The Dietary Behavior of Obese and Normal Weight Elementary School Children with Maternal Guidance for Their Dietary Behavior

Lee, Hye Sang; Jeong, Woon Seon; Park, Ung Im

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate whether there were any differences in the body image perception, dietary behavior and maternal dietary guidance between an obese group ("OG") and a normal weight group ("NWG"), and furthermore, to provide basic informations for comprehensive educational programs for obese children. For this purpose, the questionnaire method was used. The subjects were 1,501 elementary school children, in the 4th to the 6th grades in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Andong, and their mothers (1,459). The percentage of the children who misperceive their body image was higher among the girls (30.4%) than the boys (22.6%). The average scores for balanced dietary behavior as assessed by the children was higher in the OG than in NWG; the average scores for dietary control as assessed by their mothers was higher in the NWG than in the OG. The scores for dietary behavior as assessed by the children was different from those as assessed by their mothers. Assuming that the mothers would give more correct and balanced answers, the development of a reliable questionnaire for dietary behavior that could be more accurately answered by the children is necessary. Maternal dietary guidance for dietary control was more frequently given in the OG as compared with the NWG and more frequently in girls as compared with boys ; while that for balanced diet was more in the NWG as compared with the OG. The worse the mothers estimate of the dietary behavior for their children, the more they tried to guide their children in dietary behavior. It is recommended that the children should be taught to correctly recognize the degree of their obesity, and receive the appropriate educational program accordingly, including the maternal dietary guidance.