Nutritional Education Status and Recognition of the Importance of Elementary School Dietitians in the Gyeongnam Area / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was carried out to investigate the nutritional education status and the recognition of the importance of elementary school dietitians (N=183) in the Gyeongnam area. The results are summarized as follows. All subjects took part in nutritional education program, but the educational methods were passive, as in the case of "home correspondence" (80.8%) and "bulletin board poster" (16.4%), and the education frequency was very low as in "one time/month" (90.2%). The subjects thought "as an independent subject" (41.5%) and "as a related subjects" (35.1%) were suitable teaching venues for the nutritional education. They were very low in individual counseling (4.5%) for school children because of "lack of opportunity" (42.2%) and "heavy work load" (24.1%). However, most of the subjects wished that nutritional counseling could offered in the future (95.5%). The parents' experience of nutritional education was also low (34.3%). Information sources for nutritional education were mainly the "internet" (53.1%) and "re-educational materials" (25.0%). The available instructional materials included "printed materials" (96.7%), "exhibition bulletin materials" (70.3%) and "electronic materials" (46.4%). The preferred education materials were "exhibition bulletin materials" (32.2%), "printed materials" (29.2%), and "electronic materiaThis study was carried ls" (27.7%). However, materials they wished to purchase were "electronic materials" (54.5%) and "cubic materials" (26.0%). These results show a difference between the preferred materials and the possessed materials. Most school dietitians (98.4%) recognized the necessity of nutritional education with respect to "good table manners" (42.0%), "correction of food prejudices" (30.3%), and "proper nutrition for growth" (21.0%). Although they had a great interest in nutritional education, they had difficulty in cutting their learning into practice because of "heavy work load" (30.9%), "lack of a systematic curriculum" (25.2%), and "lack of a educational opportunity" (22.8%). Ninety five percent of subjects wished to have nutrition education taught as an independent subject. They pointed out "kindergarten" (60.0%) and "lower grades in elementary school" (33.9%) as the optimal starting times for nutritional education and "school dietitians" (91.3%) as suitable teachers for these programs. The required topics chosen by the subjects for nutritional education for children were "proper eating habits" (54.2%) and "nutritional problem" (31.5%). The dietitians thought "food prejudices" (44.7%), "eat too much processed and instant foods" (36.5%), and "obesity" (11.8%) were the most common nutritional problems among elementary school children. These results suggest the necessity of solving the nutritional problems in children by developing a nutritional education program. Along with this program, if dietitian assisted programs for parents were developed, the effects of nutritional education could definitely be increased.

Effect of Nutrition Education Program on Nutrition Knowledge, Dietary Diversity of Elementary School Children / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to promote health for elementary school children. It was conducted with a 7 week program focused on the teaching of the food tower and evaluation of its educational effects. Subjects consisted of 75 boys and girls (control group : 37, treatment group : 38) in the 4th grade of elementary school. The results showed as follows. The proportion of boys was a little higher than that of girls. Of their mothers age, the thirties and forties were 66.7% and 33.3%, respectively. 61.3% of mothers had jobs and 86.7% of mothers prepared meals. The average of the anthropometric data of the 2 groups show were all in the normal range. The degree of nutritional knowledge in treatment group after education was significantly increased in all concepts, however, the degree of the control group appeared to show significant increase in only two concepts, such as "snack" and "one-sided diet". The diversity of dietary intake was investigated to evaluate the educational effect using food picture cards. The treatment group showed significant increase in all food groups except "cooked rice", "potatoes" and "fruits", but the control group showed no significant change. The level of nutrition knowledge has a significant correlation with the diversity of the food intake in the treatment group. The preferred lesson for children were "games", "doll playing" and "role playing". The impressive lesson contents were "diverse food intake without one-sided diet", "eating breakfast everyday", "choosing good snacks for health" and "eating less procesed food". These findings indicate that a well-designed program for nutrition education can help to change food habits, and that childrens education helps them to grow and to live as healthy adults. The performance of an educational program for preventive nutrition is more beneficial for children than for the adults based on the cost reduction and effect of this education.

Effect of Nutrition Education Program on Nutrition Knowledge, Dietary Diversity of Elementary School Children / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to promote health for elementary school children. It was conducted with a 7 week program focused on the teaching of the food tower and evaluation of its educational effects. Subjects consisted of 75 boys and girls (control group : 37, treatment group : 38) in the 4th grade of elementary school. The results showed as follows. The proportion of boys was a little higher than that of girls. Of their mothers age, the thirties and forties were 66.7% and 33.3%, respectively. 61.3% of mothers had jobs and 86.7% of mothers prepared meals. The average of the anthropometric data of the 2 groups show were all in the normal range. The degree of nutritional knowledge in treatment group after education was significantly increased in all concepts, however, the degree of the control group appeared to show significant increase in only two concepts, such as "snack" and "one-sided diet". The diversity of dietary intake was investigated to evaluate the educational effect using food picture cards. The treatment group showed significant increase in all food groups except "cooked rice", "potatoes" and "fruits", but the control group showed no significant change. The level of nutrition knowledge has a significant correlation with the diversity of the food intake in the treatment group. The preferred lesson for children were "games", "doll playing" and "role playing". The impressive lesson contents were "diverse food intake without one-sided diet", "eating breakfast everyday", "choosing good snacks for health" and "eating less procesed food". These findings indicate that a well-designed program for nutrition education can help to change food habits, and that childrens education helps them to grow and to live as healthy adults. The performance of an educational program for preventive nutrition is more beneficial for children than for the adults based on the cost reduction and effect of this education.