Physical Activity and Healthy Food Preference in Turkish Preschool Children

Year 2021, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 213 - 223, 21.07.2021

Fatma İlker Kerkez , Derya Sakallı

Abstract

Increased inactivity and unhealthy eating habits in children are worrying. It is important to determine food preferences to help children gain healthy eating habits and physical activity preferences to keep them away from inactivity. This study aimed to investigate physical activity and healthy food preferences of 48-60 months old Turkish children by age, gender, and BMI. In this study, a cross-sectional survey method was used. A total of 177 Turkish children (95 boys-82 girls) from three different preschools in Muğla city centre participated in the study. After measuring height and weight of the children, BMI values were calculated. Activity cards containing 12 pictures of energetic and sedentary activities were used to determine the children's physical activity preferences. To determine healthy food preference, different food cards were prepared for breakfast and dinner. Each card contains 20 images of healthy and unhealthy foods. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. During these interviews, these cards were shown to the children and asked to choose four different foods for breakfast and dinner separately. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney-U Test. To BMI values, it was found that 5.1% of children were underweight, 67.8% were healthy, 14.7% were overweight, 12.4% were obese. When food preferences were examined, no statistically significant difference was found between healthy food preferences and gender (U:38323.000; p:0.850), BMI (X2 : 1.843; p:0.606), and age (U:2882.000; p:0.850). More research is needed on how children's food preferences are shaped and the factors affecting these preferences.

Keywords

preschool, food, child, preference, health

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