Analysis of home and school nutrition among 7-year-old children in Moscow according to the WHO research program (COSI)

BACKGROUND: Childhood overweight and obesity are associated with diseases in adulthood: metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and some types of cancer. In 2006, WHO initiated the European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), according to which a survey of Moscow first-graders was conducted in 2017. The  publications of the Initiative participants presented general characteristics of the Russian sample along with similar indicators of other countries participating in the Initiative, while the collected Russian data allow for a more detailed analysis.

AIM: To characterize the nutrition of 7-year-old children in Moscow at home and at school.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The epidemiological study was conducted at the National Medical Research Center of Endocrinology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in 2017 as part of the COSI program. The study included 7-year-old children studying in one of the first grades of 68 randomly selected Moscow schools. The study was conducted in accordance with the COSI study protocol; parent and school questionnaire forms were filled in.

RESULTS: The study included 2,166 7-year-old children (1,068 boys and 1,098 girls). At home, 82% of children receive fresh fruit daily or 4–6 times a week, 72% receive vegetables, 64% receive dairy products, and 81% receive meat. 37% of children never receive soft drinks with added sugar, 62% — flavored milk, 79% — diet or "light" soft drinks, 55% — low-fat milk, and 29% — whole fat milk. 46% of children receive fish 1–3 times a week. At school, water is freely available for 86% of children, tea for 35%, fresh fruit for 67%, and vegetables for 55% of children. For 61% of children, a course on rational nutrition is conducted at school, or this topic is presented as a separate lesson, or is integrated into other educational activities. Two thirds of children at school are free from exposure to advertising and marketing.

CONCLUSION: For the first time, detailed results of an epidemiological study of 7-year-old children in Moscow under the COSI program are presented: assessment of the frequency of consumption of various food products at home and at school.

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