Patterns of eating habits and body composition in primary school children

• Daria V. Podchinenova
• Anna A. Tarabrina
• Ludmila M. Ogorodova
• Iuliia G. Samoilova
• Mariia V. Matveeva
• Oxana O. Oleynik

Abstract

The study of the influence of nutrition and its associations with other parameters, which are closely related to the metabolic profile, in order to better understand the mechanisms of realization of the obesity phenotype in the child population is of particular interest.

The aim of the study was to investigate the eating habits of elementary school children and their dependence on the parameters of physical development and body composition of the child population of Tomsk.

Material and methods. 506 children aged 7 to 12 years were examined. The main group consisted of 216 children (53.1% boys, 46.9% girls) with overweight and obesity, the control group – 290 healthy children (49.0% boys, 51.0% girls). All children underwent measurement of anthropometric parameters with the calculation of SDS body mass index (WHO Anthro Plus), estimation of body composition by bioimpedancemetry. The actual nutrition of schoolchildren was assessed by the frequency method using a questionnaire.

Results. Overweight and obese children had levels of body fat, percent body fat, visceral fat area and whole-body phase angle which were statistically significantly (p<0.001) higher in comparison with the control group. Regular meals were more typical for schoolchildren of the control group compared to the main group (p=0.002). A survey of parents showed that 55.0% of them don’t have problems with the nutrition of their children, 32.0% do not have conditions for monitoring their nutrition, 37.5% of children consume high-calorie foods, 29.0% do not comply with the diet, 64.5% – eat while watching TV. Only 21.1% of children consume fresh vegetables daily, cereals – 21.8%, dairy products – 30.3%, milk – 56.5%, meat – 58.5%, cottage cheese – 10.3%. Fish is not consumed by 25.6% of children, consumed less than once a week – by 47.2%. Several times a week, sausages and sausages are consumed by 41.7% of schoolchildren, confectionery – by 32.5%, chocolate and sweets – by 51.5%.

Conclusion. The food habits of primary school students in Tomsk are characterized by an insufficient amount of vegetables and fruits, dairy products, fish dishes, a high level of consumption of ultra-processed red meat and various confectionery products (sweets, chocolate, cakes). The absence of statistically significant differences in the results of the survey between the control group and the main group may be due to the multifactorial nature of obesity associated with a variety of behavioral, biological and social factors, the real contribution of which remains to be determined.

Keywords:obesity; eating habits; body composition; children

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