[NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND POSSIBLE PREVENTABLE FACTORS AFFECTING THIS STATUS IN FIFTH-GRADERS IN BJELOVAR-BILOGORA...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Public Health
• Childhood Obesity Research

Background:

• Childhood eating habits are established early and influence lifelong health.
• Understanding nutritional status in school-aged children is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the nutritional status and dietary habits of fifth-graders in Bjelovar-Bilogora County.
• To investigate the correlation between nutritional status, dietary patterns, and socioeconomic/demographic factors.

Main Methods:

• A survey involving 466 fifth-graders (40.5% of the population) in Bjelovar-Bilogora County.
• Anonymous questionnaires on dietary habits and physical activity, alongside height and weight measurements.
• Analysis based on World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for nutritional status.

Main Results:

• 15.0% of children were underweight, 56.0% normal weight, and 29.0% overweight/obese.
• Poor dietary habits were prevalent: 4.7% daily fast food, 11.6% daily soda consumption.
• Low physical activity and high sedentary behavior were observed in a significant portion of children.

Conclusions:

• A substantial proportion of children in the study area are overweight or obese.
• Poor eating habits and insufficient physical activity are significant contributing factors to childhood obesity.
• Interventions targeting diet and physical activity are needed to address childhood obesity in this population.