[A comparative analysis of actual nutrition of children aged 9-10 years]

Aim of the study is to carry out a comparative analysis of actual nutrition of children aged 9-10 years with different nutritional status, to asses relationships between Energy Value (EV) of diet, BMI and diet composition. The study covers two groups of children residing in Almaty - 80 children aged 9-10 years with obesity (40 boys and 40 girls) and 80 normal-weight children (40 boys and 40 girls). To determine the nutritional status of the children, diagnostic criteria such as BMI-for-Age Z-score tables of WHO growth standards have been used. The nutrition was studied using the 24-hour recall method. The level of consumption across the entire range of food products, with the exception of cheese, cottage cheese, fish and eggs, turned out to be higher for the obese children with a difference range of 20-151% as compared to normal-weight children. Irrespectively of the nutritional status, all groups of children failed to achieve the recommended level of consumption of vegetables (1.7-fold less than recommended on average), potato (1.4-fold), milk and/or liquid fermented milk products (2.6-fold), fish (4.9-fold), eggs (3.1-fold), and consumed refined foods significantly higher than its limit level (confectionary items - 5.6-fold, flour - 2.9-fold). The contribution of sugar, pasta and sausages to EV of the diet was higher in diet of obese children as compared to normalweight children. The daily Energy Intake (EI) for the obese children was significantly higher than for the normal-weight children. The obese boys consumed 2174±564 kcal whereas normal-weight boys - 1625±343 kcal, obese girls - 2059±530 kcal, normalweight girls - 1532±293 kcal. The macronutrient composition of the diet for obese children differed from that of normal-weight children by increased proportions across all nutrients; however it didn't differ from the normal-weight children's diet in terms of the percentage content of macronutrients and the nature of imbalance. The imbalance took the form of a reduced quota of carbohydrates, excessive intake of simple carbohydrates (2-fold), saturated fats (1.5-fold), and a deficiency of dietary fibers, vitamins A, D, B group (thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid), zinc and calcium. The relative content of dietary fibers in the diet of obese children was lower than that in the diet of normal-weight counterparts. In obese children the percentage of carbohydrates contribution to EV of the diet served as a predictor of EI (β=0.5, р=0.00). Elevated BMI was predicted by EI (β=0.7, р=0.00), Carbohydrate to Fiber Ratio (β=0.2, р=0.05), Carbohydrate to Fat Ratio (β=0.3, р=0.01), Carbohydrate to Protein Ratio (β=0.3, р=0.01), percentage of carbohydrate contribution to EV of the diet (β=0.3, р=0.01). Thereby elevated BMI was predicted by EI, carbohydrate intake and by deficiency of the dietary fiber.