Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T10:05:26.886Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Dietary intake of 9–10-year-old and 11–12-year-old children in Liverpool

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

AF Hackett ,
M Gibbon ,
G Sratton  and
L Hamill
AF Hackett*
Affiliation:
Liverpool John Moores University, IM Marsh Campus, Barkhill Road, Liverpool L17 6BD, UK
M Gibbon
Affiliation:
Liverpool John Moores University, IM Marsh Campus, Barkhill Road, Liverpool L17 6BD, UK
G Sratton
Affiliation:
Liverpool John Moores University, IM Marsh Campus, Barkhill Road, Liverpool L17 6BD, UK
L Hamill
Affiliation:
Liverpool John Moores University, IM Marsh Campus, Barkhill Road, Liverpool L17 6BD, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Email A.F.Hackett@livjm.ac.uk
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective:

To describe the eating habits of children in Liverpool and compare two age groups that bridge the transition from primary to secondary school.

Design:

Two cross-sectional studies carried out one year apart using a food intake questionnaire that records whether or not each child claims to have eaten specific marker foods on the previous day.

Setting:

Primary and secondary schools in Liverpool.

Subjects:

Six hundred and forty-nine children aged 11 or 12 years and 3556 children aged 9 or 10 years.

Results:

Fewer older children ate breakfast (68–82%), especially the girls, and not eating breakfast was associated with eating on the way to school in the younger children. More of the older girls ate nothing at breakfast or on the way to school. Overall, the less desirable foods were reported to have been eaten by more children, of both ages, than the more desirable foods. Fruit, however, was mentioned by most children (69–77%) but the next 10 foods mentioned by most children were all less desirable ones. Only 31% of primary and 21% of secondary children ate both fruit and vegetables but 23% of primary and 26% of secondary children ate neither fruit nor vegetables. Overall, more of the girls of both age groups claimed to have eaten foods that would normally be encouraged.

Conclusions:

Food choice changes appreciably between primary and secondary school and, in some key respects, for the worse. In particular, far more children of both age groups need to be eating fruit and vegetables every day.

Keywords

ChildrenFood intakeDietSchools
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , June 2002 , pp. 449 - 455
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2002

References

1Pitts, NB, Evans, DJ, Nugent, ZJ. The dental caries experience of 12 year-old children in the United Kingdom. Surveys coordinated by the British Association for the Study for Community Dentistry in 1996/97. Community Dent. Health 1998; 15: 49–54.Google Scholar
2Department of Health. Our Healthier Nation – A Contract for Health. London: Stationery Office, 1998.Google Scholar
3Department of Health. Saving Lives – Our Healthier Nation. London: Stationery Office, 1999.Google Scholar
4Coles, A, Turner, S. Diet and Health in School Age Children. London: Health Education Authority, 1995.Google Scholar
5Vereecken, C, Maes, L. Eating habits, dental care and dieting. In: Health and Health Behaviour among Young People. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2000; 83–9.Google Scholar
6Department Department Health. Nutrition and Bone Health. London: Stationery Office, 1998.Google Scholar
7Bellizzi, MC, Dietz, WH. Workshop on childhood obesity: summary of the discussion. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1999; 70(Suppl.): 173S–5S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Goran, MI, Gower, BA. Relation between visceral fat and disease risk in children and adolescents. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1999; 70(Suppl.): 149S–56S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Nelson, M. Nutritional content of children's diets and the health implications. In: Food for Children. London: National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Prevention, 1994; 18–26.Google Scholar
10Gregory, JR, Lowe, S, Bates, CJ, Prentice, A, Jackson, LV, Smithers, G, Wenlock, R, Farron, M. National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Young People aged 4–18 years. Vol. 1. Report of the diet and nutrition survey. London: Stationery Office, 2000.Google Scholar
11Adamson, A, Rugg-Gunn, A, Butler, T, Appleton, D, Hackett, A. Nutritional intake, height and weight of 11–12 year-old Northumbrian children in 1990 compared with information obtained in 1980. Br. J. Nutr. 1992; 68: 543–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12Health Health Authority (HEA). Young People and Health: The Health Behaviour of School-aged Children – A Report on the 1995 Survey. London: HEA, 1996.Google Scholar
13Hackett, Hackett, Kirby, SP, Howie, M. A national survey of the diet of children aged 13–14 years living in urban areas of the United Kingdom. J. Hum. Nutr. Diet. 1997; 10: 37–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14Bakker, M. Healthy Eating in Liverpool. Liverpool: Department of Public Health/University of Liverpool, 1991.Google Scholar
15Hackett, AF, Jarvis, SN, Flanagan, GJ. The feasibility of using school based microcomputers to collect information on the health related behaviour of children. Health Educ. J. 1989; 48: 39–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16Hackett, Af, Jarvis, SN, Matthews, JS. A study of the eating habits of 11- and 12-year-old children before and one year after the start of a healthy eating campaign in Northumberland. J. Hum. Nutr. Diet. 1990; 3: 323–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Johnson, B, Hackett, AF. Eating habits of 11–14 year old schoolchildren living in less affluent areas of Liverpool. J. Hum. Nutr. Diet. 1997; 10: 125–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18Johnson, B, Hackett, A, Bibby, A, Cross, J. An investigation of the face validity of a food intake questionnaire: lessons for dietary advice? J. Hum. Nutr. Diet. 1999; 12: 307–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19Department Department Health. Nutritional Aspects of Cardiovascular Disease. London: Stationery Office, 1994.Google Scholar
20Kearney, Kearney, McElhone, S. Perceived barriers in trying to eat healthier – results of a pan-EU consumer attitude survey. Br. J. Nutr. 1999; 81(Suppl.): S133–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21Ruxton, CHS, O'Sullivan, KR, Kirk, TR, Belton, NR. The contribution of breakfast to the diets of a sample of 136 primary-schoolchildren in Edinburgh. Br. J. Nutr. 1996; 75: 419–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22Anderson, As, Macintyre, S, West, P. Dietary patterns among adolescents in West of Scotland. Br. J. Nutr. 1994; 71: 111–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. National Food Survey 1996. London: Stationery Office, 1997.Google Scholar
24Strain, JJ, Robson, PJ, Livingstone, MBE, Primrose, ED, Savage, JM, Cran, GW, Boreham, CAG. Estimates of food and macronutrient intake in a random sample of Northern Ireland adolescents. Br. J. Nutr. 1994; 72: 343–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25Cox, DN, Anderson, AS, Reynolds, J, McKellar, S, Lean, MEJ, Mela, DJ. Take Five, a nutrition education intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intakes: impact on consumer choice and nutrient intakes. Br. J. Nutr. 1998; 80: 123–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26Anderson, AS, Cox, DN, Reynolds, J, McKellar, S, Lean, MEJ, Mela, DJ. Take Five, a nutrition education intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intakes: impact on attitudes towards dietary change. Br. J. Nutr. 1998; 80: 133–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed