H EALTHY FOOD AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - IS IT A DELIGHT OR A PUNISHMENT FOR SCHOOL - AGED CHILDREN ?...

HEALTHY FOOD AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY- IS IT A DELIGHT OR A PUNISHMENT

FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN?

First Author: Mădălina Monica Hintea Coauthor: Emőke KissCoordinator: Assis. Prof. Dr. Alina Grama

INTRODUCTION

Diet and physical activity- key factors for children’s health.

Key facts about obesity by

-Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.

-In 2014, 39% of adults were overweight and 13% were obese.

-In 2013, 42 million children under age of 5 were overweight or obese.

1. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/

Influences for children’s food choices:• Family• Mass-Media• Environment(school, teacher, peers)

In Romania, children and parents should be involved in many more events regarding nutrition, physical activity –> healthy lifestyle.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to evaluate the lifestyle and

food preferences of school-aged children.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Cross-sectional study A sample of 196 pupils aged between 7-15 years Sighișoara city Anthropometric dates(height and weight)

Questionnaire- breakfast, frequency intake of food items, physical activity, time spent/eating in front of TV or PC, oral hygiene, personal opinion about their nutritional status

BMI percentile- using The Children's BMI Tool for Schools offered by CDC

Statistic analysis- EpiInfo7, using Chi-Square Test

MATERIAL AND METHOD

RESULTS

Series10.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%72.45%

12.76% 9.18%5.61%

Healthy weight Obese Overweight Underweight

Nutritional Status

BREAKFAST BEFORE SCHOOL

31%

42%

28% Always

RareNever

Food Percentage

Cereals with milk 70,91%

Sandwich with meat products and margarine

48,97%

Boiled eggs 18,87%

Fruits 2,55%

DAILY CONSUMPTION OF CERTAIN FOODS

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

69.39% 68.37%

45.90%

28.60%

18.90%

Fruits

Vegetables

Milk

Dairy products

Poultry and fish

DAILY CONSUMPTION OF CERTAIN FOODS

Series10.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%60.20%

46,43%

9.69%

Meat products Sweets Fast-Food

ORAL HYGIENE

Series10.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

64.29%

20.41%15.31%

2 times per day Only in the morning After every meal

EATING IN FRONT OF TV OR PC

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%63.78%

14.29%11.73%10.20%

Sometimes Never Only when I'm home alone Always

Time spent in front of TV or PC per day Percentage

2 hours 57,14%

More than 2 hours 35,71%

Always is open when I’m home 7,15%

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Series10.00%5.00%

10.00%15.00%20.00%25.00%30.00%35.00%40.00%45.00%50.00%

45.41%

10.72%7.65%

36.22%

Sport(Basket ball, Handball, Football, Dance) Running Bycicle No

RESULTS BASED ON BMI -FLUIDS

Carbonated soft drinks

Home made fruit juice

Water Other soft drinks

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

18.18%

9.09%

54.55%

18.18%

30.99%33.80%

30.28%

4.93%

32.56%30.23%

25.58%

11.63%

Underweight Healthy weight Overweight or obese

P = 0,03

RESULTS BASED ON BMI- PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT WEIGHT

Underweight Healthy weight Overweight or obese

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

54.55%45.45%

0.00%

6.34%

87.32%

6.34%0.00%

65.12%

34.88%

Underweight Healthy weight Overweight or obese

P=0,001

RESULTS BASED ON GENDER- PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Sports(Basket ball,

Handball, Football, Dance)

Running Bicycle No0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00% 60.87%

5.43% 7.61%

26.09%31.73%

15.38%

7.69%

45.19%

Boys GirlsP=0,0003

RESULTS BASED ON AGE(1 GRADE-4TH GRADE AND 5TH GRADE-8TH GRADE)

  1st - 4th grade

5th - 8th grade

Value P

Fruits Daily 77,97% 65,69% 0,21

Every other day 18,64% 27,01%

Once a week 3,39% 7,30%

Milk Daily 61,02% 39,42% 0,006

Every other day 32,20% 34,31%

Once a week 6,78% 22,63%

Never 0,00% 3,65%

Poultry and fish Daily 30,51% 13,87% 0,01

Every other day 27,12% 44,53%

Once a week 38,98% 40,15%

Never 3,39% 1,46%

CONCLUSIONS

Breakfast is not a daily habit for majority of school-aged children.

It is an important daily consumption of meat products and sweets.

Overweight or obese pupils prefer carbonated soft drinks.

Boys are more physically active than girls. Daily consumption of fruits, milk, poultry and

fish decreases as children get older.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!