Nutrition state of preschool children

Abstract

The aim of the research was to determine the state of nutrition of children of the older and preschool education group who attend kindergartens in the municipality of Belgrade. The measurement of anthropometric measures was carried out in the physical education halls at the beginning of February 2023. The research used the probability sampling method. The subjects of the research were children of the older and preschool age groups of the kindergarten "Čukarica" from Belgrade. The research determined possible statistical differences between age groups, as well as statistical differences between both sexes of both age groups. The results of the research indicate that there are no statistically significant differences in the nutritional status of children from Belgrade in PU "Čukarica". When gender is taken as a parameter, it can also be concluded that children do not differ significantly in the state of their nutrition. In relation to the educational group to which they belong, it can be concluded that the nutritional indices of children of the older preschool group are significantly lower compared to the preschool group. This indicates that the anthropometric measurements of children correspond to their age and natural factors that influence physical development. The equality of the nutrition index between children from different groups is also observed, which indicates that their nutrition is in accordance with the age and specifics of physical development. The authors recommend further monitoring of children's growth and development before entering school.