2010 - 19th Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium

Session Time : 4/22/10 10:30 AM - 4/22/10 11:45 AM

Content Area : Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences

Student Presenters :
Ashley Elizabeth Sells Biological Sciences

Mentors and/or Co-Authors :
Suzie Goodell Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences

Abstract Title : Determining the relationship between food intake and weight status in preschoolers

Abstract :
Childhood obesity is pervasive within low-income families with limited resources. Hispanic children from low-income families are at a greater risk for childhood obesity than their peers. This study investigated the relationship between food consumption, maternal acculturation, and child weight status. Twenty-four mothers of Head Start preschoolers completed a child food frequency questionnaire, acculturation scale, and demographic survey. Children’s weight and height were measured and used to calculate weight status. National averages suggest that preschool-age children should eat, on average, 21 servings of vegetables and 14 servings of fruit per week. This study showed that children of normal and obese weight status consumed half the recommended servings of vegetables while overweight children consumed almost double the recommendation. Children of overweight and normal weight status consumed almost double the recommended number of servings for fruit while obese children consumed the recommended amount. In our convenience sample, overweight children appear to be healthier than their normal weight counterparts, possibly because their parents were more aware of their child’s food intake. A randomized sample may have shown that fruit and vegetable intake per week is lower than the current sample. From this limited data, we cannot conclude if acculturation impacted weight status; further studies need to be conducted to determine the relationship.