Kontakt 2009, 11(2):346-357 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2009.055

Nourishment and nutritional regimen in Romany children in the Region Ústí nad LabemHealth and Social Sciences

Dagmar Kubátová

Univerzita J. E. Purkyně v Ústí nad Labem, Pedagogická fakulta, katedra primárního vzdělávání

Over the last ten years, at the Pedagogic Faculty of the JE Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, enhanced attention was paid to problems of the nourishment and nutritional habits of school children depending on the living standard and effects of the environment. In 1998 to 2002, nutritional habits of children in families of ethnic Romany people, which are known to live in adverse social and economic conditions, were also investigated in selected cities of the Region Ústí nad Labem.
Data on nutritional habits of the Romany children were accumulated by a questionnaire method. The modified method by Mašek (in: Ošancová et Hejda, 1974) was employed for the identification of nutritional values of the food. The inventory list of weekly nourishment of individual children (foodstuffs and foods) was processed with the use of the computer programme Výživa (Kotěšovec et al., 1993). Data on the condition of the nourishment of Romany people were supplemented by results of anthropological research.
The results indicate that in 2002, the population of Romany people in the Region Ústí nad Labem took food more regularly compared with 1998, i.e. they were adapted to nutritional habits of the majority population, particularly based on regular use of three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). In contrast, the daily intake of nutrients (the food nutritional value) exerts a deterioration compared with 1998. The intake of proteins and saccharides was found to be insufficient and fats were prevalent in the intake of main nutrients. The higher intake of fats is associated with a high intake of cholesterol (131.4% of the recommended dose). Intakes of fibrous matter, vitamins C, B2 and calcium were found to be quite insufficient. Compared with children in the majority population, Romany children exerted higher BMI values independently of gender, larger number of individuals with overweight and obese children and, in contrast, lower proportion of children with underweight and thin children.
The results mentioned document the necessity of enhancing the public health education in schools in the field of nutrition and prevention of non-infectious diseases and necessity of public education of Romany people in order that they are able to adhere to principles of varied food even under adverse social and economic conditions.

Keywords: Romany people; nutritional habits; nutritional value of food; basic anthropometric parameters; supporting changes in nutrition

Received: January 26, 2009; Accepted: October 2, 2009; Published: December 18, 2009  Show citation