An investigation of some nutrition habits of 60-72 month-old children *

This study, which comprises of a total of 415 children (201 boys and 214 girls) attending preschool education in the city centre of Konya, was carried out to determine heights (cm), weights (kg) and some nutrition habits of 60-72 month-old children. The sample represents 5.4% of the universe. A questionnaire form was used as the data collection tool in the survey research. Children's heights (cm) and weights (kg) were measured by the researcher and their Body Mass Index (BMI) (kg/m 2 ) values were calculated. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. Charts that demonstrate the number and percentage values regarding each question were produced and necessary arithmetic means were computed. Chi- square test was employed in assessing the relationships between the parameters and a p value of less than 0.05 at the confidence interval of 95% was considered significant. The children's mean weights (kg), heights (cm) and BMIs (kg/m 2 ) were found to be 20.73±3.60 kg, 115.17±5.65 cm, 15.58±2.11 kg/m 2 , respectively. It was observed that most children (58.8%) are between 15th-85 th percentiles. 91.5% of boys and 86.0% of girls eat three meals a day regularly, and 32.5% of all children like all meals. 63.1% of girls and 57.7% of boys are picky in eating. SUMMARY Purpose and Significance: Healthy nutrition, which is of importance in every stage of life, starts for children in mother's womb and continues until the mid-twenties when various organs still keep developing. Nutrition in pregnancy and early childhood has significant impacts on one's short- and long-term health. These impacts are of not only individual but also social importance. Societies whose children eat well beginning from the birth become healthier and more productive. Researchers demonstrated that children who have healthy nutrition in the first seven years become more successful at school regardless of other variables (Gokcay & Garipagaoglu, 2002). Individuals' health is closely connected to their adequate and balanced nutrition. The child should be fed in a careful and balanced manner in the preschool period, which is the most rapid development period, in order to strengthen his/her body and render him resistant to diseases (Kirkincioglu, 2003). Adequate and balanced nutrition is of importance throughout a person's life to satisfy not only physiological but also psychological and social needs. Research shows that undernourished children have both physical and mental deficiencies and that children who are raised without love and care experience mental deficiencies even though they are well-nourished (Merdol, 1999). Well-grown children get sick less and they recover faster when they do. Nutrition disorders and deficiencies might cause growth delays. Children who are more prone to infection and infectious diseases show a fatal course in them. Hence, nutrition is the primary and most important issue of human life (Akyildiz, 2001). Numerous habits, which form a basis for adulthood, are developed in the preschool period. In this period, acquiring well- developed nutrition habits is as important as adequate and balanced nutrition (Merdol, 1999). These habits enable the child to exhibit a growth and development at the desired level. There exists a direct correlation between nutrition habits and health problems. The more a child's nutrition is adequate and balanced, the less he experiences health problems (MEGEP, 2007). In the pre-school period, for a child to get used to new foods is as important as the amount of food he consumes. It is the period in which food habits are acquired and foods that the child likes and dislikes are determined. The child can eat healthily and properly for the rest of his life if he acquires good nutrition habits in this period (Arli, Sanlier, Kucukkomurler, & Yaman, 2003). The family is the most effective environment for developing the child's eating habits. First experience of a child happens through imitating his