Mi Na Boo; Su Kyung Cho; Kyong Park

doi:10.4163/jnh.2015.48.4.235

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Boo, Cho, and Park: Evaluation of dietary behavior and nutritional status of elementary school students in Jeju using nutrition quotient∗

Research Article

J Nutr Health 2015;48(4):335-343.

Published online: 19 January 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2015.48.4.235

Evaluation of dietary behavior and nutritional status of elementary school students in Jeju using nutrition quotient^∗

Mi Na Boo^1,^∗, Su Kyung Cho^2,^∗, Kyong Park^1,^2,^†

¹Department of Nutrition Education, Graduate School of Education, Yeungnam University, Daegu 705-717, Korea

²Department of Food and Nutrition, Yeungnam University, Gyeongbuk 712-749, Korea

^†To whom correspondence should be addressed. tel: +82-53-810-2879, e-mail: kypark@ynu.ac.kr

^∗ This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (NRF-2014R1A1A3049866).

^∗∗ These two authors contributed equally to this study.

Received 26 May 2015 Revised 12 June 2015 Accepted 15 June 2015

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the food behavior and nutritional status of elementary school students in the Jeju area using Nutrition Quotient (NQ).

Methods:

The subjects were 440 students (235 boys and 205 girls) in the fifth and sixth grade at four elementary schools located in Jeju. Demographic, lifestyle, and environmental information was collected using a self-reported questionnaire. The food behavior checklist for children's Nutrition Quotient (NQ), consisting of 19 items, and nutrition education related information were also obtained.

Results:

The mean score of the children's NQ was poor, reaching 60.3 points. The percentage distribution of NQ grade was 19.8% (lowest), 18.6% (low), 45.0% (medium), 10.7% (high), and 5.9% (highest) and the factor scores for balance, diversity, abstinence, regularity, and practice were 56.6, 68.4, 71.3, 57.4, and 54.8 points, respectively. Compared with the NQ cut-off points for defining malnutrition (balance; 57, diversity; 87, abstinence; 66, regularity; 69, and practice; 67 point), average score of abstinence factor was only above the cut-off point and scores of the other factors were below the cut-off point. Subjects with higher NQ scores tended to have higher levels of exercise activity (p < 0.001), frequency of family meals (p < 0.01), and father's educational levels (p < 0.01) compared to those with lower NQ score. NQ score showed positive association with nutrition education experience and practice (p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

NQ score of elementary school students residing in Jeju was lower than the national average. More opportunities should be provided for participation in nutrition education, which incorporates a range of program strategies, as well as communication and education activities.

Keywords: nutrition quotient, Jeju island, children, nutritional status, dietary behavior

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Table 1.

General characteristics of children and families in Jeju area

Total		Boys	Girls
(n = 440)		(n = 235)	(n = 205)
Grade
5	201 (45.7)	113 (48.1)	88 (42.9)
6	239 (54.3)	122 (51.9)	117 (57.1)
Children's anthropometric measures
Height (cm)	148.9 ± 0.4	148.1 ± 0.5	149.7 ± 0.6
Weight (kg)	42.8 ± 0.5	43.2 ± 0.7	42.3 ± 0.7
Rohrer index (kg/cm³ × 10⁷)
Underweight (< 110)	69 (16.9)	33 (15.4)	36 (18.7)
Normal (110 ~< 141)	230 (56.4)	112 (52.1)	118 (61.1)
Obesity (≥ 141)	109 (26.7)	70 (32.6)	39 (20.2)
Sleep duration (hours)	8.5 ± 0.05	8.5 ± 0.06	8.4 ± 0.07
Exercise time (min/day)
< 30	144 (32.7)	50 (21.3)	94 (45.9)
30 ~< 60	142 (32.3)	68 (28.9)	74 (36.1)
≥ 60	154 (35.0)	117 (49.8)	37 (18.1)
Residential area
Urban	230 (53.2)	128 (54.7)	102 (51.5)
Rural	202 (46.8)	106 (45.3)	96 (48.5)
The number of family members
3 or less	58 (13.2)	35 (15.0)	23 (11.2)
4	183 (41.7)	102 (43.6)	81 (39.5)
5	137 (31.2)	69 (29.5)	68 (33.2)
6 or more	61 (13.9)	28 (12.0)	33 (16.1)
Frequency of family meals (times/week)
1 ~ 2 or none	123 (28.0)	67 (28.6)	56 (27.3)
3 ~ 4	89 (20.3)	52 (22.2)	37 (18.1)
5 ~ 6	83 (18.9)	49 (20.9)	34 (16.6)
7 or more	144 (32.8)	66 (28.2)	78 (38.1)
Maternal employment
Employed	292 (67.1)	157 (67.7)	135 (66.5)
Father's educational level
College graduation or more	259 (66.8)	137 (64.3)	122 (67.0)
Mother's educational level
College graduation or more	234 (59.5)	133 (64.3)	101 (54.3)
NQ score	60.3 ± 0.7	59.4 ± 0.9	61.3 ± 1.0

Values are n (%) or mean ± SE.

NQ: nutrition quotient

Table 2.

Nutrition Quotient(NQ) grade by demographic, lifestyle and family characteristics (n = 440)

	NQ grade					p value
	Lowest	Low	Medium	High	Highest
	(0 ~ 47.5)	(47.6 ~ 56.4)	(56.5 ~ 73.7)	(73.8 ~ 80.9)	(80.9 ~ 100.0)
N (%)	87 (19.8)	82 (18.6)	198 (45.0)	47 (10.7)	26 (5.9)
Sex
Boys	49 (56.3)	48 (58.5)	101 (51.0)	24 (51.1)	13 (50.0)	NS
Grade
5	42 (48.3)	31 (37.8)	87 (43.9)	23 (48.9)	18 (69.2)	NS
6	45 (51.7)	51 (62.2)	111 (56.1)	24 (51.1)	8 (30.8)	NS
Rohrer index (kg/cm³ × 10⁷)
Underweight (< 110)	9 (11.7)	17 (22.4)	30 (16.1)	11 (25.6)	2 (7.7)	NS
Normal (110 ~< 141)	50 (64.9)	35 (46.1)	104 (55.9)	26 (60.5)	15 (57.7)
Obesity (≥ 141)	18 (23.4)	24 (31.6)	52 (28.0)	6 (14.0)	9 (34.6)
Exercise time (minute/day)
< 30	45 (51.7)	37 (45.1)	53 (26.8)	9 (19.2)	0 (00.0)	∗∗∗
30 ~< 60	20 (23.0)	26 (31.7)	72 (36.4)	12 (25.5)	12 (46.2)
≥ 60	22 (25.3)	19 (23.2)	73 (36.9)	26 (55.3)	14 (53.9)
Residential area
Urban	42 (49.4)	37 (46.3)	108 (55.4)	27 (57.5)	16 (64.0)	NS
Rural	43 (50.6)	43 (53.8)	87 (44.6)	20 (42.6)	9 (36.0)	NS
The number of family members
3 or less	10 (11.5)	16 (19.5)	20 (10.2)	8 (17.0)	4 (15.4)	NS
4	36 (41.4)	31 (37.8)	82 (41.6)	22 (46.8)	12 (46.2)
5	29 (33.3)	24 (29.3)	68 (34.5)	11 (23.4)	5 (19.2)
6 or more	12 (13.8)	11 (13.4)	27 (13.7)	6 (12.8)	5 (19.2)
Frequency of family meals (times/week)
1 ~ 2 or none	33 (37.9)	27 (32.9)	55 (27.9)	4 (8.5)	4 (15.4)	∗∗
3 ~ 4	24 (27.6)	20 (24.4)	32 (16.2)	8 (17.0)	5 (19.2)
5 ~ 6	11 (12.6)	15 (18.3)	41 (20.8)	11 (23.4)	5 (19.2)
7 or more	19 (21.8)	20 (24.4)	69 (35.0)	24 (51.1)	12 (46.2)
Maternal employment
Employed	54 (62.8)	54 (65.9)	135 (69.2)	33 (70.2)	16 (64.0)	NS
Father's educational level
College graduation or more	45 (60.0)	40 (54.8)	119 (68.8)	34 (81.0)	21 (84.0)	∗∗
Mother's educational level
College graduation or more	41 (54.7)	40 (55.6)	106 (59.6)	27 (62.8)	20 (80.0)	NS

Values are n (%).

Significantly different at ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗∗∗p < 0.001

NS: not significant

Table 3.

Nutrition Quotient(NQ)factor scores by demographic, lifestyle and family characteristics (n = 440)

	Balance	p value	Diversity	p value	Abstinence	p value	Regularity	p value	Practice	p value
Mean score (± SE)	56.6 ± 0.90		68.4 ± 1.05		71.3 ± 0.83		57.4 ± 1.09		54.8 ± 1.00
Sex
Boys	57.3 ± 1.25	NS	67.3 ± 1.49	NS	69.4 ± 1.17	∗	56.9 ± 1.50	NS	52.5 ± 1.33	∗
Girls	55.9 ± 1.29	NS	69.6 ± 1.48	NS	73.5 ± 1.14	∗	57.9 ± 1.59	NS	57.4 ± 1.49	∗
Grade
5	55.8 ± 1.43	NS	71.4 ± 1.47	∗∗	69.8 ± 1.29	NS	57.3 ± 1.71	NS	56.4 ± 1.62	NS
6	57.4 ± 1.14	NS	65.8 ± 1.48	∗∗	72.6 ± 1.06	NS	57.5 ± 1.40	NS	53.4 ± 1.23	NS
Rohrer index (kg/cm³∗10⁷)
Underweight (< 110)	55.3 ± 2.23	NS	70.4 ± 2.63	NS	70.3 ± 2.31	NS	62.6 ± 2.46^a	∗	59.5 ± 2.45	NS
Normal (110 ~< 141)	55.4 ± 1.25		67.5 ± 1.48		70.7 ± 1.16		58.0 ± 1.56^ab		54.9 ± 1.38
Obesity (≥ 141)	60.0 ± 1.80		70.9 ± 2.05		74.0 ± 1.49		53.4 ± 2.16^b		53.6 ± 2.07
Exercise time (minute/day)
< 30	51.4 ± 1.51^a		62.4 ± 1.78^a		71.4 ± 1.53		52.3 ± 1.87^a		47.3 ± 1.60^a	∗∗∗
30 ~< 60	58.7 ± 1.49^b	∗∗∗	71.9 ± 1.74^b	∗∗∗	71.7 ± 1.42	NS	58.3 ± 1.85^b	∗∗	57.9 ± 1.63^b
≥ 60	59.6 ± 1.58^b		70.8 ± 1.85^b		70.9 ± 1.34		61.3 ± 1.88^b		58.9 ± 1.77^b
Residential area
Urban	56.7 ± 1.22	NS	69.7 ± 1.44	NS	74.6 ± 1.07	∗∗∗	61.0 ± 1.52	∗∗∗	56.5 ± 1.37	NS
Rural	56.7 ± 1.37	NS	67.0 ± 1.58	NS	67.5 ± 1.24	∗∗∗	53.6 ± 1.55	∗∗∗	52.7 ± 1.47	NS
The number of family members
3 or less	58.7 ± 2.94	NS	67.6 ± 3.14	NS	70.3 ± 2.20	NS	57.3 ± 3.22	NS	53.3 ± 2.58	NS
4	55.2 ± 1.40		69.3 ± 1.69		73.0 ± 1.24		59.3 ± 1.57		55.4 ± 1.59
5	56.5 ± 1.49		68.0 ± 1.68		70.2 ± 1.62		56.1 ± 1.92		53.8 ± 1.84
6 or more	59.1 ± 2.35		67.1 ± 3.01		69.9 ± 2.02		54.5 ± 3.40		56.8 ± 2.50
Frequency of family meals (times/week)
1 ~ 2 or none	52.7 ± 1.84^b	∗	63.0 ± 2.13^b	∗∗∗	71.1 ± 1.44	NS	50.7 ± 1.97^b	∗∗	50.4 ± 1.90^b	∗∗
3 ~ 4	56.5 ± 2.09^ab		63.3 ± 2.42^b		70.1 ± 1.83		57.5 ± 2.29^a		50.9 ± 2.23^b
5 ~ 6	60.1 ± 1.88^a		72.9 ± 2.01^a		69.3 ± 1.97		60.1 ± 2.26^a		57.7 ± 2.05^a
7 or more	57.9 ± 1.46^ab		73.6 ± 1.73^a		73.7 ± 1.48		61.4 ± 2.05^a		59.1 ± 1.76^a
Maternal employment
Employed	56.0 ± 1.08	NS	68.9 ± 1.23	NS	71.8 ± 1.00	NS	57.7 ± 1.35	NS	55.1 ± 1.25	NS
Unemployed	57.6 ± 1.66	NS	67.0 ± 2.02	NS	69.8 ± 1.49	NS	57.1 ± 1.82	NS	53.8 ± 1.69	NS
Father's educational level
High school graduation or less	53.3 ± 1.66	∗∗	65.5 ± 1.85	∗	69.8 ± 1.44	NS	53.9 ± 1.86	∗∗	50.5 ± 1.74	∗∗
College graduation or more	59.0 ± 1.14	∗∗	70.5 ± 1.34	∗	71.9 ± 1.11	NS	60.3 ± 1.44	∗∗	57.0 ± 1.34	∗∗
Mother's educational level
High school graduation or less	56.1 ± 1.47	NS	68.0 ± 1.59	NS	70.2 ± 1.34	NS	56.1 ± 1.74	NS	51.5 ± 1.62	∗∗
College graduation or more	58.2 ± 1.21	NS	69.4 ± 1.47	NS	71.7 ± 1.16	NS	59.4 ± 1.54	NS	57.4 ± 1.38	∗∗

Values are mean ± SE.

Significantly different at ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗∗∗p < 0.001

NS: not significant

Different superscript letters represent statistical difference by duncan's multiple comparison test

Table 4.

Nutrition quotient(NQ) grade by the nutrition education experience and practice

Total		NQ grade					p value
		Lowest	Low	Medium	High	Highest
		(0 ~ 47.5)	(47.6 ~ 56.4)	(56.5 ~ 73.7)	(73.8 ~ 80.9)	(80.9 ~ 100.0)
Interest in the nutrition
Always or almost always	130 (29.6)	8 (9.2)	13 (15.9)	65 (33.0)	22 (46.8)	22 (84.6)	∗∗∗
Often	213 (48.5)	41 (47.1)	47 (57.3)	99 (50.3)	22 (46.8)	4 (15.4)
Seldom or never	96 (21.9)	38 (43.7)	22 (26.8)	33 (16.8)	3 (6.4)	0 (0.0)
Nutrition education experience within a year
Yes	156 (35.5)	26 (29.9)	26 (31.7)	70 (35.4)	21 (44.7)	13 (50.0)	NS
Nutrition education experience at school
Yes	178 (41.6)	30 (35.3)	31 (39.2)	80 (41.2)	23 (48.9)	14 (60.9)	NS
Nutrition practice of education
Always or almost always	85 (21.5)	4 (5.1)	4 (5.5)	49 (27.2)	16 (39.0)	12 (52.2)	∗∗∗
Often	198 (50.0)	39 (49.4)	41 (56.2)	91 (50.6)	19 (46.3)	8 (34.8)
Seldom or never	113 (28.5)	36 (45.6)	28 (38.4)	40 (22.2)	6 (14.6)	3 (13.0)

Values are n (%).

Significantly different at ∗∗∗p < 0.001

NS: not significant

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