빈곤아동 과체중의 위험요인과 보호요인

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare BMI of children in poverty with those of children in non-poverty, to examine the effects of the related factors, and to suggest the practical intervention and the functions of social welfare service. Subjects for this study were 458 students in the 4th, 5th and 6th grade of elementary school located in the Metropolitan area consisting of 294 children from impoverished households and 164 children in non-poverty. This study was carried out to compare the children's development by measurement of body weight and height, their own Questionnaires, and their teacher's Questionnaires, to investigate the impact of risk factors and protective factors, and to discover the mediating effects of poverty on child health in respect of each factor. The major findings were as follows :First, in respect to physical growth, the standing height of the children in poverty was lower than that of the children in non-poverty, the weight levels of those two groups were similar, and children in poverty were overweight with high level of BMI. Second, as a result of investigating the influences of socio-demographical factors, risk factors and protective factors on the BMI level of the children in poverty and the children in non poverty, boys' BMI level was higher than girls's of those two groups. It was found that the older children in poverty had higher level of BMI. Only in case of the children in poverty, sexual maturation and poor eating habits are risk factors and self-esteem is a protective factor relevant to overweight. Third, in the impacts of family's poverty on their children's BMI level, risk factors such as sexual maturation, poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, marital conflict of the parents, health problems of the parents and protective factors including physical exercise hours, hygiene, self esteem, parenting behavior were analyzed to see if those factors have mediating effects. It was found that parenting behavior is a mediating-factor. However, considering the fact that family's poverty has an omni-directional impact on each factor mentioned above, each factor does not have a statistical significance on the children's BMI level. This result means that poverty increases the risk of children's poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, marital conflict of their parents and health problems and decreases the children's hygiene levels and good parenting behavior whereas only a part of protective factors including the children's hygiene levels, their self esteem and parenting behavior can influence the children's BMI. In conclusion, a significant gap in health conditions between the children in poverty and in non-poverty is confirmed in this study. This study also found the influence of poverty on the relation between children's overweight and family's poverty in childhood. As mediating-factors for those factors are also confirmed. desirable solutions to practical intervention of child welfare are suggested in this study. The findings of this study suggest the intensive and preventive intervention for those children to internalize practice of health promotion in their daily life.