Journal List > Korean J Health Promot > v.14(1) > 1089834

TOOLS
Hong, Oh, and Chung: Relationship of Unbalanced Diet and Eating Behavior between School Age Children and Their Mothers in Wonju Area
Original Article

Korean J Health Promot 2014;14(1):17-25.

Published online: 20 January 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15384/kjhp.2014.14.1.17

Relationship of Unbalanced Diet and Eating Behavior between School Age Children and Their Mothers in Wonju Area

Jinhee Hong1, Sugyoung Oh2, Jayong Chung2,

1Nutrition Education Major, Kyung Hee University Graduate School of Education, Seoul, Korea

2Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University College of Human Ecology, Seoul, Korea

￭ Corresponding author：Jayong Chung, PhD Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyunghee-daero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea Tel: +82-2-961-0977, Fax: +82-2-961-0261 E-mail: jchung@khu.ac.kr

Received 11 December 2013       Accepted 26 February 2014

Copyright © 2014 The Korean Society of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

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

Background

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship of unbalanced diet habits and eating behaviors between school age children and their mothers.

Methods

From the Wonju area of Gangwon-do, 232 children and their mothers were recruited for this study. General characteristics, degree of unbalanced diet, eating behaviors, factors associated with food preferences, food preferences, and food intake frequencies were obtained through a questionnaire.

Results

The degree of unbalanced diet habits were significantly correlated between school age children and their mothers. Children's eating behaviors were also highly affected by their mother's eating behaviors. Especially, the frequency of eating breakfast showed a significant correlation between children and mothers. Among the factors associated with food preferences, family eating habits, appetite, and emotions showed significant associations between girls and mothers. As for food preferences, preference for meat in children was not significantly associated with that in their mothers, whereas preference for perilla oil and butter was significantly associated with preference in their mothers. The relationship of food preferences between children and mothers differed according to the sex of the children. Further, the intake frequencies for most foods were highly correlated between children and mothers.

Conclusions

Our study showed that the unbalanced diet habits and eating behaviors of mothers can affect those in their children. Moreover, the correlations of food preferences between children and their mothers were different depending on the sex of the children. Our data suggest that educating mothers about their diet and eating behaviors could improve the eating practices of their children.

Keywords: Unbalanced diet, Eating behavior, Food preference, Mothers, Child

References

1. Mary S, Dianne NS, Simone F. Individual and environment influences on adolescent eating behaviors. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002; 102(3):S40–S51.
2. Lee YS, Lim HS, Ann HS, Jang NS. Nutrition throughout the life cycle: Chapter 5 childhood nutrition. 3rd edition.Kyomunsa;2008. p. 254.
3. Ku BJ. A survey of elementary school children's food habit for nutrition education of elementary practical arts. Busan: Pusan National University of Education;1999. Korean.
4. Choi MK, Lee YS. The dietary behaviors, taste preferences, and nutrient intakes of obese children consuming unbalanced diets. J East Asian Soc Dietary Life. 2008; 18(1):127–34.
5. Paik JJ, Lee HS. Dietary behaviors, food preferences and its relationships with personality traits in sixth grader's of elementary school. Korean J Community Nutr. 2004; 9(2):135–41.
6. Jung KA, Yoon J. A study on the relationship between dietary habits and food intake and impulsiveness and aggression in the 6th grade students of the elementary school in Chuncheon area. Culinary Research. 2012; 18(5):190–204.
7. Lee JS, Choi YS, Bae BS. Association between nutritional knowledge and dietary behaviors of middle school children and their mothers. Korean J Nutr. 2011; 44(2):140–51.
crossref
8. Kyung KS. (The) Effects of mother's employment and nutritional knowledge on dietary attitudes of elementary school students. Seoul: Kyung Hee University;2012. Korean.
9. Oh SH, Hyun WJ, Lee HM, Park HR, Lim HJ, Song KH. A study on the stress and the dietary habits of elementary school children by mother's employments status. Korean J Community Nutr. 2010; 15(4):498–506.
10. Oh YJ, Chang YK. Children's unbalanced diet and parents' attitudes. Korean J Nutr. 2006; 39(2):184–91.
11. Yang HY. Children's preference and consumption of fruits and vegetables according to the stages of parental behavior. Iksan: Wonkwang University;2011. Korean.
12. Jin SO. A study on child's eating habits and attitude according to mother's employment status: for higher-grade elementary school in Changwon City. Changwon: Kyungnam University;2012. Korean.
13. Chung HJ, Eum YH, Kim JY. A study on the children's eating habits and food preference according to their parents' economic status (Ⅰ). Korean J Nutr. 2008; 41(1):77–88.
14. Ministry of Health and Welfare, Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES IV). Seoul: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;2007.
15. Cheong HS. A study on the relationship between nutrition knowledge and food habit of mothers and food preference and other factors of their elementary school children. J Korean Home Econ Assoc. 1995; 33(3):207–23.
16. Lee JE, Jung IK. A study on eating habits of elementary school students and the perception on the nutrition education in curriculum. J Korean Home Econ Edu. 2005; 17(2):79–93.
17. Ku PJ, Lee KA. A survey on dietary habit and nutritional knowledge for elementary school children's nutritional education. Korean Journal of Dietary Culture. 2000; 15(3):201–13.
18. Jun SN, Ro HK. A study on eating habits and food preference of rural elementary school students. Korean Journal of Dietary Culture. 1998; 13(1):65–72.
19. Park SR. Effect of parents' dietary habit and nutritional recognition on the dietary habit of disabled students. Seoul: Hanyang University;2008. Korean.
20. Kim JH, Ha AW, Kang NE. Differences in table attitudes, eating habits, and nutrition knowledge in elementary school boys and girls. Korean Journal of Food and Nutrition. 2010; 23(4):623–32.
21. Hong YJ. A study on a relation of food ecology to obesity index of 5th grade children in Cheju city (II): obesity index of children and food habit of their mothers. Korean Journal of Dietary Culture. 1998; 13(2):141–51.
22. Park SM. Effects of mother's nutrition knowledge and food habits on the dietary behavior of middle school children. Ulsan: Ulsan University;2011. Korean.
23. Oh YJ. A study on the correlation between the nutrition knowledge, dietary behavior of elementary school student's mothers and the children's unbalanced diet. Incheon: Incheon University;2005. Korean.
24. Jung SY. A　study on relationship between the mother's nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior and unbalanced diet of elementary school students. Seoul: Kyung Hee University;2010. Korean.
25. Choi MJ, Lee GD, Kim HN. A food selection of preschool children and their mother's perception of dietary management. Journal of Child Education. 2010; 19(1):293–306.

Table 1.
General characteristics of childrena
Variables Total (n=232) Boys (n=118) Girls (n=114)
Height, cm 153.0±7.4 153.4±7.9 152.6±6.8
Weight, kg 43.3±8.9 45.1±9.6 41.4±7.5
Number of brothers and/or sisters
0 30 (13.0) 14 (12.1) 16 (14.0)
1 154 (67) 80 (69.0) 74 (64.9)
2 35 (15.2) 16 (13.8) 19 (16.7)
3 or more 11 (4.8) 6 (5.2) 5 (4.4)

a Values are presented as Mean±SD or N (%) unless otherwise indicated.

Table 2.
General characteristics of mothers
Variables N (%)
Age, y  
 < 30 1 (0.4)
 30–35 11 (4.9)
 36–40 88 (38.9)
 41–45 101 (44.7)
 ≥46 25 (11.1)
Education
 Elementary or middle school 11 (4.9)
 High school 96 (42.9)
 College/university 110 (49.1)
 Graduate school 7 (3.1)
Occupation
 Full time job 132 (58.7)
 Part time job 24 (10.7)
 No (housewife) 69 (30.7)
Children's age when started to work  
 Pre-school children 95 (44.0)
 Elementary lower grades 62 (26.4)
 Elementary higher grades 68 (29.5)
Monthly food expenses, 10,000 Korean Won
 ≤30 30 (13.3)
 31–40 57 (25.3)
 41–50 56 (24.9)
 ≥51 70 (31.1)
Others 12 (5.3)
Table 3.
Unbalanced diet and eating behaviors of children and their mothersa
  Children Mother
Total Boys Girls Mother
Unbalanced diet        
 Do you tend to eat only what you want?b 2.5±1.1 2.4±1.1 2.7±1.1 2.0±0.8
 Do you often hear from others that you are a ‘picky eater'?b 2.1±1.0 2.1±1.0 2.2±1.0 1.8±0.8
 Do you often refuse to eat healthy foods if you don't like to? 2.5±1.1 2.4±1.1 2.6±1.1 2.6±1.1
Eating behavior        
 Do you eat three meals a day?b 4.2±1.0 4.3±1.0 4.1±1.1 3.9±2.2
 Do you eat at regular times?c 3.8±1.0 3.9±1.0 3.6±0.9 3.8±0.9
 Do you eat slowly?b 3.8±1.0 3.9±1.0 3.7±2.0 3.5±0.9
 Do you eat snacks late at night? 2.3±1.0 2.3±0.9 2.4±2.2 2.3±0.9
 Do you prefer snacks to meals?b 2.5±1.1 2.4±1.2 2.6±2.0 2.0±0.8
How many times do you eat breakfast per week? 4.5±1.8 4.6±1.7 4.3±1.9 4.4±1.9
How many times do you eat snacks per day?b 1.1±1.0 1.1±1.0 1.1±0.9 0.8±0.9

a Estimated by 5-point scale (5; strongly agree, 1; strongly disagree) except for the frequencies of eating breakfast and eating snacks (times/week), Values are presented as Mean±SD.

b Significantly different between children (total) and mother assessed by Student's t-test.

c Significantly different between boys and girls assessed by Student's t-test.

Table 4.
Relationships of unbalanced diet and eating behavior between children and their mothersa
  Total Boys Girls
r P r P r P
Unbalanced diet            
 Do you tend to eat only what you want? 0.14 0.040 0.22 0.017 0.03 0.725
 Do you often hear from others that you are a “picky eater?” 0.04 0.546 0.08 0.371 –0.03 0.773
 Do you often refuse to eat healthy foods if you don't like to? –0.04 0.550 –0.07 0.463 –0.02 0.820
Eating behavior
 Do you eat three meals a day? 0.22 <0.001 0.28 <0.003 0.16 0.085
 Do you eat at regular times? 0.31 <0.001 0.36 <0.001 0.27 <0.004
 Do you eat slowly? 0.18 0.008 0.21 0.021 0.19 0.051
 Do you eat snacks late at night? 0.28 <0.001 0.22 0.019 0.34 <0.001
 Do you prefer snacks to meals? 0.19 <0.006 0.27 <0.003 0.13 0.172
How many times do you eat breakfast per week? 0.33 <0.001 0.25 0.009 0.41 <0.001
How many times do you eat snacks per day? 0.18 0.010 0.15 0.106 0.17 0.069

a Assessed by Spearman's rank order correlation analysis.

Table 5.
Relationships of factors associated with preferred foods between children and their mothersa
  Total Boys Girls
r P r P r P
Cooking method 0.06 0.397 0.03 0.761 0.08 0.403
Color 0.08 0.230 0.06 0.557 0.10 0.277
Flavor 0.09 0.167 0.02 0.863 0.14 0.132
Texture 0.14 0.036 0.25 0.008 0.04 0.708
Unfamiliarity 0.08 0.259 0.02 0.865 0.13 0.185
Family eating habit 0.17 0.009 0.11 0.231 0.25 0.010
Appetite 0.14 0.034 –0.02 0.872 0.32 <0.001
Emotions, allergy 0.13 0.045 0.06 0.521 0.21 0.028

a Assessed by Spearman's rank order correlation analysis.

Table 6.
Relationships of food preferences between children and their mothersa
  Total Boys Girls
r P r P r P
Cereal and basic food
 Rice 0.05 0.491 0.04 0.676 0.04 0.662
 Barley rice 0.18 0.008 0.31 <0.001 0.03 0.729
 Noodle 0.10 0.144 0.12 0.208 0.06 0.513
 Potato 0.18 0.009 0.26 0.006 0.13 0.173
 Sweet potato 0.18 0.006 0.20 0.034 0.19 0.045
 Rice cake 0.13 0.047 0.25 0.009 0.04 0.678
 Corn 0.17 <0.010 0.21 0.023 0.14 0.151
 Cookie 0.24 <0.001 0.17 0.071 0.31 <0.001
 Bread 0.19 0.006 0.15 0.115 0.22 0.021
Meat, egg and fish
 Fish 0.09 0.184 0.02 0.795 0.15 0.134
 Egg 0.15 0.029 0.18 0.066 0.10 0.303
 Beef 0.20 <0.003 0.12 0.197 0.27 0.006
 Pork 0.22 <0.001 0.15 0.125 0.28 <0.004
 Chicken 0.15 0.024 0.15 0.122 0.20 0.036
 Milk products            
 Milk 0.09 0.191 0.15 0.125 0.05 0.632
 Cheese 0.17 0.013 0.23 0.014 0.10 0.292
 Soy milk 0.11 0.113 0.06 0.506 0.16 0.104
 Yogurt 0.04 0.559 0.05 0.630 0.03 0.728
Vegetables and fruits
 Carrot 0.11 0.100 0.12 0.211 0.10 0.282
 Bean 0.10 0.148 0.21 0.028 0.02 0.832
 Mushroom 0.14 0.032 0.10 0.289 0.20 0.042
 Spinach –0.02 0.811 –0.01 0.947 –0.03 0.756
 Tomato 0.13 0.047 0.14 0.148 0.13 0.196
 Onion 0.10 0.130 0.12 0.191 0.08 0.425
 Cucumber 0.08 0.231 0.12 0.227 0.04 0.650
 Apple 0.14 0.045 0.23 0.015 –0.01 0.886
 Water melon 0.14 0.038 0.23 0.015 0.07 0.469
 Pear 0.16 0.017 0.24 0.010 0.07 0.445
 Peach 0.19 <0.005 0.22 0.021 0.13 0.189
 Grape 0.20 <0.001 0.21 0.029 0.17 0.077
Cooking oil (natural) and dessert
 Sesame oil 0.10 0.142 0.11 0.237 0.08 0.414
 Perilla oil 0.22 <0.001 0.27 <0.004 0.18 0.067
 Soybean oil 0.06 0.381 0.08 0.411 0.05 0.636
 Butter 0.17 0.011 0.28 <0.003 0.06 0.563
 Soda 0.09 0.163 0.06 0.507 0.11 0.275
 Ice cream 0.06 0.383 0.21 0.030 –0.11 0.273

a Assessed by Spearman's rank order correlation analysis.

Table 7.
Relationships of food intake frequencies between children and their mothersa
  Total Boys Girls
r P r P r P
Rice 0.26 <0.001 0.26 <0.001 0.26 0.007
Barley rice 0.30 <0.001 0.31 <0.001 0.28 0.003
Instant noodle 0.27 <0.001 0.36 <0.001 0.18 0.069
Noodle 0.25 <0.001 0.32 <0.001 0.18 0.063
Bread 0.21 <0.002 0.18 0.062 0.22 0.021
Snack 0.22 <0.001 0.16 0.096 0.30 0.002
Tofu 0.19 <0.005 0.09 0.351 0.30 0.002
Bean 0.22 <0.001 0.22 0.022 0.23 0.016
Potato 0.22 <0.001 0.37 <0.001 0.02 0.800
Sweet potato 0.26 <0.001 0.23 0.015 0.30 0.002
Beef 0.26 <0.001 0.24 0.013 0.28 0.008
Chicken 0.36 <0.001 0.39 <0.001 0.34 <0.001
Pork 0.38 <0.001 0.38 <0.001 0.37 <0.001
Egg 0.28 <0.001 0.26 <0.008 0.30 0.004
Ham 0.19 <0.011 0.09 0.328 0.28 0.101
Mackerel 0.38 <0.001 0.40 <0.001 0.40 <0.001
Tuna 0.38 <0.001 0.37 <0.001 0.41 <0.001
Croaker 0.27 <0.001 0.30 <0.002 0.23 0.020
Pollack 0.15 0.024 0.27 <0.005 0.03 0.782
Anchovy 0.35 <0.001 0.43 <0.001 0.27 0.004
Fish cake 0.28 <0.001 0.32 <0.001 0.23 0.015
Squid 0.22 <0.001 0.29 <0.002 0.14 0.153
Clam 0.24 <0.001 0.34 <0.001 0.15 0.128
Salted fish 0.19 <0.004 0.18 0.063 0.20 0.034
Chinese cabbage 0.20 <0.003 0.19 0.048 0.20 0.034
White radish 0.21 <0.002 0.26 0.006 0.15 0.120
Radish tops 0.21 <0.002 0.19 0.045 0.21 0.031
Bean sprouts 0.29 <0.001 0.29 0.002 0.28 0.003
Spinach 0.29 <0.001 0.31 0.001 0.26 0.006
Cucumber 0.17 0.015 0.16 0.093 0.16 0.993
Chili 0.33 <0.001 0.40 <0.001 0.25 0.001
Carrot 0.17 0.010 0.24 0.058 0.08 0.390
Pumpkin 0.17 0.011 0.24 0.013 0.11 0.262
Cabbage 0.03 0.589 0.06 0.539 –0.01 0.991
Tomato 0.32 <0.001 0.37 <0.001 0.24 0.010
Mushroom 0.31 <0.001 0.44 <0.001 0.15 0.126
Sea mustard 0.26 <0.001 0.31 0.001 0.20 0.036
Laver 0.24 <0.001 0.22 0.023 0.26 0.006
Tangerine 0.23 <0.001 0.23 0.019 0.23 0.012
Persimmon 0.35 <0.001 0.36 <0.001 0.33 <0.001
Pear 0.24 <0.001 0.25 0.009 0.24 0.001
Water melon 0.34 <0.001 0.34 <0.001 0.34 <0.001
Grape 0.29 <0.001 0.28 0.003 0.30 <0.002
Peach 0.42 <0.001 0.38 <0.001 0.45 <0.001
Apple 0.28 <0.001 0.36 <0.001 0.19 0.053
Banana 0.29 <0.001 0.27 0.005 0.32 <0.001
Orange 0.15 0.024 0.04 0.704 0.27 <0.004
Milk 0.24 <0.001 0.02 0.867 0.45 <0.001
Yogurt 0.25 <0.001 0.20 0.035 0.30 <0.001
Ice cream 0.22 <0.001 0.16 0.105 0.29 <0.002

a Assessed by Spearman's rank order correlation analysis.

TOOLS
Similar articles