Open AccessComparison of Nutritional Status between Kindergarten Groups in Split
Author(s) -
Nela Židić,
Nada Tomasović Mrčela
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
hrvatski časopis zdravstvenih znanosti
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2787-4761
DOI - 10.48188/hczz.1.2.1
Subject(s) - percentile , body mass index , age groups , medicine , demography , significant difference , pediatrics , gerontology , mathematics , statistics , pathology , sociology
AIM: to determine whether there is a difference in thelevel of nutritional status of children across age groups, which would indicatethe need for a change in caloric values of daily menus that are currently thesame for all age groups in kindergartens in Split. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The study was conductedduring June 2020 in “Grigor Vitez” kindergarten in Split. All parents wereasked to voluntarily complete a questionnaire with a guarantee of anonymity.The data on height and weight of children were used to calculate thenutritional indicators: the body mass index (BMI) and the percentile curves ofthe body mass index (% BMI), defined by gender and age.RESULTS: Data for 128 children aged 3 - 6.99 of the kindergarten"Grigor Vitez" were analyzed. Children in the selected kindergartensdid not differ significantly in relation to the level of their nutritionalstatus across age groups (3 – 3.99 years, 4 – 4.99 years, 5 – 5.99 years, 6 – 6.99years). The highest average percentile was determined (60.30) in the age groupof children aged 6.00 - 6.99, which is 12.89 points higher than the averagevalue of the percentile of children aged 3.00 - 3.99 years, while no differencewas found by testing (F = 0.936; p = 0.426).CONCLUSION: Only percentile values were comparedbetween kindergarten groups, and so it can be concluded that meals may haveappropriate energy values, which should be checked by analyzing the menus, andcomparing them with the recommendations.