J Korean Diet Assoc.  2012 May;18(2):97-114.

Nutritional Status and Hair Mineral Content of Elementary School Children with Behavioral Problems

• Kang SW
• Kim JY
• Cho SW
• Park YK

Abstract

This study was performed to assess the nutritional status and hair mineral content of children with behavioral problems and compare the values with a gender, age-matched control group. The subjects were recruited from S elementary school children in Seoul, Korea. Students scored higher than 60 points were diagnosed with behavioral problems according to the Korean-Child Behavior Checklist. Nutritional assessment of the two groups (behavior problem group: male n=15, female n=24; 9.6+/-1.6 years, control group: male n=16, female n=18; 9.5+/-1.9 years) was performed using a nutritional survey and by measuring hair mineral contents. In the results, food frequency questionnaire analysis showed that the intakes of anchovy (P<0.05), soybean curb (P<0.01), radish (P<0.05), bean sprouts (P<0.05), spinach (P<0.05), carrot (P<0.05), pumpkin (P<0.05), lettuce (P<0.05), cabbage (P<0.01), apple (P<0.05), and milk (P<0.01) were higher in the control group than the behavior problem group, whereas intakes of ramyeon (P<0.05), cookies (P<0.05), and coke (P<0.01) were higher in the behavior problem group than the control group. Intakes of most nutrients such as plant-derived protein (P<0.05), fiber (P<0.05), plant-derived calcium (P<0.05), phosphorus (P<0.05), plant-derived iron (P<0.05), vitamin B2 (P<0.05), vitamin B6 (P<0.05), vitamin C (P<0.01), vitamin E (P<0.05), and folate (P<0.05) were significantly higher in the control group than the behavior problem group. Hair analysis showed that the levels of arsenic (P<0.05), mercury (P<0.001), uranium (P<0.05), iron (P<0.001), boron (P<0.01), and germanium (P<0.001) were lower, but the levels of phosphate (P<0.05), chromium (P<0.001), sodium (P<0.05), and sulfur (P<0.001) were higher in the behavior problem group than the control group. Conclusively, behavioral problems constitute a complicated condition in which nutritional factors may play major roles. However, it is still under investigation as to whether or not modification of dietary habits or nutritional supplementation can improve children's behavior, since symptoms require a broad understanding of the environmental and genetic interactions.

Keyword

behavioral problems; elementary school student; nutritional state; dietary habits; hair mineral

MeSH Terms

Arsenic
Ascorbic Acid
Boron
Brassica
Calcium
Checklist
Child
Chromium
Coke
Cucurbita
Daucus carota
Female
Folic Acid
Food Habits
Germanium
Hair
Humans
Iron
Korea
Lettuce
Male
Milk
Nutrition Assessment
Nutrition Surveys
Nutritional Status
Phosphorus
Surveys and Questionnaires
Raphanus
Riboflavin
Sodium
Soybeans
Spinacia oleracea
Sulfur
Uranium
Vitamin B 6
Vitamin E
Vitamins
Arsenic
Ascorbic Acid
Boron
Calcium
Chromium
Coke
Folic Acid
Germanium
Iron
Phosphorus
Riboflavin
Sodium
Sulfur
Uranium
Vitamin B 6
Vitamin E
Vitamins