Physicians believe that most children’s diseases are caused by the wrong kind of diet. Even while trusting nursery personnel and schoolteachers, parents have no way to check what their children have for lunch at a daycare center or school, the quality of products, how diversified and balanced their diet is. This does not mean that parents do not care about their children’s health. On the contrary, according to a sociological research entitled “Care in Ukrainian Families,” carried out by the Kyiv International Institute for Social Studies (KMIS), 85 percent of the parents see care for children precisely in keeping them on a healthy diet. More than 2,000 respondents residing in 110 populated areas in all oblasts of Ukraine were interviewed on an individual basis.
A HEALTHY MIND IN HEALTHY FOOD
It transpired that Ukrainians are anything by an egocentric nation. Most respondents place care for someone else first, rather than themselves (56 percent point to children). Only elders, young people, and those who, when interviewed, had no one to care for, stated they cared for themselves. For most respondents care for close and dear ones primarily means taking care of their health (55%). Sociologist noted yet another thing: many respondents refer to material well-being as the key factor that helps them take care of their close and dear ones. Regrettably, a considerably smaller part of the population understands care for fellow humans as an expression of feelings, securing psychological comfort, spending leisure and rest together. Fifty-three percent mentioned regular rest as a manifestation of care; 33 percent referred to regular medical checkups and exercises.
Proceeding from this data, the researchers decided to determine the essence of a healthy diet for Ukrainians. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents pointed to juice, fruit, and vegetables as the main guarantee of good health. Dairy products occupy an important place in the Ukrainian diet (69%). Most of the population consider lean meat, fish, products with bran, cereals, and mineral water to be the most important foodstuffs. Quite a few Ukrainians — in most cases men — stress the importance of abstinence. Women say it’s worth quitting fat and fried food, sweets, pastries, and concentrating on vitamins and bio-additives. (What do they actually do?) Most respondents — parents of small children of up to 12 years of age — agree that care for children’s health is different from care for adults. A number of respondents claim others should take care of children’s health: 37 percent point to doctors; a considerable number, to the manufacturers of foods, toys, and stationery.
One-fifth of the population (some 64 percent) believes that nursery personnel and schoolteachers also have an effect on children’s health, as they must take special care of their healthy diet. Among the main forms of care on the part of school personnel, parents single out an optimum allotment of time for work and rest, safety measures during outdoor games and PT classes, comfortable studying conditions: comfortable desks, ventilation and lighting in the classroom. Almost 39 percent of the respondents consider that children’s health depends on the time allotted for lessons in healthy lifestyle.
GAMES WILL TEACH TO CARE FOR HEALTH
A healthy lifestyle campaign will have positive results when conducted in an informal and unobtrusive manner. According to the sociological study, 57% of the respondents refer to games as the most effective way of instruction for children. Introducing games in the teaching process will help get children accustomed to taking care of their health. In the respondents’ opinion, lectures on a healthy lifestyle, discussions with physicians or other specialists, reading special literature and watching educational films are considerably less effective. Says Lidia Shcherbakova, senior specialist with the department for general educational secondary and preschool education at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine: “These findings by sociologists made us assume that it is worth introducing special educational drama plays in the school curriculum to promote a healthy lifestyle. Games as a form of teaching are supported by parents (83%), for seeing is believing. Memory action will be much stronger is the child enjoys attending such classes.
The first such educational performance, teaching children of Grades 1-4 to brush their teeth, wash their hands, do morning exercises, and a great many other elementary rules making up healthy lifestyle, was a success in Vinnytsia, as part of the All-Ukrainian Project “Learning to Stay Healthy.” According to the project coordinator, Natalia Komziuk, children in all cities with a million residents and a number of raion centers will soon meet with the merry actors. The organizers plan to stage plays in Feb.-March 2008, time when the child’s organism requires vitamins contained in health food. The plays will remind them of this.
Lidia Shcherbakova says that the curriculum for junior grades includes only one subject, the Fundamentals of Health, that explains to children what health, healthy lifestyle are all about, and other important notions. Experts believe that one hour a week — precisely the time allotted for this subject — is not enough for raising a healthy generation, and so specialists in the sphere of education are planning special recommendations for schools all over Ukraine to introduce such educational plays as an additional subject.
