Improvement of Food Habits and Eating Behavior of Children with Obesity and/or Precocious Puberty by Nutrition Education Monitoring

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate improvement of food habits and eating behavior in children with obesity and precocious puberty by nutritional education monitoring. The results are as follows. Average height and weight of subjects exceeded Korean height and weight standards for children as outlined by The Korea Pediatric Society. Using nutrition education monitoring, meals became more regular, overeating significantly decreased, and eating speed decreased. Further, frequencies of eating-out and night-eating significantly decreased. The most preferred menu item when eating-out was Korean food, and the most preferred menu item for night-eating was fruits, fast food, & processed food. Meat & fish and vegetable intakes all significantly increased. Fruit and milk intakes also significantly increased while bread, snack, and ice cream intakes decreased. Further, fast food & instant food intakes decreased. However, water intake was not significantly affected. The favorite food of children was meat & fish, followed by fast food & processed food. This study may provide information on dietary behavior of children with obesity and precocious puberty and suggests that nutrition education or counseling can improve food habits and eating behavior.

Association between Dietary Habits and Parental Health with Obesity among Children with Precocious Puberty

“…Pearson et al [33] found that students who reported a high frequency of eating snacks and fast foods exhibited low consumption of fruits and vegetables, and the consumption of such foods affected their intake at regular meals. Recently, nutrition problems have emerged among Korean children as a result of increased intake of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, high volumes of sugars, and excessive consumption of ingredients such as caffeine and food additives [34,35]. Because children's eating behavior is affected by family environmental variables, eating habits that contribute to their parents' obesity and disease-inducing behaviors may also be related.…”

A Study on Dietary Habits and Lifestyle of Girls with Precocious Puberty

“…Dietary attitudes and habits benefit from greater nutritional knowledge. Therefore, it is very important to identify and correct the effects of dietary habits on the obesity index [ 16 ]. This study categorized dietary habits into WG and WL groups in accordance with obesity index, and focused on means of improvement.…”

Perception of precocious puberty among school-aged children in South Korea with the experience of treatment for precocious puberty: a Q methodological approach

“…The rapid rise in precocious puberty is believed to be due to factors such as environmental pollution from industrialization, obesity resulting from dietary changes like increased consumption of instant or fast food, pituitary gland hyperfunction caused by television or smartphone use, and a family history of early puberty. Regarding obesity, the increase in endocrine disruptors, which are similar to female hormones, and the secretion of female hormones from fat cells are thought to have a particularly significant impact on girls [3,4].…”

“…These agents have the effect of desensitizing the gonadotropin cells in the pituitary gland to endogenous GnRH stimulation. Typically, this treatment is applied for a period of 2 to 5 years, and is usually discontinued around the age of 11 years for girls and 12 years for boys [4,9]. The use of traditional Asian medicine in the treatment and management of precocious puberty has recently gained traction, leading to an increase in treatment rates [10,11].…”