• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.447-456
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• 2020

Purpose: Food insecurity, which is the inability to obtain food or inadequate food consumption in terms of quality and quantity, has physical and psychological consequences on children's health. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between children's growth disorders and food insecurity in Qazvin city, Iran. Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 177 cases and 355 controls of children aged 3 to 6 years, who were referred to health centers in Qazvin city. The case group consisted of children with growth disorders. Data were obtained with the 18-item US Department of Agriculture questionnaire, a household socioeconomic questionnaire, a and growth monitoring card. The data were analyzed with using IBM SPSS Version 22.0, by independent sample t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression. Results: A significant relationship was found between children's growth disorders and household food insecurity with (p<0.05, odds ratio [OR]=17.0, confidence interval [CI]=5.9, 48.8) and without hunger (p<0.05, OR=2.69, CI=1.4, 4.9). There were also significant relationships between children's growth disorders and socioeconomic status (p<0.05, OR=3.4, CI=1.4, 8.5), the duration of breastfeeding (p<0.05, OR=0.94, CI=0.9, 0.98), and children's ages (p<0.05, OR=0.94, CI=0.92, 0.96). Sex and birth order, and the age of the parents was not found to be significantly related with growth disorders. Conclusion: Lower socioeconomic status and household food insecurity were the important predictors of children's growth disorders. Policymakers should focus more on promoting steady employment and income among family members. Nutritional education for mothers is also recommended, in order to better meet the nutritional needs of the children.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.157-176
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of "The unsafe food program" designed for improving children's biased eating habits coming from defenceless exposure to the instant food, fast food and adulterated food with MSG and artificial additives with analyzing the current condition of children's biased eating habits and preference for the unsafe foods. This program was performed for 5 year old children who was attending the kindergarten run by the author every day for two months. "The unsafe food program" consisted of the surveys on the parents' attitude towards food and health and children's eating habits, and of programs that was designed to attract children's attention to their daily food intake and to provide physical fitness, information about differences between wholesome food and junk food, and junk food's bad impacts on human body for children. In order to see the changes of children's body through this program, two physical examinations was preformed: SH pharmaceutical company's hair test to measure the accumulation level of toxic metal in children's hair and children's nutrition level before starting the program, and Ilsan Health Center's 'INBODY' test to analyze children's body composition such as body weight, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, BMI, body fat percentage and so on before and after the program. The results from this program follow as below. First, the unsafe foods were excluded from children's diet after parents came to recognize the negative effects of the unsafe foods. Second, children became highly interested in their daily diet through the course of gathering information by themselves and discussions together while testing and analyzing foods, and children demonstrated more self-restraint on fast food and instant food. Third, children's body constitution turned out to be improved by physical fitness in addition to this program. Fourth, children formed a good habit of eating well-balanced diet consisting of vegetables, staple food and fruits through this program designed to improve children's biased eating habits. From the results of this study it was confirmed that "the unsafe food project" had effects on improving children's eating habits.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.207-223
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• 1995

This survey was carried out to investigate the correlationship between the nutrition knowledge scores and food habit of the mothers and food preference and other factors of the 272 elementary school children in Masan. The results were summarized as follows : 1. Children's most favorite food was fruits, but they dislike spicy vegetables and some fermented foods. Preferences of the male children to food groups such as protein, calcium and carbohydrate were significantly higher than those of the female children. 2. The rate of the children who take between-meal snacks 2 o 3 times a day was high and those children who skip breakfast take snacks more often. They prefer to eat fruits, dairy products and cakes as their snacks. The body weight of the children who take snacks more frequently was rather lower. 3. As the mother's nutrition knowledge scores rise, so do those of food habit scores. The nutrition knowledge scores go up according to the education degree of the mothers, but the food habit scores seem to have little to do with their education degree. The nutrition knowledge scores of the working mothers were lower than those of the non-working mothers. 4. There was strong positive correlation between the food preference on the food group and those on the other food groups of the children. As the food habit scores of the mothers rise, the children prefer to take calcium and carbohydrate group. Those who take more fat showed higher body weight.

• Journal of the FoodService Safety
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.74-77
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• 2022

As the prevalence of food allergies increases, related hazards also increase. Among the victims of accidents, children under the age of 10 accounted for a significant portion, raising the need for management of them. To ensure that children are aware of the risk of food allergy for safe meal service and to prevent problems such as malnutrition and poor growth in growing children, the current status of food allergy is surveyed for teachers and parents of children's catering centers in Eunpyeong-gu, and 1: 1 Specialized projects were carried out to provide customized counseling, educational support, alternative diets, and educational materials. As a result, it was found that the improvement of professionalism of faculty members and parents greatly helped to create an environment in which nutritious meals can be provided safely.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.302-312
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• 2004

This study aimed at examine dietary attitude, eating behavior and food preferences of children in child care center. The children involved in this study were 153 boys and 134 girls, aged 3 to 6 years old. The eating frequency of breakfast and the number of meal times a day were significant difference according to sex(P<0.01). Reason for skipping breakfast was ‘no appetite’(49.3%). It was found that 51.5% of the children belonged to ‘fair’ in food habit score, while children in ‘poor’ and in ‘excellent’ were 25.0% and 9.7% respectively. There was no significant difference in food habit score between boys and girls. Their preferred staple foods were ‘cooked rice’ and ‘Chajangmyon’, their preferred soup was ‘seaweed soup’. Also, their most preferred side dishes with animal foods were ‘fried chicken’ and ‘Bulgogi’. The preference of ‘hard boiled soybean curd’ and ‘pan fried soybean curd’ among the side dishes with vegetable foods were significant according to the obesity index(P<0.05). Children preferred side dishes with animal foods to those with vegetable foods. First considered item in meal preparation was child's favorite(58.1%). Mother's response to child's unbalanced diet was ‘trying to persuade the child’(56.6%). It was significant according to mother's occupation(P<0.01). The nutritional management program at child care center is required to enhance the nutritional status of children. Also the nutritional education for the children and their meal planners is required for better growth and health promotion of preschool children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to investigate children's satisfaction with side dishes served in elementary school food service program in Seoul area. Two hundreds and thirty two children participated in this study through a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Conclusion drawn from the results of this study is that there seems no significant problems in school food service program since children are generally satisfied with food provided by school. However, minor problems such as hot and salty food, inappropriate temperature of warm dishes, and excessive amount of food, need to be improved through a newly developed menu, cooking method, and food distribution method.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.259-268
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• 2008

Children's food behaviors have been expressed in a various ways because of recent changes in their family environment. Thus, this study was performed to investigate in-depth qualitative research on the mother's perception on children's food behaviors by focused group interview. This study was designed in four steps of planning, collection of participants, process, and analysis. Participants for the focus group interview were recruited and sampled from households with elementary school students in the Seoul and Gyeonggido areas. Groups were divided by total income and education expense levels. 1) High income household: It is better to improve currently existing web sites for nutrition education. 2) Mid income household: Easy, practical, and inexpensive off-line cooking class/nutrition education classes for mothers are needed. Nutrition programs for children should be developed through mass media and be promoted in the broadcasting circle. 3) Low income household: Motivation is required for mothers' educatior and the serious nutritional problems of children should be informed through mass media and home correspondence from school. And interesting educational materials should be developed for children to read whenever they want.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.532-542
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to investigate children's satisfaction with baps, soups, pot stews, one course dishes, and kimchies provided by elementary school lunch program in Seoul area. Two hundred and thirty two children enrolled in 3 different elementary schools participated In this study through a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Conclusions drawn from the results of this study are 1) children seemed to be generally satisfied with foods provided by school lunch program : 2) it is necessary for children to control amount of food and salt and/or hot peppers depending upon their own preference; and 3) appropriate temperature of each food should be maintained by using thermos pots, and the shape of dining board needs to be improved for younger children's convenience.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.121-129
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• 2005

Food neophobia, unwillingness to try novel foods, is a personality trait that can influence children's food preferences and consequently their food acceptance and consumption. The purpose of this study was to determine whether children with food neophobia have poor dietary and growth outcomes compared to non-neophobic children. Subjects were 332 primary school children from 6 randomly selected schools in the district of Hulu Selangor, Selangor. Parents and children were interviewed to obtain demographic, socio-economic, food neophobia and dietary intake information. The children were also measured for weights and heights. One-way ANOVA and Chi-square procedures were utilized for statistical data analysis. Children with food neophobia had higher intakes of energy and most nutrients than average and neophilic children. However, only the mean intakes of protein (p < 0.05) , fat (p < 0.05), vitamin A (p < 0.01) and iron (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in neophobic than average or neophilic children. Compared to neophilic and average groups, a higher percentage of neophobic children met 2/3 of the RNIs for energy $(85.2\%)$, protein $(98.4\%)$ and vitamin A $(72.1\%)$. Mean percentage of carbohydrate energy was lowest$(54.8\pm6.6\%)$ while fat energy $(31.8\pm6.2\%)$ was highest among neophobic children. Neophobic group had the lowest percentage of children $(49.2\%)$ with carbohydrate energy > $55\%$ but highest percentage $(50.8\%)$ with fat energy > $30\%$. For the three study groups, the mean number of servings for all food groups, except grain and cereal, did not meet the Food Pyramid recommendations. Neophobic children consumed significantly more numbers of servings from the meat group than average and neophilic groups (p < 0.01). All study groups had relatively low mean dietary diversity scores but neophobic children had the lowest score $(0.67\pm0.73)$ compared to the average $(0.97\pm0.72)$ and neophilic $(1.98\pm0.81)$ groups. Significant difference in mean dietary diversity scores were only observed between neophobic and neophilic children (p<0.05). Higher percentages of neo-phobic children had low weight-for-height and were at-risk of overweight(p < 0.05). Nutrition practitioners need to understand children's food preferences in their efforts to promote healthful diets for children. To improve children's eating behaviors, parents may need the guidance and support from nutritionists and dietitians that are specific to their needs and their child's situation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2006

This study was intended to help children to cultivate and develop a sound attitude toward food consumption and eating habits through the analysis of food and nutritional information in news articles and advertisements in three major daily children's newspapers in Korea: The Chosen Children's Daily Newspaper, The Hankook Children's Daily Newspaper, and The Donga Children's Daily Newspaper. The monitoring period was for twelve months, January to December 2003. Two hundred seventy-nine articles and three hundred thirty-five advertisements were analyzed. The results were as follows. 'Cooking and health' were the most frequent subject in food and nutrition articles. The articles' contents are evaluated positively in morality and explanation; but negatively in fairness, specialization, and objectiveness. The articles were insufficient in the explanation of professional terms, scientific bases, and practical measures for real life. It therefore seems that they were difficult for children to understand well. The most frequent themes in the advertisements were 'processed fats and sugars' such as chocolate, candies, and cookies. Frequently, they were exaggerated and accompanied by phrases promoting consumption. They did not provide sufficient well-grounded information, and focused too much on events or gifts to instigate consumer sentiment. In conclusion, the most serious problem was that most food and nutrition information in these children's newspapers was lacking in specialization. More specialized and objective information should be provided in order to enhance the educational value of children's newspapers and their utilization in school education programs. Continuous monitoring should be carried out to discover those news articles and advertisements that contain correct food and nutrition information.