Validity study for subjects of national examination for dietitian's license in Korea

National examination for dietitian's license should be reliable and valid to appreciate the ability to carry out the duty as dietitians in diverse area. Thus, it is necessary to investigate whether the present examination accomplishes the task of the evaluation of ability to perform the minimum duty for dietitians. To analyzes the situation, professor in the university, who educate future dietitians, and currently employed dietitians are surveyed for their opinions about the validity of national examination and future directions. Also dietitian's duty analysis, foreign national system for dietitians license, current educational system, and duty analysis in different areas are analyzed. With results of data analysis and the public hearing, subjects for dietitians examination are proposed. The result are following. About current national examination, the average score of survey was 3.14 for overall examination, 3.54 for the reflection of current education, 2.98 for the minimum ability for the dietitian, 2.47 for the problem solving ability, 2.58 for the ability to adapt the environment, 3.27 for knowledge of the study which is necessary for dietitian, 3.27 for the comprehension, 3.18 for the application, 2.74 for the analysis, 2.84 for synthesis and 2.79 for evaluation. Professors and dietitians show the difference which was statistically significant(p<0.05). Among current 9 subjects for examination, food sanitation and clinical dietary therapy had high scores for validity. In the duty analysis (year 2000), distribution for each subjects were 55.58% for nutrition, 33.15% for food service and hygiene, 6.57% for foundation and 3.83% for food and cookery. By the survey result of dietitian in the food service and clinical setting with the duty analysis, distributions for subject which has above 2.0 score for the validity , difficulty, importance, and frequency , were 59.14% for nutrition, 22.43% for food service and hygiene, 10.26% for foundation, 4.03% for food and cookery, and the other appeared with 3.15%. With the fact that items for duty are composed of attitude items 18%, knowledge items 53%, and technical items 29%, current national examination which mostly evaluate knowledge has only 53% degree of the evaluation for the ability to perform at the job. The proportion of opinion which approves the integration of subjects was 80.3% for professors and 78.7% for dietitians. It was visible as approval, the approval rate of the whole 79.6%. For integrations of subjects for the examination and in what kind of form it was done, the investigation of opinion results in 4 subjects areas of foundation, nutrition, food and cookery, and food service and hygienic field. It was the opinion for 31.4% of the respondent.. With these results, it referred to the national examination and set to the making items in 4 subjects areas of foundation, nutrition, food and cookery, and food service and hygienic field. In the future, it is recommended that, even if subjects for the national examination of dietitians are not changed, the number of questions in the examination, the proportion in the item pool, management of pools, should be adjusted by the 4 subject areas.

Analysis and Framing of Dietitian's of Description

This study was conducted as a part of the project developing the standards of national board test for the dietitian's licence. The purpose of this study was to define the job description of dietitians, and to describe the task elements based on the detailed analysis of the dietitians' work. This study team established the research team which was composed of food and nutrition experts, 7 of registered dietitians and 3 of university professors. Draft job description form was made to fully explain the dietitians' task elements, process and sequence by the research team. Final job description form was confirmed after the validity of 576 task elements was reevaluated upon 4 point scale test based on the frequency, importance, and difficulty by 21 field registered dietitian by the study team. It was also confirmed by the university. This form was formated by following DACUM method which analyzed the job description containing duty, task and task elements. It was organized to include every dietitians' work and to describe the every detailed process of work. Duty was defined as the specific and independent work as a dietitian, and was composed of 17 parts, i.e 10 parts in food supply management area and 6 parts in nutritional care service area and self promotion area. Duties were also divided into 99 tasks containing the 576 detailed task elements to describe definite action, steps and decisions. Seventeen parts are following; menu planning, storage and inventory control, food production, meal service, waste management, sanitation, equipment and facility management, human resource management, financial management, nutrition assessment of life cycle, nutritional assessment of several disease, nutritional assessment in specific condition, medical nutrition therapy, nutritional education, public health nutrition and self promotion. If these protocols are properly performed and presented, they can provide the likelihood that dietetics professionals work as a primary contributors in promoting health care and preventing disease nationally.

Analysis of the Frequency, Criticality and Difficulty of Each Job Task Elements for the Validity of the Dietitian`s Job Description

This study was conducted a part of the project developing the standards of national board test for the dietitian's licence. The purpose of this study was to verify the dietitian's job description. To do this the survey was carried out for the frequency, criticality and difficulty of each job description with 4 point scales. The subjects was 521 dietitians, who have been working over 3 years at their position. The results are following ; 1. The each duty, task and task elements are verified with survey results. 2. Duties with high frequency and criticality were menu management, purchasing, storage and stock management, operational management for cooking, system management for distribution and sanitation management. 3. Duties with middle frequency and high criticality were managing equipment and facility, food service management, human resources management and self-development. 4. Duties with low frequency and high criticality were nutritional assessment for life cycles, nutrition therapy, nutrition education and disease management. 5. For difficulty, food service area show lower than of nutrition service area.

Analysis of and Draw up Dietitian`s Job Description

This study was conducted as a part of project developing the standards of the national board test for dietitian's licences. The purpose of this study was to define the job specification for dietitian's job description based on the knowledge, skill, attitude and related to the curriculum. The study team established the research team which composed of 11 person(7 professor in the university and 4 dietitians in hospitals, schools and private firms). The job description composed of 17 duties, 99 tasks and 576 task elements. For each element, the job specifications are written, which composed of introduction, process, required equipments, and required ability. Required ability included knowledge, skill and attitudes. The relations of the knowledge, skill and attitudes with the possible curriculum currently operated in the college or university were analyzed, also. Job specifications for 576 task elements are analyzed and framed.

Survey on Running Smoking, No-Smoking Area in Restaurants in Seoul

Running smoking, no-smoking area in restaurants(n=546) in 25 districts in Seoul area was surveyed and evaluated. No-smoking restaurants were evaluated as A(2.0 points). Restaurants running no-smoking area with guidance to the customers were evaluated as B(1.7 points), and those without guidance as C(1.4 points). In case of the distinction of smoking or no-smoking area are not clear, it was evaluated as D(1.1 points). Restaurants which are not running no-smoking area were scored E(0.8 points). Western style restaurants scored average of 1.55points, which was significantly higher than that of Korean, Chinese or Japanese style ones(average of 1.24~1.27 points). The highest mean score for restaurant 1.625 points in Songpa-gu(district).

The Difference of Biochemical Status, Dietary Habits and Dietary Behaviors according to the Obesity Degree among Obese Children

This study was conducted to find biochemical status, dietary habits and dietary behaviors according to the degree of obesity among obese children, and to provide baseline data for nutrition education. The number of subjects was 64 obese children(Mildly obesed : MI 19, Moderately obese : Mo 30, Severely obese : SI 15) participated in '98 Summer Nutrition Camp'. The results of this study were as follows. 1. Weight and body fat rate was increased according to obesity degree(p<0.05). Total cholesterol and TG also was increased according to obesity degree but it was statistically significant. 2. In dietary habits, it wasn't statistically significant but MI tended to eat fast and to eat the snacks before sleeping. MO tended to skip the breakfast. SI tended to eat more snacks and dinner and they tended to overeat. 3. In cognition of self-weight, most obese children(93.7%) worried about their weight but 73.4% of obese children thought that it was possible for losing weight. There were no difference by the obesity degree. 4. In dietary behaviors, there were no statistically significant difference but MI and SI than MO tended to had worse dietary behaviors. 5. In life styles, SI than the others have tendency to have more regular exercise but they had more indoor activities than outdoor activities. 6. In foods intake frequency, SI than MI and MO ate instant foods more frequently and MI than the others ate hot and salty foods more frequently(p<0.05). With these result, MI and SI than MO tended to have undesirable dietary habits and behaviors. Many obese children worried about the weight but they had positive thought about losing weight. SI tended to do regularly exercise but they had more indoor activities than outdoor activities. Therefore, only with this study, it is difficult to say that there is the clear difference by the obesity degree. Because, in this study, we can have some difference among these groups, we should study more about these difference for effective, systemic and practical nutrition education in the future.

A Study on Dietary Habits, Dietary Behaviors and Body Image Recognition of Nutrition Knowledge after Nutrition Education for Obese Children in Seoul

"The purpose of this study was to obtain basic data of nutrition education for obese children in Seoul and to examine dietary habits, dietary behaviors, and body image recognition before and after nutrition education. A convenience sample of 69(male : 54, female : 15) obese children was selected from "98 Children Nutrition Camp" in Seoul. The survey design employed a structured questionnaires. The results of this study were summarized as follows ; 1. Anthropometric parameters such as height, weight were measured in 69 obese subjects of age 10~12. 2. Effects of nutrition knowledge were gained by dietary habits, dietary behaviors and body image recognition. 3. Comparison of nutrition knowledge scores for obese children was to obtain basic data of effects for nutrition education. "