Length of Unsupervised, Eating Habits, and Academic Performance among children in South Korea

Background: Concerns is growing in South Korea about improper eating habits among children, triggered by recent changes in families and by the overall nutritional environment. Poor eating habits are not simply a health issue, but affect children's cognitive development and scholastic achievement. Against this background, this study explores the association between children's eating habits, length of unsupervised period after school, and academic performance. Methods: Cross-sectional data on 9-11 year-old children (N=1,150) from the “Korea Children and Adolescents National Survey (N=6,900)” was used. Subjects were selected from across the country by a stratified sampling method according to region and age and each subject was interviewed by a trained examiner. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the relationship between length of unsupervised periods, eating habits, and academic performance. Results: In terms of eating habits, about 31% of children were not consuming fruit every day, 28% for vegetables. 32.2% of children were exposed to fast or instant food more than three times per week. These eating habits were significantly influenced by the average number of unsupervised hours after school on weekdays (p=.00). Eating habits significantly affected academic performance (p=.00). The mediation effect of eating habits by Sobel test was significant (p=.00, Sobel test statistic=2.940).Conclusion: Children who are likely to spend time without adults present are more likely to have negative eating habits and reduced performance in academic circumstances. Additional services should focus on promoting appropriate eating habits and ensuring nutritious meals.