Milan Kuchta
Introduction: The principles of healthy nutrition (e.g. principles issued by the World Health Organization) are based
on the scientifically investigated and in the practice proven knowledge. So, it is a scientific approach, which the prevailing
majority of professionals in the field of medicine and nutrition accept, follow and promote. Those principles are
also common and freely available for inhabitants. However, the sources of information on nutrition, eating and its importance
for health and prevention of diseases are various and not always scientific, correct, sometimes even harmful.
For the next period, the Slovak Pediatric Society has as a priority educational field and also nutrition of children -
the Initiative of the First 1000 days, n.o., as a goal to spread the knowledge about the importance of healthy nutrition
in the first thousand days for the life-long health. The need to verify the present state of nutrition of infants and toddlers
in the out-patient department of paediatricians led to cooperation with SPS - a partner and guarantor of the Initiative
and realization of the subsequent survey.
Aim: To find out the present state in the activities of paediatricians in nutrition of children in the first three years of life.
To find out the opinion of paediatricians about nutrition in the population of children in their district.
Material and methods: Questionnaire survey via a quantitative method (survey questionnaire) and also qualitative
method (structured interview), among general practitioners for children and adolescents) a representative group of 135
respondents, 117 women and 18 men, at the age), performed in the period from 10 April to 20 June 2018, by a certified
agency dedicated to the analysis of media market and creation of communication content.
Results: More than 77% of paediatricians assign special importance to questions of nutrition and pay attention to the tasks
during regular check-ups until two years of a child. Almost 60% of paediatricians dedicate approximately 1/3 of the time of
regular check-up to the topic of nutrition, but almost 27 % dedicated the time to nutrition just if needed. As the biggest drawbacks
in the children nutrition, paediatricians consider the surplus of sugar in the nutrition, incorrect implementation of side
dish, insufficient variety in food, excessive salt in the food, lack of dairy products. Majority of paediatricians inclines to nutrition
adequate for the age in the form of dairy formulas. However, the regional differences occurred mainly in case of social
disproportions - in poorer regions they recommended the change directly to cow milk. Overall, approximately 1/3 of mothers
is even extremely interested in the questions of nutrition, 1/3 normally and rationally, the rest does not show any interest.
As the biggest drawbacks in children up to 2 years paediatricians mainly see in the increasing overweight, lack of physical
activity, being fussy in food, incorrect drinking regimen and lack of sleep. After the evaluation of the whole group of paediatricians,
the order of sources of information about nutrition are that the most important source for paediatricians are congresses
and seminars (82.6 %), journals (67.4%), the internet (37%) and also autodidactic tests (17.4%).
Conclusion: In the pilot project, done in the cooperation of several cooperating organizations, we consider as an important
the source of information in detecting the needs, pluses and minuses in the field of education of pediatricians
in the issues of infants and toddlers, also for further criteria in this field. It is mainly related to problems of immunity
support via nutrition and healthy food and nutrition of premature babies.
An important problem in the work of pediatricians are fashion trends in nutrition, which significantly influence mother’s behaviour.
Doctors perceive the issues of nutrition as important. However, they encounter parents’ lack of interest or, vice versa,
interest in alternative eating. Therefore, health education should be aimed to public and more significant entrance of
professionals into media. The outcomes of the research point to inevitability to continue in continual education of professionals,
as well as in the spread of public awareness in the questions of nutrition for infants and toddlers among parents.