The assesment of errors in child nutrition

First author: Florentina Negoita

Coordinator: Asis. Univ. Dr. Alina Grama

Objectives:

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the nutritional mistakes that parents make in child solid foods and to assess their repercussions on the children’s body.

How your child eats today will have a striking impact on his/her health throughout adolescence and adulthood. Consuming nutritious foods helps children and teens grow, develop, do well academically and feel good about themselves. 

Material and method:The study was conducted over a period of 8

months (June 2013- February 2014 ), with a systematic sample of 100 children aged between 6 months and 9 years, being admitted to the Pediatric Clinic of the Emergency County Hospital, Targu–Mures.

We prepared a prospective study, using a questionnaire consisting of multiple questions targeting general information about child nutrition, how to achieve diversification, the organization of the family, etc.

Results:Of all questioned

parents , we noticed a 45.6% smoking parents , and this is correlated with the fact that 48.4 % of children in the study were presented to the doctor for respiratory diseases. Sm

oker

s

Non-S

mok

ers

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Parents

Parents

The average age of breast milk consumption is 6 months (47.6% cases), there are still two cases who consumed breast milk up to 4.5 years and the other 2 cases up to 3 years, these are by far the exception.

50.5% cases were fed with powdered milk

65% of the children were fed

with cow milk

Yes No0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Powder Milk Consumption

Yes No0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Cow Milk Con-sumption

Solid foods was performed early in 32.1 % of cases and late in 21.4% cases. Only a percentage of 25.2 % of parents initiated diversification at 6 months.

During diversification, they made numerous errors, such as the introduction of improper food combinations age, thus breaking the basic rules of proper diversification (in 98.1% of cases, pasta, salt and sugar were introduced at six months, minced meat and sausages were consumed in 46.6% of cases since the age of 7 months).

Types of food

%

Pasta 98.1

Spices 98.1

Minced meat and sausages

46.6

French fries 51.5

Sweets 61.2

We also noted that 15% of children consume unhealthy snacks between meals daily, only 21.4% had regular hours and 43.7% eating meals at night.

Conclusions:

Mismanagement of diversification and the introduction of inappropriate food items at small age can cause a number of diseases since a young age (obesity, diabetes, rickets, malnutrition, etc.), stature - targeting evolution rate.

Thank you for your attention!