11^th European Nutrition and Dietetics Conference

Biography

Biography: Kalpana Bhaskaran

Abstract

atement of the Problem: As the rate of obesity increases in Singapore, f rom 6.9% in 2004 to 10.8% in the recent National Health Survey,  the message and ef f orts f or obesity prevention needs to be targeted at the younger generation. From Singapore’s National Nutrition Survey  2010, skipping  breakf ast and having meals aw ay f rom home w ere identif ied as potential risk f actors f or higher BMI observed in the population. The health status of children and adolescents are normally associated to their  dietary  practices  and lif estyle habits. Hence, this study   is  the first  in Singapore  w hich  aims  to  look  at  breakf ast consumption  habits, supplement intake  and  physical  activity  habits among children and adolescents  aged 6 to 17 years old in Singapore. Methodology   &  Theoretical  Orientation:   The  study  w as conducted among  500  Singapore  residents  aged  betw een  6  to  17 years  old. Multistage  sampling  method  based on  ethnicity,  age  category  and gender w as used. Subjects betw een 6 to 12 years old w ere categorised as “children” and 13 to 17 years old w ere considered “adolescents”.

A   survey  questionnaire  w as  designed  to  capture  inf ormation  on demographic prof ile, socioeconomic data, breakf ast habits, supplement intake   and   physical activity   among  other   inf ormation.   Findings: Adolescents  did not consume breakf ast as regular ly as compared to children.  Only 22% of 10 to 11 years aged schoolc hildren consumed breakf ast on a daily basis. This could be supported by the observation that  a  substantial  number  of  them consumed  breakf ast  on-to-go. Signif icantly  more  adolescents  reported  not  f eeling  any dif f erence despite not consuming breakf ast. Thirty-nine per cent (39.0%) of the children w ere supplement users and Vitamin C w as the most commonly consumed  supplement.   Based  on a weekly  average,  adolescents exercised  longer  (49 minutes) as compared to children (44 minutes). Conclusion   &  Signif icance:  Breakf ast  consumption  habit  w as  not associated  w ith  gender  or  ethnicity  in  this  study,  but  signif icantly associated w ith age group. Children consumed breakf ast more regularly than adolescents. There w as no signif icant association betw een BMI categories   w ith  breakf ast  consumption habits  among  adolescents. How ever, among the children,  more skippers  than regular breakf ast eaters  w ere “overw eight/severely overweight”.  The amount  of time children and adolescents spent on physical activity w as still below the recommendation    by   the   Health   Promotion   Board   of   Singapore.