Dietary Behaviours Among Han, Tujia and Miao Primary School Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Chongqing, China

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Exploring the differences of children’s dietary behaviours from different nationalities could provide a reference for targeted nutritional interventions. This study aims to assess the dietary behaviours among Han, Tujia and Miao primary school students and the differences among the ethnic groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey included 556 primary school students (249 Han, 76 Tujia and 231 Miao students) aged 6–13 years from the representative minority areas of Chongqing, China. Data were collected with a self-administered or one-on-one interview-based questionnaire encompassing questions on sociodemographics, eating habits and dietary intake. Eating habits and dietary intake were categorized into health-protective and health-risk dietary behaviours. χ(2) tests were conducted to examine the differences in eating habits and dietary intake among the three ethnic groups. Forward stepwise logistic regression models were performed to check the factors affecting dietary intake. RESULTS: Fewer than half of the students had health-protective dietary behaviours in terms of rice, fruit, fish, eggs and milk intake. Compared with Han students, Tujia students were more likely to meet the recommended intake of vegetables (OR = 2.13, 95% CI [1.22–3.69]), less likely to meet the recommended intake of meat (OR = 0.58, 95% CI [0.35–0.94]) and fish (OR = 0.55, 95% CI [0.32–0.94]); Miao students were more likely to meet the recommended intake of vegetables (OR = 1.73, 95% CI [1.20–2.51]), fruits (OR = 1.62, 95% CI [1.16–2.28]) and water (OR = 1.59, 95% CI [1.12–2.26]) than those of Han students. CONCLUSION: The low proportion of health-protective dietary behaviours among primary school students from Han, Tujia and Miao ethnicities was found in this study. There were differences in dietary behaviours among the three ethnic groups. This study could provide a reference for implementing national dietary guidelines in consideration of socioeconomic status, ways of preparing and consuming foods, traditional foods and customs of different ethnic groups.