광주지역 유아 대상 식생활 교육프로그램에 의한 비만도 개선효과

Abstract

Effects of Obesity Improvement through Dietary Education Program for Preschool Children in Gwangju Yoon Hwa Lee Advisor : Prof. Jae Joon Lee, Ph.D. Department of Food and Nutrition, Graduate School of Chosun University Due to recent Westernized dietary patterns and a decrease in physical activity, the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing. Changes in dietary habits and lifestyle, along with an increase in online activities post COVID-19, have become contributing factors to the rise in obesity rates. Childhood obesity, easily transitioning into adult obesity and leading to metabolic complications, underscores the necessity of guiding obese children toward adopting proper dietary habits for both treatment and prevention. In the Gwangju Dong-gu region, the obesity rate among 2~5 years old is 13.5%, higher than the 8.4% obesity rate reported for children aged 2-6 by the National Health Insurance Service in 2017. This has emphasized the need for a dietary education program targeting obese toddlers. This study investigated factors influencing nutritional supply and implemented a dietary education program, focusing on factors that stimulate growth hormone secretion in obese children. The aim was to confirm the effectiveness of improving obesity through pre- and post-education assessments. The conclusions drawn from this research are as follows. Both obese and normal-weight toddlers exhibited satisfactory meal duration and sleep duration, with obese toddlers having more favorable bedtime, while normal-weight toddlers demonstrated a tendency for a healthier lifestyle rhythm. Both obese and normal-weight toddlers showed lower intake frequencies of vegetables and kimchi, while the consumption of processed foods and fast food was higher in obese toddlers. Obese toddlers had a higher frequency of three meals a day(p<0.05), and the quality of their meals tended to be lower compared to normal-weight toddlers. The chewing and swallowing abilities tended to develop more slowly in normal-weight toddlers compared to obese toddlers. There were no significant differences observed in eating temperament and mealtime behavior habits between normal-weight and obese toddlers. After the implementation of a dietary education program for obese toddlers, there was a significant increase in weight(p<0.001) and height(p<0.001), while BMI decreased(p<0.001). Following the dietary education program, bedtime adequacy ratings decreased(p<0.05), and the frequency of physical activity increased(p<0.001). Positive results in the assessment of circadian rhythm increased(p<0.05). After the dietary education program for obese toddlers, the frequency of protein intake increased(p<0.05), kimchi consumption increased(p<0.05), vegetable intake frequency increased(p<0.001), fruit intake frequency increased(p<0.001), and the consumption of processed foods decreased(p<0.001). Balanced food intake increased(p<0.001), and healthy snack consumption also increased(p<0.01), leading to an improvement in the overall dietary quality of obese toddlers(p<0.001). The chewing and swallowing abilities of obese toddlers were generally good, and there were minimal differences before and after the dietary education program. Changes in behavior related to mealtime difficulties, irregular eating habits, and hyperactivity were almost non-existent after the dietary education program.