Dietary habits, sleep quality and nutritional status among children aged 12 months to 5 years old

Abstract

This study explores the interrelated factors of dietary habits, sleep quality, and nutritional status among children aged 12 months to 5 years old, emphasizing their collective impact on early childhood development and efforts to combat child malnutrition, particularly in developing countries. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational design, the researchers investigated these relationships among 123 randomly selected mothers, aged 20 to 45, from a barangay in Iloilo. Sampling was conducted through purposive and chain-referral methods to ensure accurate representation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank correlation at a 0.05 significance level. The findings showed a statistically significant relationship between dietary habits and body mass index (BMI) (p = .000), indicating that healthier eating practices were associated with higher BMI in children. However, sleep quality showed no significant association with nutritional status (p = .822). Despite many children having healthy diets, deficiencies in dairy, protein, and vegetable intake were noted. Most children experienced good quality sleep, though irregular schedules and excessive gadget use were concerns. Alarmingly, nearly half of the children were underweight, reinforcing the need to promote healthy dietary practices. In summary, while diet significantly impacts nutritional status, sleep quality alone does not, underscoring the need for targeted nutrition-focused interventions to reduce child malnutrition.