ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of a nutrition education focused on Food Exchange System for the higher grades elementary children. Nutrition education lessons (40 min/lesson, 4 times), '5 major nutrients and functions', '6 food groups', 'daily needed energy and food exchange units', 'good choice of snacks and balanced exercise' were provided to elementary students (5th grade students). This research was based on the data from two groups of elementary school children in the 'education' group (n = 31) and 'non-education' group (n = 31). We assessed the changes in dietary attitude, food habit and nutrition knowledge using questionnaire and nutrient intake using 24hr recall method by nutrition education using the developed pamphlet. After education, there was a significant difference in the dietary attitude score only in attitude of 'balanced meal' (p < 0.001) in the education group compared to the non-education group. In food habit, there were significant positive changes in the type of breakfast and in the priority of choosing snack in the educated group. In nutrition knowledge, there were significant increases in scores of 'function of carbohydrate' (p < 0.05), 'function of fat' (p < 0.01), 'function of vitamin' (p < 0.01), 'foods of carbohydrate' (p < 0.01), and 'foods of vitamin' (p < 0.01) in the educated group. After education,carbohydrate: protein: fat (CPF) ratio was significantly different between the two groups (education group, 59 : 16 : 26 vs. non-education group, 63 : 15 : 23). In evaluation of nutrient intake by Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs), there were significant positive effects in energy (p < 0.05), thiamin (p < 0.05), riboflavin (p < 0.05), vitamin C (p < 0.05), phosphorus (p < 0.01), Fe (p < 0.01) and zinc (p < 0.01) in the education group compared to the non-education group. In conclusion, the developed 4 times' nutritional education pamphlet focused on individual daily energy requirements and food exchange units using food exchange system for higher grades' elementary student may positively change nutrition knowledge and dietary intakes.