Food habits and nutritional status of Brisbane schoolchildren

One hundred and forty-five children, aged 11-12 years, attending a primary school in a working class suburb of Brisbane, had their weights and heights measured and answered questions about their food intakes and home backgrounds. Analyses of the data showed that children of working mothers were more likely to be overweight (greater than or equal to 110% W/H); while eating calorie dense snack foods and frequent use of the school tuckshop was associated with less underweight (less than 90% W/H), but no increase in overweight. The use of convenience foods in the home was associated with increased underweight and decreased overweight.