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- [Korean]
- Evaluation of young children’s dietary behaviors by parental growth concern levels in Gyeonggi area: a descriptive study
- Youn-Rok Kang, Hyung-Sook Kim
- Korean J Community Nutr 2026;31(1):75-86. Published online February 28, 2026
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00269
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Abstract
PDF - Objectives
This study investigated differences in dietary habits, lifestyle patterns, and feeding- related developmental issues among Korean preschool children based on their parents’ levels of growth concern, and examined the associations between parental growth concern and children’s eating behaviors.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted with parents of children aged 1–5 years residing in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. Participants were classified into high, moderate, and low growth concern groups using the children’s dietary screening test. Data were collected on the children’s anthropometric status, lifestyle routines, dietary intake patterns, eating behaviors, and mealtime media exposure.
Results
Children in the high growth concern group showed a higher prevalence of underweight; irregular sleep and mealtime routines; and more frequent eating difficulties, including picky eating, slow eating, and oral processing problems. Mealtime media exposure was associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake and higher consumption of processed and sugar-rich foods. Higher parental growth concern did not correlate with healthier dietary or lifestyle outcomes.
Conclusion
Preschool children’s dietary behaviors and routines differed according to the parents’ levels of growth concern. Higher levels of parental concern were associated with increased feeding difficulties and greater mealtime media exposure. These findings suggest that excessive concern may contribute to maladaptive eating patterns in children. Evidence- based parental guidance and structured nutrition education are essential to promote healthy growth and eating behaviors during early childhood.
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Original Articles
- [English]
- Mother's Parenting Style at Meal Time and Their Preschooler's Dietary Behavior
- Soyeon Park, Youngmee Lee
- Korean J Community Nutr 2017;22(1):13-21. Published online February 28, 2017
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2017.22.1.13
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Abstract
PDF
- OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to evaluate the nutrition quotient (NQ) by mother's parenting style which may influence the NQ in preschool children.
METHODS
Subjects were 310 mothers and their 4-6 year old children. The questionnaire composed of demographic characteristics, mother's parenting style at meal time and eating behavior as measured by NQ questions. The NQ questions consisted of 19 food behavior checklist items and all items were grouped into 5 factors: balance, diversity, moderation, regularity, and practice. Mother's parenting style was classified by using words for nutrition education at meal time. All data were statistically analyzed by SPSS program (Ver. 23) and the statistical differences in variables were evaluated by Student's t-test, χ²-test, One-way ANOVA.
RESULTS
We observed that in children whose mothers use the parenting style at meal time of ‘explanation’ and ‘compliment & cheer up’ had high dietary regularity, diversity, practice. The children of mothers who use the parenting style at meal time of ‘persuasion’ and ‘reward’ were found to have a lower degree of balance, diversity, and practice. Especially, children of ‘reward’ style mothers had lower moderation of dietary life. On the other hand, among the parenting style at meal time of ‘comparison & demand’, ‘treating’ and ‘faire’, there was no significant difference in the NQ factor by each group. NQ grade was higher among those who used more explanation (p < 0.001) and persuasion (p < 0.01) and with use of less persuasion (p < 0.01) and reward (p < 0.01). The positive association observed between the frequency of dietary education of mothers and higher NQ grade indicated the degree of dietary practices of those children. On the other hand, the children of mothers who rarely practice the dietary education at home had lower NQ grade (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
In order to promote children's proper dietary behaviors, it is important to provide nutrition education to children as well as provide guidance on parenting style at meal time. -
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
- Designing Interactive Edutech Content to Improve Young Children’s Eating Habits: Focusing on AR Glasses and IoT Chopsticks
Juhyeon Jeon, Dhahye Shin, Yujin Joung, Yoon-Ju Cho
Journal of Digital Contents Society.2025; 26(10): 2905. CrossRef - Association between Picky Eating Behavior, Growth, and Dietary Practices in Preschool Children
Jisun Kim, Sukyoung Kang, Seunghee Kye
Korean Journal of Community Nutrition.2021; 26(1): 1. CrossRef - Study on Recognition and Consumption Behavior of Quality-Certified Children's Preferred Foods of Nursery Directors and Parents in Jecheon Area
Sung Hee Min
Korean Journal of Food & Cookery Science.2017; 33(3): 353. CrossRef
- Designing Interactive Edutech Content to Improve Young Children’s Eating Habits: Focusing on AR Glasses and IoT Chopsticks
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- 3 Crossref
- [English]
- Comparison of Children's Body Weights and Eating Habits by Maternal Parenting Attitudes Perceived by Children
- Yun Jung Choe, Hyesun Min
- Korean J Community Nutr 2009;14(1):77-86. Published online February 28, 2009
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Abstract
PDF
- Effective parenting attitudes have been known to be associated with children's health practices including dietary intake and physical activity. The objective of this study is to compare children's body weights and eating habits by maternal parenting attitudes. Data were collected at school (N = 396; 4th and 5th grade students) using self-administered questionnaires on maternal parenting attitudes, eating habits and physical activity. Parenting attitudes were categorized as 1 of 4 parenting attitudes (overprotective, authoritarian, democratic, and neglectful) using affection and control median cut points. Children's body weights, frequency of breakfast, eating out and fastfood, and physical activity were compared by maternal parenting attitudes. Children's body weights were related with mother's employment status (p < 0.05) and parenting attitudes (p < 0.01). Children of unemployed mothers were more likely to be overweight. Children of neglectful mothers (p < 0.01) were more likely to be underweight, compared with children of mothers with other parenting attitudes. Since, unfortunately, the number of children of neglectful mothers was very limited in this study, we could hardly assess eating habits of children of neglectful mothers. Children of authoritarian mothers ate breakfast more regularly (p < 0.05), but ate snacks less regularly (p < 0.01). Children of democratic mothers ate fastfood less frequently (p < 0.01) and ate snacks more regularly (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, children of overprotective mothers ate breakfast less regularly (p < 0.05) and ate out less frequently (p < 0.01). However, maternal parenting attitudes were not related to children's physical activities. In conclusion, the maternal democratic parenting attitude was associated with healthy eating habits including regular snack time and less fastfood. On the other hand, the maternal neglectful parenting attitude was associated with high risk of children's underweight. Understanding the mechanism through which parenting attitude is related with underweight risk and healthy eating habits may lead to the development of better interventions.
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