Abstract

A nutrition survey of 128 perschool children, 4 to 6 years old, in the Saemaul Youlgok day care center, located in one uplane, overpolulated, poor area of the city of Seoul, sponsered by the Korean Red Cross Society, was undertaken between August 21 and 31, 1984, to investigate dietary and nutritional status. RESULTS: Mean values of height, weight, arm circumference, girth of chest, and head circumference ranged from 95 to 100% of KIST mean. However, 4.8~14.2% of the subjects were assessed as undernourished in terms of 'weight for height'. Mean hemoglobin vcalue was 12.1±0.7gm%, and mean hematocrit value was 38.5±2.2%; 4.1% of the subjects were proven to be anemic according to the criterion of hemoglobin established by the ICNND. Mean urinary urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio was 11.4±3.8. Regarding mean energy and nutrient intake, the following percentages had intakes below two-thirds of the 1985 RDAs: 28.8% of children, for protein; 48.8% of children, for iron; and 28.8% of children, for calcium. About 25% of children had vitamin A intake below one-third of the recommended allowance. Carbohydrate provided 71% of total energy intake; protein accounted for 13%; fat provided 16%. Energy intake was divided among breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in a percentage ration of 19:26:21:34. The lunch, and snacks which were served at the day care center provided 36.5~79.1% of daily energy and nutrient intake. The survey clarified that the day care feding largely supplemented the inadequate dietary intakes of these young children at home. According to factor analysis of energy and nutrient intake, there were two factor groups : the first factor group, for energy, protein, carbohydrate, iron and niacin, mainly provided by grains; and the second factor group, for calcium, vitamin A, thamin, riboflavin and ascorbic acid, provided by vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products. The survey also revealed significant correlation coefficients between family factors such as family income, educational level of parents, and number of children; and dietary or nutritional status of the subjects.

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