Mothers' Perceptions on Preschool Children's Food Preference, Efforts in Improving Food Intake and Their Beliefs in Food Selection / 대한지역사회영양학회지

In an attempt to investigate mothers' perceptions of factors affecting preschool children's food preferences, their policy improving food intake and belief in food selection, in-depth interviews with 30 mothers who had preschool children were conducted in Daegu and Busan. The interviews were tape-recorded and the contents of interviews were analysed by researchers. Most mothers and children liked meats. It was found that children usually disliked vegetables such as onions, carrots, and green onions. Mothers perceived that many factors affected their children's food preferences: mothers' and fathers' food preferences, food offering at meals, mothers' food intake during pregnancy, children's food intake during weaning period, heredity, peer pressure, and advertisements on television. Mothers made efforts to improve childrens food intakes in many ways: change of cooking method, emphasizing function of nutrients and food for health, conciliation and enforcement, and comparison to other children. The most affecting belief for mothers in food selection was family members' food preference. Health, balance in nutrient intake, degree of food processes, food additives, chemicals, convenience, diversity, and economy were also important beliefs to select food. Convenience was especially the primary belief in choosing and preparing children's snacks. Mothers offered frozen dumplings and meat, instant noodles, tuna, and ham for snacks for convenience. These results showed that mothers understood many aspects affecting children's food preference, tried to improve children's food intakes, and had several beliefs in food selection. We concluded that it is necessary to give information for mothers to make healthy snacks in a short time and chance to learn cooking skills.

The Effect of Individualized Nutritional Education on Adults having two or more Symptoms of Chronic Degenerative Disease / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was intended to evaluate the overall effects of nutritional education on adults having two or more symptoms of chronic degenerative disease. A nine week nutritional education program was provided for 65 adults with chronic diseases. We assessed the changes in dietary knowledge, eating behavior and socio-psychological factors. When we evaluated the nutrient intakes of the subjects, their energy intake was 79.4% of the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). Their dietary intake of other nutrients was also below the RDA level except for Vitamin C. Their knowledge of dietary therapy was slightly improved after the implementing of nutritional education. The dietary behavior of 'night snacks before sleep' was significantly improved. While the overall fear due to disease was significantly increased, self-efficacy was not improved. Self-efficacy for eating "three regular meals" and "choosing fruit, vegetable and grain" were significantly decreased. Family support for "buying food which is good for my health" was also significantly increased, whereas "advises me to eat appropriate foods for health" was decreased. Biochemical analysis indicated that blood levels of triglyceride, cholesterol and blood pressure improved after nutrition education. Therefore, we concluded that nutritional education program for people with chronic degenerative diseases could change the diet therapy knowledge, dietary behavior, and the fear due to disease, support from family and behavior intention toward the direction to improve the chronic disease condition. However, it did not improve self-efficacy. Our study also indicated that nutritional education strategies to improve self-efficacy should be an important aspect in a long term education plan for patients to establish desirable eating habits.

A Case of Congenital Chylothorax in a Premature Infant

We experienced a case of isolated fetal pleural effusion diagnosed by antenatal ultrasonogram in the 33th week of gestational age. Chest PA at birth showed massive pleural effusion in both lungs. The serous pleural fluid changed to a milky nature after feeding so we diagnosed it as congenital chylothorax. The infant was managed by chest tube drainage, NPO & TPN with good response and was discharged on the 28th hospital day. We report the case with a brief review of its related literature.