple skull fractures were the most common (21.4%). Distributed according to age group, the factors relevant to fall injuries were fall height and head-related symptoms for infants, accident site, fall height and head-related symptoms for toddlers, and accident site for pre-schoolers (p<0.05). Also, headrelated symptoms and fall height were independent factors of major trauma in all age groups. However, major traumas (17.3%) were related to dumped trauma, fall height and accident site (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study was mainly about head-related injuries, and toddler were most common victims. The relevant factors for the major trauma were falling height for infants, accident site and falling height for toddlers, and accident site, falling height for pre-schoolers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.451-462
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• 2001

This study was designed to investigate nutrition intakes and its relation to the obesity and the prevalence of anemia in 252 children(136 boys, 116 girls) aged $2{\sim}6$ years. The hematological parameters, daily nutrient intakes and height and weight were measured. Calorie intakes of 2 and 3year-old-children were over their RDA while those of 4-6 years were below the RDA. Intakes of protein, P, and vit B complex were far over the RDA in all ages of children. Fe and vit A intakes were insufficient in all ages except 3 years while Ca intakes were insufficient in all ages except 2 and 3 years. About 18.2% of the children were evaluated as obese. However, very few children were anemic by hematologic parameters. The mean Hb concentrations were 12.2mg/dl in boys and also in girls. The mean Hct was 36.2% in boys, 35.8% in girls. Serum Fe concentration was 100.1mg/dl in boys, 101.1mg/dl in girls. RBC count was significantly higher in boys while MCH was significantly higher in girls. Intakes of protein, P, Fe, vit $B_1$, niacin, vit C were significantly higher in obese group compared to under weight group. There were significant positive correlations between protein intake and Hb, Hct, MCH, and MCHC. The correlation between Fe intake and Hb or Hct was not significant. In conclusion, it seems that the nutritional status of the most children was in very good condition. However, they needed to take more foods supplying Fe, Ca, and vit A.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.927-938
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• 2008

The principal objective of this study was to identify the dietary and physical activity patterns of obese preschoolers, and to determine the association between child obesity and mother's' dietary habits or thoughts regarding dieting/weight. This is a cross-sectional, community based study, and 305 preschoolers who attended kindergarten in Seoul and its surrounding area were selected. The measurements of dietary habits both in preschoolers and their mothers, physical activities of preschoolers, and daily servings of foods were based on parents' self report. Weight and height were used to calculate WLI (weight length index) in preschoolers and BMI (body mass index) in their mothers. The subjects were divided into two groups 245 normal weight preschoolers (including underweight 15.1% and normal weight 65.6%) and 59 obese subjects (overweight 14.4% and obese 4.9%). With regard to dietary habits in normal and obese preschoolers, we noted significant differences in 5 questions, such as mostly eating heavy meals, one serving size, eating speed, overeating, and obsession about eating. No differences in daily servings of major foods and snacks, except fruits and potatoes, were noted between normal and obese children. Among 13 questions regarding mothers' dietary habits, only 3 questions-"preferred to instant foods", "finish meals within 15 minutes", "use nutritional information for selecting foods" were significantly different between normal and obese subjects. The total scores of mothers' dietary habits was significantly and negatively correlated with number of mother's dieting experiences or mother's BMI, but was not correlated with preschooler's obesity.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.185-193
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of nutrient intake, screen time (television viewing and computer and/or video games) and physical activity on obesity in preschool children. Recruitment began in January 2008 by distributing letters to mothers who had children aged 6 years enrolled in daycare. Dietary intakes were obtained from the children's mothers, using the 24-hour recall method. The average height and weight of the children were 114.2 cm and 20.3 kg, respectively. Mean age, body weight, height and Kaup index were not significantly different between groups consisting of boys or girls. Assessment by the Kaup index showed that 14.0% of children were underweight, 69.0% were normal weight, 13.0% were overweight, and 4% were obese. The daily intakes of calcium, potassium, fiber, and folic acid in the group of boys were 77.7%, 58.5%, 80.4% and 88.9% respectively. as compared with the DRIs. The daily intakes of calcium, potassium, fiber, and folic acid in the group of girls were 77.7%, 58.5%, 80.4% and 88.9%, respectively. as compared with the DRIs. Intakes of protein, phosphorus, iron, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and vitamin E were higher than the DRIs. There were no difference among 3 groups (underweight, normal, overweight) in energy or nutrient intake. Preschool children with screen time (TV viewing and computer and/or video games use time) of >2 hours per day had significantly higher Kaup index values, and intakes of energy, carbohydrate, folic acid and zinc. In conclusion, preschool children with reported screen time (TV viewing and computer and/or video games use time) of >2 hours per day were fatter. Therefore, we need further investigate the relation between diet and screen time in preschool children to improve future nutrition education programs. Further studies are required to explore the effects of food intake and screen time (TV viewing and computer and/or video games use time) over a longer period of time.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to estimate the nutrient intake, dietary habits, and body indices among preschool children. The study subjects were 166 kindergarten children, aged 4 to 6 years. A measurement of the weight, height, chest circumference, and head circumference of the children was conducted. The general home environment and factors related to the eating habits of children were collected using a questionnaire that included information about physical activity, outdoor playing time, television watching, family income, and parents education and occupations. Underweight, overweight were defined based on a value of less than 110 and more than 140 on the Rohrer Index, or less than 90 and more than 120 on the weight-length index (WLI). The average Rohrer and WLI for the preschool children were 14.3 $\pm$ 23.2% and 104 $\pm$ 13.5%. Using the WLI, 12.7% of the preschool children were underweight 62.6% were normal, and 24.7% were overweight or obese. On the Rohrer Index, 32.0% of the preschool children were underweight, 34.7% were normal, and 34.1% were overweight or obese. With regard to frequency of regularity of eating breakfast, 2.5% of preschool children skipped breakfast every morning. The risk of being overweight increased in preschool children who had faster eating times. The Rohrer and WLI were negatively related to faster eating times. The average daily energy intake was 1272 Kcal, which corresponded to 79.5% of the Korean RDA. In particular, the average intakes of calcium, iron, and vitamin B$_2$ were much lower than the Korean RDAs for each of those nutrients. Children whose mothers had occupations were at greater risk of decreased nutrient intake than those whose mothers were at home. The data presented in this study confirm that, in preschool children, undernutrition remains the nutritional problem of great concern in Korea, even though Koreans are starting to have worrisome rates of overweight. Therefore, during the early years of life, focus should remain on sustaining Proper growth and development.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.455-464
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• 2005

The study was designed to observe the correlation between the eating habits and growth development in 1,574 children (3-6 years old) in Kyunggi-do and Seoul, Korea. The eating habits and nutrient intake were determined by mini dietary assessment and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). 35.6% children had been practicing an unbalanced diets. Children with unbalanced diet consumed less amount of protein source foods (meat, fish, egg, soy products), vegetables and fruits and had irregular meal time, but more of them preferred sweet foods (ice creme, cookies) and carbonated drinks as snack compared with children in balanced diet. 24-35% children consumed energy, iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), Niacin, Zinc (Zn) less than 75% RDA. Energy intake of children with unbalanced diet was not significantly different from those with balanced diet, but they consumed less amount of niacin, Fe, Ca and Zn than those with balanced diet. By using the relative percentage of standard weight-length-index (WLI), 65.7% children was normal weight, 12.9% was underweight, 13.4% was overweight and 7.9% was obese. However, 11.9% of underweight and normal weight children was so called thin obese since their body fat content was greater than 20%. There were 16.8% underweight in children with unbalanced diet and 12.6% underweight in those with balanced diet. Compared to normal weight, the underweight children significantly consumed less amount of milk and its product, high protein foods, fried foods and fruits, but obese children consumed more high protein source foods (meat, fish, egg, etc) and sweet foods. In conclusion, the eating habits of unbalanced meal was prevalent problem in preschool children which resulting in their health risks. Therefore, it would be needed that new approach for nutrition education to improve eating habits in preschoolers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.793-800
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• 2008

This study was conducted to evaluate the food habits and nutrient intake of preschool children by investigating their food and snack consumption. To accomplish this, a food habit questionnaire and dietary intake survey was administered to 148 children between 2 and 6 years of age (average 4.8 years). According to the Kaup index, the underweight, normal, overweight and obesity levels of the subjects were 4.7, 60.1, 26.4, and 8.8%, respectively. In addition, the total energy intake met the EAR ($1433.94{\pm}369.70kcal$), whereas the protein, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B and vitamin C levels exceeded the EAR and the RI. Furthermore, the nutrient intake profile revealed that the mean caloric value of breakfasts consumed by preschool children in Daegu (403 kcal) was significantly (p<0.001) higher than that of preschool children in the Gyeongbuk area (271 kcal). Additionally, preschool children in Daegu ($382.96{\pm}255.79kcal$) usually consumed significantly (p<0.01) less food than those in the Gyeongbuk area ($413.82{\pm}275.43kcal$). The preferred snacks among subjects (in descending order) were milk, bread, fruit, potato or sweet potato and cookies. The mean score of the Food Habit was $3.72{\pm}0.35$ out of 5, although the score of preschool children in Daegu ($3.77{\pm}0.32$) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of children in the Gyeongbuk area ($3.65{\pm}0.32$). Taken together, these results indicate that there were significant differences in the Food Habit and nutrient intake level of children in Daegu and the Gyeongbuk area. Therefore, parents and caregivers should be aware of the importance of the nutritional status of preschool children and choose healthy snacks for them.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.1
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• pp.65-81
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• 1980

This study is aimed at investigating the compensatory education which was already implemented or is being implemented in the U.S.A. and Japan; and at studying the types of programs and their characteristics; and at sounding out the possibilities of the application of such programs in family and social conditions is Korea. In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, the established items for the study are as follows: (1) Various types of early children's education (2) Programs of compensatory education for the disadvantaged Children (3) Head Start Program, Early Training Project and Montessori School (4) Integrated Preschool Programs (5) Day-Care Center for employed mothers We investigated the various compensatory education programs for the preschool children who are in economically, socially, culturally disadvantaged conditions. Head Start Programs were federally supported programs for preschool children and opened as summer programs in 1965 for the first time. The purpose of Head Start has been to give preschool children the kinds of experiences they need in preparation for school. The Head Start children were found to be significantly better prepared for school than the normal children. However, after six to eight months, their initial advantages had virtually. disappeared and then the simple problem with Head Start and other such programs was that little long-term good could be evidenced unless the high quality educational environment was maintained. Therefore, to solve this problem, three other programs were funded as part of the overall Head Start. These three programs are the Parent-Child Center, Home Start, and the Child and Family Resources Program. The Early Training Project for disadvantaged children was implemented by Klaus and Gray of Peabody College in 1962. The program was a field research study concerned with the development and testing over time of procedures for improving the educability of young children from low income homes. Its major concern was to study whether it was possible to offset the progressive retardation observed in the public schooling careers of children, living in deprived circumstances. Children, who were trained through the Early Training Project were superior to control groups in the test of IQ and vocabulary as well as linguistic abilities, and preparation for reading. This project showed the possibilities which could prevent preschool children from being disadvantaged socially, culturally and mentally. In 1907, Montessori School was established by Maria Montessori in Italy and her school program has been introduced at present to several countries in the world as one compensatory educations. She first began her experimental methods with retarded children, followed by disadvantaged children from the tenements of Rome. The Montessori approach futures a prepared environment and carefully designed, self-correcting materials. The Montessori curriculum presents tastes that feature sequence, order, and regularity, in addition to those that develop motor and sensory skills. She was interested in children's intellectual development and in developing good work habits. One of the latest developed programs for disadvantaged children is "Integrated Preschool Program" which has successfully integrated handicapped and nonhandicapped children. Several studies have showed that handicapped children in integrated school environments are accepted by and interact with their nonhandicapped peers. In fact, this program provides a number of potential, and perhaps opportunities for nonhandicapped children to serve as valuable resources in fostering the development of their handicapped peers. Next we turn to Japanese programs which are divided into two different types. One is Day-Care Center which was established by Child Welfare Law and the other is kindergarten organized by School Education Law. The kindergarten opened in 1876 and it has been part of school systems since 1947 by the implementation of education law, and the Day-Care Center which started in 1890 for the employed mothers. was changed into Day-Nursery by the enactment of child welfare law in 1947. The laws and operational regulations for the Day-Nursery were set up and were put in effect by the establishment standard acts of children welfare facilities, and the Day-Nursery has been operated in various types by the increasing demand, chiefly because of the socio-economical changes of family structures in both urban and suburban areas. Nursery education for physically and mentally disadvantaged children is for those who are blind, deaf and dumb, mentally retarded; physically disadvantaged by accidents or diseases. Montessori education in Japan was started in 1968 and many research groups for studying Montessori were organized. In 1977, Montessori remedial education society was also organized in which they started a number of studies; a study for developing materials; in-service training for the remedial education; and seminars and lectures, etc It is strongly suggested that we study the early educations that are being implemented in Japan and a variety of compensatory educations that were already implemented in the U.S.A. and modify them for the organization of our own model and properly accommodate them to our social needs.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.271-300
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• 2013

Human and animals are born with an intuitive ability to determine approximate numerosity. This ability is termed approximate number sense (hereafter, number sense). Evolutionarily, number sense is thought to be an essential ability for hunting, gathering and survival. According to previous research, children with mathematical learning disability have impaired number sense. On the other hand, individuals with more accurate number sense have higher mathematical achievement. These results support the hypothesis that number sense provides a basis for the development of mathematical cognition. Recently, researchers have been examining whether number sense training can lead to enhancement in mathematical achievement and changes in brain activity in relation to mathematical problem solving. Numerosity which basically represents discontinuous quantity is expected to be closely related to continuous quantity such as representations of space and time. A theory of magnitude (ATOM) states that processing of number, space and time is based on a common magnitude system in the posterior parietal cortex, especially the intraparietal sulcus. The present paper introduces current literature and future directions for the study of the common magnitude system.