1997 Volume 35 Issue 4 Pages 625-630
Recently it has been recognized that diet in childhood influences not only the immediate health of children but also may have an impact in a positive or negative manner on the future adult health status of children. We should be encouraged to understand the present status of the diets of children, and introduce early the importance of the optimal diet in children in their early years.
Our objectives were to assess the dietary habits of children.2584 Japanese school children aged 9to 12 years in Kitakyushu City were investigated by means of a questionnaire. The following conclusions were obtained.
1) Approximately 5% of the children in each grade had not had breakfast, and this result was similar to the one obtained by a previous survey in 1992.
2) Approximately 50% of the children in each grade were likely to eat tender foods or ate them only. This tendency was more significant in girls than in boys.
3) Approximately 20% of the children in each grade felt that their time for eating was short. This tendency was more significant in boys than in girls.
4) Approximately 10% of the children in each grade felt they did not chew their food well. This tendency was more significant in boys than in girls.
5) Approximately 15% of the children in each grade had often eaten instant food. This tendency was more significant in boys than in girls.
6) The number of children who liked rice better than bread and noodles increased between the third grade and the sixth grade
7) There were fewer significant differences in the dietary habits between boys and girls in the sixth grade.
8) The results documented in this article indicated that their lifestyles and surroundings had changed gradually between the third grade and the sixth grade and these changes might influence the dietary behaviors of children. This suggested both the importance of “Education for both nutrition and the self-conception of the children toward optimal diets” from a much younger age and the necessity for the establishment of favorable dietary habits at this age.
