ABSTRACT
Cooked rice is a staple food for Koreans which provides more than 60% of daily required energy. In 1960's, Koreans ate 600 g-800 g of cooked rice per meal and the energy obtained from cooked rice was almost more than 80% of the daily intake of energy. However, as the economy of Korea improved, the major industry has been shifted from agriculture to various manufacturing industries and the export of those products has been increased thus increasing the national income but decreasing the farming population and thus rice consumption have been decreased. It has been said that the decreased rice consumption is caused solely by decreased farming population but it can also be said that the decreased farming population is caused by decreased rice consumption.
Subject(s)
Humans , Agriculture , Asian People , Diet , Korea , MealsABSTRACT
This study investigated elementary, middle, and high school teachers' satisfaction, nutrition education, workload changes, and demands in school foodservice programs (SFPs). The subjects were 630 teachers at 12 elementary, 9 middle, and 9 high school within the nation. Ninety five percent of the teachers felt that there was a necessity for SFPs. Middle school teachers (MTs) and high school teachers (HTs) thought that it was necessary in order to reduce the students'burden of carrying lunch boxes. The teachers were relatively satisfied with their school's foodservice management types, food distribution types, meal quality, and sanitation. Elementary teachers (ETs) and HTs had a higher satisfaction than MTs. Teachers thought that SFPs had positive effects on their students' nutrition and health, enhancing desirable eating habits, and socialization. ETs had more positive opinions than MTs or HTs. ETs and MTs thought that their workload had been increased by SFPs more than HTs, but they had relatively positive opinions on the workload change. ETs taught nutrition and health through SFPs more frequently than MTs or HTs. Many teachers thought that there was a lack of appropriate teaching materials. Some teachers thought that the problems in the present SFPs were: a lack of cafeteria facilities, poor quality of meals, and management of leftovers. Their demands for SFPs were a improvement of meal quality and the establishment of cafeterias. In conclusion, MTs had more negative opinions than ETs or HTs. ETs perceived that SFPs had a function as an important educational activity as well as the supply of nutritional meals. MTs or HTs tended to consider only a meal. It is suggested that teachers, especially MTs and HTs, should modify their attitudes and recognize the educational functions of SFPs. Training programs should be developed under government auspices.
Subject(s)
Humans , Eating , Education , Lunch , Meals , Sanitation , Socialization , Teaching MaterialsABSTRACT
The objective of this study is to develop a nutrition policy on food and nutrition labeling and education systems for fast food and carbonated soft drinks in Korea by identifying the fast food and soft drink use and by examining nutrition policies and labeling in Korea and other countries. Fast food is defined as food dispensed quickly at a restaurant generally offering a limited menu of inexpensive items, which may be mostly not nutritious. It is a growing component of the Korean diet, especially on children and adolescent population. Low nutrient dense beverages such as carbonated drinks are also increasing in the children and adolescent's diet in Korea and concern has been raised that these beverages may replace more nutritious beverage and provide empty calories. According to 2001 Korean national health and nutrition survey, fast food and carbonated soft drinks were most popular among 13 - 19 years old adolescents. Thirty six and 72 percent of adolescents consumed hamburger and carbonated beverage equal to or more than once a week, respectively. In United States, all processed food including soft drinks should disclose full nutrition information by nutrition labeling requirement. Restaurant foods are not required to provide nutrition information currently, but legislation on mandatory nutrition labeling of fast foods with other restaurant foods has been proposed currently in US. The sales of foods of minimal nutritional value, such as soft drinks, in the nation's schools is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture. Nutrition information about fast food in US has been provided by fast food companies, non-profit organizations, hospitals and government through internet, booklet and brochure, etc, but the information is available from only a few resources in Korea. This study suggests a nutrition policy on fast food and soft drink use which includes establishing mandatory nutrition labeling and developing nutrition education materials and programs by web-site, booklet and government and school programs in Korea.