Acta Gymnica 2018, 48(3):121-129 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2018.017

"Voice of Children": Qualitative analysis of children's interpretations regarding nutritional behaviour

Eliška Štefanová1, Tibor Baška1, Zuzana Boberová2, Daniela Husárová3, Zuzana Dankulincová Veselská3, Henrieta Hudečková1
1 Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
2 Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
3 Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia

Background: Understanding opinions, attitudes and knowledge of schoolchildren regarding eating habits is essential to develop effective preventive measures in this target group.

Objective: The aim of the study was to find opinions and attitudes of schoolchildren regarding nutrition and related behaviour.

Methods: Data were collected in selected elementary schools from April to June 2015. Pupils of 5th (7 girls, 7 boys), 7th (4 girls, 4 boys) and 9th (8 girls, 10 boys) grades debated their opinions and attitudes regarding eating habits during sessions in classrooms and recorded them into worksheets. Qualitative content analysis of the obtained data was performed.

Results: Pupils expressed adequate knowledge on healthy eating habits. Attractiveness of sweets is much stronger in comparison to fruits and vegetables. 11 years olds complained about absence of their parents during family mealtime. The main reasons for drinking soft and energy drinks included taste and social motives. Girls were concerned about their body image and mentioned vomiting as a method to reduce body weight.

Conclusions: Children possess general principles of healthy eating habits, but they do not implement them in their life. Prevention in nutrition to avoid social-health problems related to unhealthy diet, particularly obesity, should be focused both on children and their parents as role models in development of eating habits.

Keywords: nutrition, schoolchildren, health behaviour, participatory approach, qualitative study

Received: February 16, 2018; Accepted: September 27, 2018; Prepublished online: October 12, 2018; Published: October 16, 2018  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Štefanová, E., Baška, T., Boberová, Z., Husárová, D., Dankulincová Veselská, Z., & Hudečková, H. (2018). "Voice of Children": Qualitative analysis of children's interpretations regarding nutritional behaviour. Acta Gymnica, 48(3), 121-129. doi: 10.5507/ag.2018.017
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Alberti, K. G., Zimmet, P., & Shaw, J. (2006). Metabolic syndrome - a new world-wide definition. A consensus statement from the International Diabetes Federation. Diabetetic Medicine, 23, 469-480. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. Ali, F., Rehman, H., Babayan, Z., Stapleton, D., & Joshi, D. D. (2015). Energy drinks and their adverse health effects: A systematic review of the current evidence. Postgraduate Medicine, 127, 308-322. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Babinská, K., Vitáriušová, E., Hlavatá, A., Rosinský, J., Babinská, K., Jr., Košťálová, Ľ., … Kovács, L. (2008). Stravovacie návyky žiakov základných škôl na Slovensku [Eating habits of younger age pupils in relation to their health]. In L. Kovács, K. Babinská, & Ľ Ševčíková (Eds.), Nové trendy vo výžive detí (pp. 21- 31). Bratislava, Slovakia: Comenius University in Bratislava.
    4. Babjaková, J., & Sekretár, S. (Eds.). (2015). Nutrition and food safety in public health. Bratislava, Slovakia: Comenius University in Bratislava.
    5. Bašková, M., Baška, T., & Holubčíková, J. (2016). Consumption of sweetened soft drinks and energy drinks in adolescents in Slovakia: Implications for paediatric nursing. Central European Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 7, 390-395. Go to original source...
    6. Bašková, M., & Holubčíková, J. (2015). Nutričné správanie [Nutritional behaviour]. In A. Madarasová Gecková & Z. Dankulicová (Eds.), HBSC - Slovensko 2013/2014: Národná správa o zdraví a so zdravím súvisiacom správaní 11-, 13- a 15-ročných školákov (pp. 38-61). Košice, Slovakia: WHO Country Office in Slovakia.
    7. Benton, D. (2004). Role of parents in the determination of the food preferences of children and the development of obesity. International Journal of Obesity, 28, 858-869. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Birch, L., Savage, J. S., & Ventura, A. (2007). Influences on the development of children's eating behaviours: From infancy to adolescence. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 68, 1-56.
    9. Block, J. P., Gillman, M. W., Linakis, S. K., & Goldman, R. E. (2013). "If it tastes good, I'm drinking it": Qualitative study of beverage consumption among college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52, 702-706. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Boberová, Z., Belák, A., Dankulincová Veselská, Z., Husárová, Z., Baška, T., & Madarasová Gecková, A. (2016). "Chceme počuť ich hlas" - kvalitatívny výskum interpretácií školákov ku kvantitatívnym výskumným zisteniam štúdie HBSC ["We want to hear their voices" - the qualitative research on the school-children interpretations of the quantitative research findings HBSC study]. Mládež a spoločnosť, 22(3), 71-81.
    11. Bremer, A. A., & Lustig R. H. (2012). Effects of sugar-sweetened beverages on children. Pediatric Annals, 41, 26-30. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Casey, R., & Rozin, P. (1989). Changing children's food preferences: Parent opinions. Appetite, 12, 171-182. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Crivello, G., Camfield, L., & Woodhead, M. (2009). How can children tell us about their wellbeing? Exploring the potential of participatory research approaches within young lives. Social Indicators Research, 90, 51-72. Go to original source...
    14. Deliens, T., Clarys, P., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., & Deforche, B. (2015). Correlates of university students' soft and energy drink consumption according to gender and residency. Nutrients, 7, 6550-6566. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Demory-Luce, D., & Motil, K. J. (2014). Adolescent eating habits. Retrieved from http://www.uptodate.com/contents/adolescent-eating-habits
    16. Driessen, C. E., Cameron, A. J., Thornton, L. E., Lai, S. K., & Barnett, L. M. (2014). Effect of changes to the school food environment on eating behaviours and/or body weight in children: A systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 15, 968-982. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. Duffey, K. J., Huybrechts, I., Mouratidou, T., Libuda, L., Kersting, M., DeVriendt, T., … Popkin, B. M. (2012). Beverage consumption among European adolescents in the HELENA study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 66, 244-252. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Fattore, T., Mason, J., & Watson, E. (2007). Children's conceptualisation(s) of their well-being. Social Indicators Research, 80, 5-29. Go to original source...
    19. Forbush, K., Heatherton, T. F., & Keel, P. K. (2007). Relationships between perfectionism and specific disordered eating behaviors. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40, 37-41. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. Gillman, M. W., Rifas-Shiman, S. L., Frazier, A. L., Rockett, H. R., Camargo, C. A., Jr., Field, A. E., … Colditz, G. A. (2000). Family dinner and diet quality among older children and adolescents. Archives of Family Medicine, 9, 235-240. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. Hammons, A. J., & Fiese, B. H. (2011). Is frequency of shared family meals related to the nutritional health of children and adolescents? Pediatrics, 127, 1565-1574. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    22. Hawkes, C., Smith, T. G., Jewell, J., Wardle, J., Hammond, R. A., Friel, S., … Kain, J. (2015). Smart food policies for obesity prevention. Lancet, 385, 2410-2421. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    23. Hayden, C., Bowler, J. O., Chambers, S., Freeman, R., Humphris, G., Richards, D., & Cecil, J. E. (2013). Obesity and dental caries in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 41, 289-308. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    24. Holubčíková, J. (2016). Eating habits, body image and health and behavioural problems of adolescents: The role of school and family context (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
    25. Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15, 1277-1288. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    26. Keski-Rahkonen, A., Kaprio, J., Rissanen, A., Virkkunen, M., & Rose, R. J. (2003). Breakfast skipping and health-compromising behaviors in adolescents and adults. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 57, 842-853. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    27. Kidd, P. S., & Parshall, M. B. (2000). Getting the focus and the group: Enhancing analytical rigor in focus group research. Qualitative Health Research, 10, 293-308. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    28. Kline, S. (2005). Countering children's sedentary lifestyles: An evaluative study of a media-risk education approach. Childhood, 12, 239-258. Go to original source...
    29. Madarasová Gecková, A., Veselská, Z., & Kollárová, J. (Eds.). (2011). HBSC - Slovensko 2009/2010. Sociálne determinanty zdravia školákov [HBSC - Slovakia 2009/2010. Social determinants of schoolchildren's health]. Košice, Slovakia: Equilibria.
    30. May, C., Chai, L. K., & Burrows, T. (2017). Parent, partner, co-parent or partnership? The need for clarity as family systems thinking takes hold in the quest to motivate behavioural change. Children, 4, 29. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    31. Morris, A., & Katzman, D. (2003). The impact of the media on eating disorders in children and adolescents. Paediatrics & Child Health, 8, 287-289. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    32. Naaeni, M. M., Jafari, S., Fouladgar, M., Heidari, K., Farajzadegan, Z., Fakhri, M., … Omidi, R. (2014). Nutritional knowledge, practice, and dietary habits among school children and adolescents. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 5, 171-178. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    33. Pitt, M. P., Berger, J. N., & Sheehan, K. M. (2016). Compliance of parenting magazines advertisements with American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. Children, 3, 23. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    34. Ramos, M., & Stein, L. M. (2000). Development children's eating behavior. Jornal de Pediatria, 76(Suppl. 3), S229-S237. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    35. Reisigg, C. J., Strain, E. C., & Griffiths, R. R. (2009). Caffeinated energy drinks - a growing problem. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 99, 1-10. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    36. Schulze, M. B., Manson, J. E., Ludwig, D. S., Colditz, G. A., Stampfer, M. J., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2004). Sugar-sweetened beverages, weight gain, and incidence of type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged women. Journal of the American Medical Association, 292, 927-934. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    37. Simovska, V. (2007). The changing meanings of participation in school-based health education and health promotion: The participants voices. Health Education Research, 22, 864-878. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    38. Solberg, A. (1996). The challenge in child research: From 'being' to 'doing'. In J. Brannen & M. O'Brien (Eds.), Children in families. Research and policy (pp. 53-65). London, United Kingdom: Falmer Press.
    39. Spencer, G. (2013). Young people's perspectives on health: Empowerment, or risk? Health Education, 113, 115-131. Go to original source...
    40. Švaříček, R., Šeďová, K., Janík, T., Kaščák, O., Miková, M., Nedbálková, K., … Zounek, J. (2007). Kvalitativní výzkum v pedagogických vědách: pravidla hry [Qualitative research in pedagogical sciences: The rules of game]. Prague, Czech Republic: Portál.
    41. Tong, A., Sainsbury, P., & Craig, J. (2007). Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): A 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 19, 349-357. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    42. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Make a difference at your school: CDC resources can help you implement strategies to prevent obesity among children and adolescents. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/keystrategies/pdf/make-a-difference.pdf
    43. Vartanian, L. R., Schwartz, M. B., & Brownell, K. D. (2007). Effects of soft drink consumption on nutrition and health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 97, 667-675. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    44. Word Health Organization. (2006). Food and nutrition policy for schools: A tool for the development of school nutrition programmes in the European region. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/152218/E89501.pdf?ua=1
    45. Wilson, J. M., Tripp, D. A., & Boland, F. J. (2005). The relative contributions of subjective and objective measures of body shape and size to body image and disordered eating in women. Body Image, 2, 233-247. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content