A survey of 78 children, aged 5 to 6 years old, of the Bong Cheon day care center, located in the upland, overpopulated, poor area of the city of Seoul, was conducted´ from September 3 to October 15, 1983, to investigate dietary and nutritional status, and prevalence of parasitic infection. The results are summarized as follows:
House size was 12.9 pyung; number of households per house, 2.2; number of family members per household, 5.4; and number of family members living together per room, 4.5 ; on the average. Only forty-nine percent of households owned their homes, and the others lived in rented houses. About 42% of mothers were engaged in income-generating activities within or outside of the home.
Mean values of height, weight, arm circumference, girth of chest, and head circumference ranged from 95.0 to 100.2% of KIST mean. However, 13.5% of the subjects were assessed as under nourished in terms of `weight for height´. Mean hemoglobin value was i3.2-?-1.Og/dl, and mean hematocrit value was 37.4±2.6% ; 12.5% of the subjects were proven to be anemic according to the criteria of hematocrit by the WHO.
The positive prevalence of parasitic infection was 19.5%, significantly higher than that observed in any other day care center of Seoul. Intakes of energy and nutrients except niacin and ascorbic acid were far below RDAs. Carbohydrates provided 71.5% of total energy intake; protein accounted for 11.8%; fat provided 16.7%. Energy intake was divided among breakfast, lunch, evening meal and snack, on the average, 21: 20: 23: 36.
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