Abstract:

Preschool age is defined as a period of intensive physical and mental development and is one of the most important periods in the formation of the child's organism. At this age, the foundations of physical and mental health are built, the motor abilities necessary for effective participation in various forms of physical activity are developed, the foundations of healthy behavior and lifestyle are laid.

Aim:
The purpose of this study is to determine the behavior and role of parents in shaping the health status of their children in early childhood with a view to elaboration of a sustainable health-preventive program for harmonious health, physical and mental development.

Material and methods:
The study involved 120 parents who completed a specially designed direct individual questionnaire, including many aspects of children's lifestyles related to health, eating habits, physical activity, behavior and others. A diagnostic was performed of 120 children in the kindergarten "Zdravets" in 2019/2020 aged 4 -7 years. The main anthropometric indicators of the children were measured.

Results and discussion:
According to the parents, the most of children (55,83±6,02%) have a proper diet, with a large part provided by kindergartens. 44,16±6,82% do not follow a certain regimen and eat repeatedly and indiscriminately. The behavior of parents is very important for the health and development of children. The survey shows that 24,16±7,94% of children do not eat breakfast, on holidays the choice of food is determined by their taste preferences in 51,66±6,34%, but only for 30,83±7,59% of the usefulness of food. Consumption of "fast food", pasta, confectionery and carbonated beverages has significantly increased, especially in the pandemic situation associated with Covid 19. Impaired metabolism affects the appetite, and this dependence is realized through the functioning of the psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune system. The role of food supplements and homeopathic medicines as an appropriate regulator is important. More than half of the parents state that the physical activity of the children is "low", they do not spend enough time outdoors with their children and do not play sports in sports clubs outside the kindergarten. Worrying is the fact that children spend more than 2-3 hours a day in front of various electronic devices. Parents point out the internet, television and magazines as the main source of information for building proper eating habits and behavior for a healthy lifestyle. The role of the GP (General practitioner ), the nurse and the teacher in the kindergarten is insufficient.

Conclusions:
In the complex of preventive measures for children in the first place is parental care and ensuring a healthy lifestyle. An optimal approach for the proper physical and mental development of children can be ensured through early screening by medical professionals and offering adequate training programs for children and parents. The role of parents for proper healthy development in early childhood is confirmed.

Acknowledgments:
This study is supported by a research project of Medical University of Plovdiv № HO-7/2020 on "Application of immunostimulatory methods to improve the quality of life in children from 4 to 7 years of age"

Keywords:

Preschool age, parental role, healthy behavior.