Relationship between subjective evaluation of acquiring information on own dietary habits and the food group intakes

Abstract

Objective:We investigated the relationship between subjective evaluation of acquiring information on own dietary habits and the food group intakes of elementary and junior high school students. Methods:The subjects were 3,855 elementary and junior high school students aged 10-14 years in Kamisu city (Ibaraki, Japan). A self-administered questionnaire was used, with questions about subjective evaluation of acquiring information on own dietar y habits and the frequency of 11 food group intakes. We examined the correlation by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results: In all, 1,724 elementary and 1,155 junior high school students completed the questionnaire (86.5% response rate). In both elementar y and junior high school, approximately 40% students answered that they acquired information on own dietary habits. Subjective evaluation of acquiring information on own dietary habits significantly correlated with the intake of vegetables, potatoes and fruits in elementar y school students. The correlation between subjective evaluation of acquiring information on own dietar y habits and the intake of vegetables, milk and dair y products, eggs and potatoes in junior high school students were significant. Conclusion:The results of this study indicated that elementary and junior high school students who answered they acquired information on own dietary habits by some kind of tools, compared with those who answered they had not acquire, have a higher frequency of vegetables and potatoes intake mainly from the side dish.