ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify self-resilience factors that drive right dietary and food safety practices in middle school students. METHODS: Data was collected from 438 middle school students in Daegu using a self-administered questionnaire in December, 2013. The questionnaire consisted of 81 items with the following categories: general information, self-resilience, right dietary and food safety practices. Statistical analyses to determine frequency, average, ANOVA, factor analysis, reliability analysis, and regression analysis were performed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: The results of factor analysis indicated that self-resilience was classified into challenge, adaptability, patience and achievement needs, and right dietary practices were sub-grouped into family meals, experience of dietary life, eco-friendly, balanced food, economy and bad food control, and food safety practices consisted of management of bacteria, hand washing and eating off a plate, safety food and food purchasing. The score of right dietary and food safety practices showed significant differences by sex, grade, and school achievement (p < 0.05). The economy factor of right dietary practices was significantly affected by the management of bacteria (p < 0.001), hand washing and eating off a plate (p < 0.001), safety food (p < 0.01), food purchasing of food safety practices (p < 0.05). The challenge factor of self-resilience significantly affected family meals, experience of dietary life, balanced food, economy, bad food control, management of bacteria, hand washing and eating off a plate, and safety food (p < 0.05). The adaptability factor of self-resilience was associated with factors such as eco-friendly, balanced food, economy, bad food control, management of bacteria, hand washing and eating off a plate, and food purchasing (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that dietary education programs for middle school students could incorporate food safety practices, and self-resilience such as challenge, adaptability, patience and achievement needs to be effective.