[Factors influencing snack behaviours of young children in Hefei and evaluation of the effection of interventions].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of the parent-to-child and teacher-to-child models used in the Snack Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children (SRFIPC) to change the snack pattern of children.


METHODS
Using the community-based intervention trail, nutrition education was implemented based on the parent-to-child and teacher-to-child models among 2102 pre-school children aged 4-6 years in 8 day-care centres of Hefei City, Anhui Province. Data on snack consumption of young children was obtained using a snack behaviour questionnaire.


RESULTS
(1) The rate of snacking was high in young children of Hefei. The attitude and diet behavior of the parent are the main influence of the young children snack behavior. (2) The snack frequency of children in intervention group decreased as compared with the control group (P < 0.001). However, children who have higher frequent snacking in the intervention group did not have significant change in their snack behaviours compared with children in the control group. (3) The percentage of children who consumed snacks between meals increased, while the percentage of children who consumed snacks ad arbitrium was greatly decreased in the intervention group (both P < 0.001). (4) The percentages of snacks low in nutrition density, such as the biscuit, cake, confectionery, ham sausage, beverages were lower in intervention group than in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
It is useful to intervention the children's snack behaviours parent-to-child and teacher-to-child models.
Sun
Wen-Jie
WJ
Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 100050, China.
Gao
Yong-Qing
YQ
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires