Nutr Res Pract.  2013 Jun;7(3):207-215.

The prevalence of obesity and the level of adherence to the Korean Dietary Action Guides in Korean preschool children

• Choi Y
• You Y
• Go KA
• Tserendejid Z
• You HJ
• Lee JE
• Lee S
• Park HR

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the degree of adherence to the Korean Dietary Action Guides for Children (KDAGC). In a cross-sectional study based on a child care center-based survey in Seoul, Korea, we collected parental-reported questionnaires (n = 2,038) on children's weight and height, frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption, and the quality of dietary and activity behaviors based on the 2009 KDAGC Adherence Index (KDAGCAI) which was developed as a composite measure of adherence to the KDAGC. Overweight and obesity were determined according to age- and sex-specific BMI percentile from the 2007 Korean national growth chart. Associations were assessed with generalized linear models and polytomous logistic regression models. Approximately 17.6% of Korean preschool children were classified as overweight or obese. Obese preschoolers had lower adherence to the KDAGCAI compared to those with lean/normal weight. Preschoolers with a high quality of dietary and activity behaviors had a 51% decreased odds ratio (OR) of being obese (highest vs. lowest tertile of KDAGCAI-score, 95% CI 0.31, 0.78; P = 0.001); the associations were more pronounced among those who were older (P = 0.048) and lived in lower income households (P = 0.014). A greater frequency of vegetable consumption, but not fruit, was associated with a borderline significant reduction in the prevalence of obesity. Our findings support the association between obesity prevention and high compliance with the Korean national dietary and activity guideline among preschool children.

Keyword

Preschool children; obesity; dietary guideline

MeSH Terms

Child
Child Care
Child, Preschool
Compliance
Cross-Sectional Studies
Family Characteristics
Fruit
Growth Charts
Humans
Korea
Linear Models
Logistic Models
Obesity
Odds Ratio
Overweight
Prevalence
Surveys and Questionnaires
Vegetables

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