Birutė Strukčinskienė

Abstract

Summary
The survey on nutrition in preschool children was accomplished in Western Lithuania, in Silute district. In the survey participated 372 schoolchildren aged 4 and 6 years. Chi-square test was used and the significance level p ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study revealed that everyday takes breakfast 91.6 % children aged 4 and 6 years. The most of investigated children (72.78 %) eat four and more times per day, and 25.3 % children eat three times per day. Most of children at least three times per week eat vegetables (69.5%) and fruits/berries (75.4 %). One-third children do not eat or eat 1-2 days per week sweets. They rarely drink cola and other carbonated drinks, and rarely eat fast food. Everyday 41.4 % children eat dark bread, and 50.8% children eat white bread. During the week, one child on an average eats 1-2 eggs. Preschool children on an average per week drink three glasses milk and two glasses sour milk. 39.4 % children drink natural cow milk, and 28.4% children drink milk what was bought in the store. Rural children drink natural cow milk, and urban children prefer milk from store. Only 2.2 % children drink not fat milk. All investigated children drink milk. The most of parents (83.7%) for cooking use vegetable oil. Tallow for cooking is still used by 2.2% rural parents. One third of children use margarine and 40.4% – use butter. Preschool children use one or two teaspoon of sugar in the tea. Not many (14.8%) parents additionally put salt to the cooked food.
During the last 12 months, only 10.3% investigated preschool children were not ill. About half of respondents subjectively think, as their children’s health is good.

Keyword(s): children, nutrition, healthy lifestyle, Western Lithuania.
DOI: 10.5200/99
Full TextPDF

Back