A Study of Food Habits and some Growth Aspects of Libyan Children

Abstract

This study was conducted during May and June. 1980 to investigate the food habits and some of the aspects of physical growth and socio-psychological development of elementary school children in Libya. It was focused on the study of children's daily food intake, their body measurements, some neuromuscular functions, and their level of aspiration and independence. The subjects for this study were 6-8-year-old children selected from five schools in Tripoli. Libya. From the total number of 264 children, 171 were girls and 93 were boys.

For the collection of data regarding children's physical growth, physical measurements were taken and two tests for determining neuromuscular co-ordination were given. For data concerning children’s socio-psychological development, interview guide and projective tests were used.

The findings revealed that the body measurements indicated a good developmental sequence as compared with the Harvard Standard (16). Mode of children's food habits indicated that lunch was the main meal of the day, breakfast and dinner were light meals, but adequate. The daily dietary intake of children as compared to the recommended dietary allowance of U.S. National Research Council for this age group was acceptable (2). In the projective tests for ascertaining socio-psychological development. it became apparent that there is considerable achievement orientation in the children. In the teacher's rating for children's leadership roles in class group activity, it was evident that as a whole between one-quarter and one-third of children (girls as well as boys) showed leadership qualities.