Preschoolers’ and Mothers Dietary Practices and Compliance with the 24-h Movement Guidelines: Results of Oman’s National Nutrition Survey

Abstract

Introduction: Little is known on the nutritional and lifestyle variables of preschool children in Oman. This study analyzed data of the 2017 Oman National Nutrition Survey to assess the prevalence and interrelationships between dietary and movement variables among preschool children, aged 2–5 years. Methods: Household visits of a nationally representative sample evaluated mothers and children’s dietary, sleep and physical activity practices; media exposure; and anthropometric and sociodemographic variables. Results: Dyads of mothers and pre-school children aged 2–5 years (n = 1771) were assessed. Childhood overweight/obesity was prevalent in 2% of the sample. Over 54% of children consumed sweetened items and/or French fries or chips at least once daily. Over 65% of children had fruits and/or vegetables once daily or less. Mothers had healthier dietary and movement habits compared to their offspring. Compliance with media exposure was the lowest among mothers and children. Multivariate regression revealed children’s increased sweet intake was the only significant predictor of excess weight in children. Conclusion: This study revealed a low prevalence of overweight/obesity among preschool children in Oman. Children had an acceptable compliance with sleeping recommendations, yet limited adherence to media exposure, activity, added sugar and fruits and vegetables guidelines.

Association of Maternal Feeding Style with Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Saudi Preschoolers: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

“…Approximately 60% of the children consumed ≥3 serving spoons/day of vegetables compared with a low prevalence of fruit consumption (35.7%; ≥1.5 pieces/d). These findings are not completely consistent with those from previous national and international studies that have shown a reduction in F&V consumption among children [16,17,55]. Our finding that approximately 66% of children who were breastfed for >6 months consumed ≥3 serving spoons/day of vegetables suggests that breastfeeding may help shape a child's taste preferences [28].…”

“…A Lebanese study found that only 17.8% of children consumed the recommended daily intake of vegetables, and only 34.3% consumed fruits daily [15]. In Oman, 29% and 34% of children aged 2-5 years were found to consume vegetables and fruits two or more times daily, respectively [16]. Similarly, in a study in the KSA, only 42% of preschool children were found to consume fruits daily [17].…”

“…Groele et al [18] found a correlation between the daily servings consumed by mothers and those consumed by their children in Poland and Romania. Another study in Oman by Almaamary et al [16] found that mothers who do not like F&Vs may influence their children's preferences. Robson et al [19] reported the same finding.…”

Young Children Feeding Practices: An Update from the Sultanate of Oman

“…The ONNS followed the WHO’s STEPwise approach to Surveillance, a comprehensive surveying tool to assemble, interpret, and disseminate data on NCDs [ 22 ]. The ONNS’s methodology was previously described [ 21 , 23 ]. Briefly, data collection was performed between December 2016 and April 2017.…”