Birutė Strukčinskienė, Neringa Strazdienė, Sigitas Griškonis
Abstract
Children’s eating habits form in the family, because family eating habits determine the children’s diets. The cooperation between parents and teachers is of importance for development of healthy eating habits of children. The aim of this study was to analyze primary school children eating characteristics at home and at school. The survey was conducted in fourteen schools in Western Lithuania. The survey involved 490 children of 3rd and 4th forms. Study revealed that only about one-third of primary school children eat 3 or 4 times per day. One tenth of children takes dietary recommendations and eats 5 times per day. Breakfast always eat a little more than half of the respondents, lunch and dinner always eat higher proportion of children. On weekdays lunch in the school canteen eat more than half of the respondents. For breakfast, children normally choose sandwiches, porridge, cakes, for lunch – meat, potatoes, soup, fish, and for dinner – fruit, boiled or baked potatoes and meat products. Chocolates and crisps as a snack prefer more boys than girls. They are more likely than girls eat pizza, hot dogs and sweets. When eating in the school canteen, half of them chooses only the second dish and almost the same part of children choose soup plus a second dish. About half of the respondents sometimes speak with their parents about healthy eating, and with families grow their own vegetables and fruit. About one third of the children often or sometimes with their parents prepares meals with healthy food, and buys ecological products.
Keyword(s): primary school children; nutrition; home; school.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2015.063
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