Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Med. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005.

No description available.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Applied Science in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, 2015. / Introduction: According to the American Dietetic Association, Child care facilities (CCFs) play an essential role in the nutritional status of children as children typically spend 4-8 hours a day at a facility. As a result, the meals should provide at least 50 – 60% of daily nutritional requirements. Worldwide CCF feeding has been found to be nutritionally inadequate as energy and most micronutrient requirements are not met by the meals provided, due to the lack of nutrition knowledge of the caregivers. Studies have shown that with appropriate training there has been improvement in nutritional standards. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the nutritional adequacy of menus offered; and to determine the nutritional status of children aged two to five years old in registered child care facilities in the Inanda area. Methodology: CCFs (n=10) in the Inanda area were randomly selected from multiple options to participate in the study. This study was conducted on children (boys (n= 91) and girls (n=109)) of ages two to five years old. Trained fieldworkers and teachers assisted in interviewing parents to complete the socio-demographic questionnaire. The researcher gathered menus and recipes for analysis, using Foodfinder Version 3 Software. The researcher also conducted plate-waste studies to determine consumption patterns during CCF meal times. Anthropometric measurements for weight and height were collected. In order to establish BMI-for-age and height-for-age, the WHO Anthro Software and WHO AnthroPlus Software were used. Ten food handlers (FHs) were interviewed by the researcher on food preparation and serving. Results: Most children (79.40%) originate from extended families that are female-headed. The highest form of education attained by most caregivers in the sample is standard 10 (47.74%) and 45.73% are unemployed. Of the 54.27% employed, 64.71% are informally employed. Most respondents (72.87%) are living on a total household income of less than R2500. The anthropometric results of the children show very low prevalence of severe stunting (1.74%) and stunting (5.42%). Less than halve (34.48%) of the children were at a possible risk of being overweight, 13.79% were overweight and 2.46% obese. The top 20 foods served in CCFs in Inanda were cereal-based staples of rice and maize meal more frequently than meat, dairy products and fruit and vegetables – all served far less frequently. All the CCFs did not meet the 60% of daily requirements for energy, fibre, calcium and vitamin C in foods served. The CCFs have well-equipped, designated kitchens for food storage, preparation, serving and good hygiene practices. Conclusion: Meals served to two to five year olds in registered CCFs in the Inanda area are nutritionally inadequate as most facilities do not contain 60% of the daily nutrient requirements from both daily meals served. Recommendations: CCF owners and Food handlers should receive proper training and retraining on food safety and hygiene and menu planning. The government should increase the subsidy to CCFs in order to meet the nutritional needs of children in order to aid in the alleviation of under-nutrition.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Thesis (MA) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of the present study was to explore the nature of pre-school parenting in a low to average socio-economic target suburb in the Goodwood Municipal area. Specific attention was given to the main parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian or permissive) utilized by the sample of parents of pre-school children included in this research. Attention was also given to 11 specific parenting dimensions included in the parenting styles and to the levels of psychological control utilized by the sample parents included. The relationship between parenting and certain biographical variables, such as culture and gender of the child, as well as with the specific developmental outcome of expressed fears in their pre-school children was also investigated. Data on the expressed fears, with regard to number, as reported by the pre-school children, was obtained in a related study (Keller, in press). Participants in the current study (N=91) included the fathers (n=43) and mothers (n=48) of the pre-school children (N=50) utilized in the related study (Keller, in press). Measures included a Biographical Questionnaire, the Parenting Styles & Dimensions Questionnaire (PSD) and the Psychological Control Scale. The study revealed that the majority of pre-school parents in this low to average socioeconomic status area predominantly utilized an authoritative parenting style, complemented by high levels of responsiveness, warmth and support, and low levels of psychological control. Further exploration revealed that psychological controlling parenting style characteristic of parents in this target area, reflects non-reasoning or punitive parenting in both fathers and mothers, while highly responsive mothers exhibit low levels of psychological control. Consistent with previous South African research, similarities in parenting outweighed the differences (Gerdes, Coetzee & Cronjé, 1996). Firstly, the study revealed a significant positive correlation between paternal and maternal parenting. Secondly, the study revealed that no statistically significant cross-cultural differences exist between parenting utilized by the white and coloured pre-school parents included in this research. Furthermore, besides mothers reporting higher democratic participation in parenting with the pre-school girls than boys, no other cross-gender differences exist between paternal and maternal parenting style, the included dimensions and psychological control. Contrary to previous research linking permissive parenting to internalizing behaviour in pre-school children (Hart et al., 1995), a positive relationship was found between maternal authoritative parenting style and the amount of expressed fears (r=O.35; p<O.05) in pre-school children. To validate these findings, it is necessary to measure other internalizing behaviours in pre-school children as well. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoelwit van die huidige studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die aard van ouerskap in "n lae tot middel sosio-ekonomiese teiken-area in die Goodwood Munisipale gebied. Spesifieke aandag is geskenk aan die tipe ouerskapstyl (outoritatief, outoritêr of permissief) wat die meeste benut word deur die steekproef ouers van voorskoolse kinders. Aandag is ook geskenk aan 11 spesifieke ouerskapdimensies wat deur die bogenoemde ouerskapstyle omvat word en ook aan die vlakke van psigologiese beheer wat kenmerkend is van ouerskap deur die steekproef ouers ingesluit in die studie. Die verhouding tussen ouerskap en die biografiese veranderlikes soos kultuur en geslag van die kind en ook die spesifieke ontwikkelingsuitkoms van gerapporteerde vrese deur die voorskoolse kinders van die steekproef ouers, is ook ondersoek. Data van toepassing op die aantal gerapporteerde vrese van die voorskoolse kinders is ingesamel tydens 'n verwante studie (Keller, in druk). Deelnemers aan die huidige studie (N=91) het die vaders (n=43) en moeders (n=48) van die voorskoolse kinders (N=50) wat in die verwante studie geselekteer is, ingesluit (Keller, in druk). Meetinstrumente wat aangewend is tydens data-insameling in die huidige studie het 'n Biografiese vraelys, die Parenting Styles & Dimensions Questionnaire (PSD) en die Psychological Control Scale ingesluit. Die studie het bevind dat die meerderheid voorskoolse ouers in hierdie lae - tot middel klas sosio-ekonomiese area oorwegend 'n outoritatiewe ouerskapstyl benut, wat aangevul word deur hoë vlakke van responsiwiteit, warmte en ondersteuning, en lae vlakke van psigologiese beheer. Verdere ondersoek het aan die lig gebring dat psigologiese beheer deur ouers in hierdie teikenarea gekenmerk word deur nieredenerende of strawwende ouerskap in beide vaders en moeders, terwyl hoogresponsiewe moeders lae vlakke van psigologiese beheer toon. In ooreenstemming met vorige Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing, het ooreenkomste in ouerskap ook in hierdie studie verskille oortref (Gerdes, Coetzee & Cronjé, 1996). Eerstens het die studie' n positiewe korrelasie tussen paterna Ie en maternale ouerskap uitgelig. Tweedens het die studie aan die lig gebring dat daar nie beduidende kruiskulturele verskille tussen ouerskap van die steekproef blanke en gekleurde ouers bestaan nie. Behalwe vir moeders wat meer demokratiese deelname rapporteer tydens ouerskap van die voorskoolse dogters as seuns, is geen ander geslagsverskille ten opsigte van hantering van voorskoolse seuns en dogters gemeld tussen maternale en paterna Ie ouerskapstyl, die ingeslote dimensies en psigologiese beheer nie. In teenstelling met vorige navorsing wat permissiewe ouerskap verbind aan internaliserende gedrag in voorskoolse kinders (Hart et al., 1995), het die huidige studie 'n -positiewe verhouding gevind tussen maternale demokratiese ouerskapstyl en die aantal vrese gerapporteer deur die voorskoolse kinders (r=O.35; p<O.05). Verdere navorsing wat ook ander internaliserende gedrag in voorskoolse kinders meet, is nodig om hierdie bevindinge te valideer.

Thesis (M.A.) -- Stellenbosch University , 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary aim of this study was to establish the content and number of the fears expressed by pre-school children in a low to middle class socio-economic area. In South Africa, a similar study has only been undertaken in a high class socio-economic area (Martalas, 1999). A further aim of this study was to establish whether there were differences in the fears expressed by the participants and, if so, whether these differences correlate with specific biographical variables. A predominantly qualitative method of data collection was used in this research. The data was collected by conducting a semi-structured interview with the participants and obtaining drawings of their fears. The sample included 50 pre-school children between the ages of 5 and 7 years attending 3 preschools in a low to middle class socio-economic area. The broad non-verbal intelligence functioning of the participants were measured by the Goodenough-Harris-Draw-a-Man test (Richter, Griesel en Wortley, 1989). The average non-verbal intelligence functioning of the participants was low average according to the DAM norms. The data was analysed quantitatively. The content and number of fears, as reported by the selected group of pre-school children in the low to middle class socio-economic area, were established and grouped into existing categories. Furthermore the relationship between the number of expressed fears, with regard to content and number, and the three biographical variables, gender, socio-economic status and parent report, was established. Accordingly, differences between and correlations with biographical variables regarding race, parental marital positions, sibling structures, education of parents, their working patterns and the fears reported by parents, as well as by the participants were calculated quantitatively. The method of combining a semi-structured interview with participants and drawings of their fears proved to be successful, as none of the participants reported no fears. The results of this research showed that the content of the fears was similar in many ways to that of previous research results. Animal fears, at 57,24 % of all the fears expressed by the participants, comprised by far the largest category of fears. The number of the expressed fears ranged from 1 to 10 per participant, and the average number of fears per participant was 2,9. This figure was lower than the average number of fears found in previous South African research (Martalas, 1999). Consistent with previous research, the current study showed that girls (63,45 %) had reported more fears than boys (36,55 %). In the current study however, this difference was not statistically significant. Some gender differences were statistically significant in that girls reported more fears of wild animals than boys and boys reported more fears in the category "other" fears (for example a fan, a brick, a bomb, an accident and videos) than girls. Although these results differ from South African research by Martalas (1999) research, it is similar to most other research results. Parents reported fewer fears than the participants and they also reported the category "medical", which the participants did not mention. Parents also reported more fears for girls than for the boys. The researcher concludes with some recommendations for further studies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre doel van die onderhawige studie was om die inhoud en aantal vrese soos uitgedruk deur voorskoolse kinders in 'n lae tot middel sosio-ekonomiese statusgebied te bepaal. So 'n studie is in die verlede slegs in 'n hoë sosio-ekonomiese statusgebied in Suid-Afrika gedoen (Martalas, 1999). 'n Newe-doelstelling van die onderhawige studie was om vas te stelof daar verskille is tussen die vrese soos uitgedruk deur die deelnemers en, indien wel, of hierdie verskille verband hou met sekere biografiese veranderlikes. In die onderhawige navorsing is 'n oorwegend kwalitatiewe metode van datainsameling gebruik. Die data is ingesamel deur gebruik te maak van 'n semigestruktureerde onderhoud met die deelnemers, terwyl hulle terselfdertyd tekeninge gemaak het van dit wat hulle vrees. Die teikengroep was 50 voorskoolse kinders tussen die ouderdomme van 5 en 7 jaar wat drie kleuterskole in 'n lae tot middel sosioekonomiese status gebied bygewoon het. Die deelnemers se benaderde nie-verbale intellektuele funksionering is met behulp van die Goodenough-Harris-Draw-a-Man toets (Richter, Griesel en Wortley, 1989) bepaal. Die deelnemers het In oorwegend laag gemiddelde skaaltelling volgens die DAM norms (Harris, 1963) getoon. Die data is kwantitatief geanaliseer. Die inhoud en aantal vrese, soos deur die geselekteerde groep voorskoolse kinders in 'n lae tot middel sosio-ekonomiese statusgebied gerapporteer, is bepaal. Dit is in samehang met veranderlikes naamlik geslag, sosio-ekonomiese status en ouerrapportering gedoen. Die inhoud en aantal vrese, soos deur die deelnemers gerapporteer, is daarna volgens bestaande kategorieë ingedeel. Vervolgens is verskille tussen, en korrelasies met biografiese veranderlikes, soos geslag, huwelikstatus, sibbestruktuur, opvoeding en werkpatroon van ouers, ouerrapportering van vrese by hul kinders en die vrese wat die deelnemers gerapporteer het, kwantitatief bepaal. http://scholar.sun.ac.za/ IV Die metode om gebruik te maak van 'n kombinasie van die teken van vrese en 'n semigestruktureerde onderhoud met die deelnemers was suksesvol, aangesien daar geen deelnemers was wat nie gerespondeer het nie. Die resultate van die onderhawige navorsing het getoon dat die inhoud van die vrese in baie opsigte ooreengestem het met die van ander navorsingsbevindings. Gerapporteerde vrese vir diere, wat 57,24 % van al die genoemde vrese verteenwoordig het, was by uitstek die grootste kategorie van vrese. Die aantal vrese wat genoem is, het gestrek van 1 tot lOper deelnemer en die gemiddelde aantal vrese per deelnemer was 2,9. Dit was egter minder as by vorige Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing van dieselfde ouderdomsgroep volgens die navorsing van Martalas (1999). In ooreenstemming met die meeste navorsingsresultate, het meisies In die onderhawige studie meer vrese (63,45 %) as 'seuns (36,55 %) gerapporteer, hoewel hierdie verskil nie statisties beduidend was nie. Sommige geslagverskille was statisties beduidend in die sin dat meisies meer vrese vir wilde diere as seuns en seuns meer in die kategorie "ander" vrese, soos byvoorbeeld vir 'n waaier, 'n baksteen, bomme, om omgery te word en videos, as meisies gerapporteer het. Hoewel dit van Martalas (1999) se navorsingsresultate verskil, is dit in ooreenstemming met die meeste ander navorsingsbevindinge. Ouers het minder vrese namens hulle kinders as die deelnemers self gerapporteer en vrese is in die kategorie "medies" gerapporteer wat nie deur die deelnemers self gerapporteer is nie. Ouers het ook meer vrese namens die meisies as namens die seuns gerapporteer. Enkele aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing word ten slotte gemaak.

This dissertation provides a review of the literature and three studies related to home media environments and parent characteristics, attitudes, and media guidance for a group of preschool-aged children. The studies used a cross-sectional survey (N = 356) parents conducted at public health district WIC clinics over three weeks during 2008. In the first study, parents reported children’s media use, child and family characteristics, and the home media environment. Child’s age category (β = .495, p=.000) and the location of a TV or game console in the child’s room (β=.68, p = .000) predicted the number of media channels used by the child. The likelihood of activity-promoting media use was highest for two-and three-year-old children. The second study used structural equation modeling to examine child and parent characteristics, parent attitudes and home media density associated with time with media for 237 low-income Hispanic children aged six to 60 months. Results reflected significant relationships among parent media attitudes, home media density, and children’s time with TV, DVDs, and videogames. Parent attitudes and media density mediated children’s time with activity-promoting media. The third study examined the relationships of parent media guidance to media attitudes and children’s age and weight risk status. The study sample (n = 257) included low-income, primarily Hispanic, parents of children aged 12 to 72 months, with surveys matched to children’s weight measurements. Factor analysis and structural equation modeling reflected that parent media guidance was comprised of restrictive and promotive factors. Child age and child weight risk category were associated with promotive guidance, and child weight risk was negatively associated with parents’ health locus of control beliefs. These media use patterns imply that young children will use home screen media that promote physical activity. Interventions geared to reduce young children’s time with media as part of obesity prevention efforts should consider parent attitudes and beliefs concerning media and their children’s health as well as the health-promoting potential of the media children are using. / text