The Perceptions and Attitudes of Elementary School Children Towards Family Meals

The objective of this study was to determine the overall conditions related to family meals-including perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors-among elementary school children. The data were collected from 464 male and female students attending elementary schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do in December 2006 to February 2007, using self-administered questionnaires. The results were as follows: 77.7% of the students regarded family meals as meals eaten with all family members living together in a household. With regard to the frequency of family meals, 40.9% of the students reported that they ate with their family 'more than once per day'. 74.7% of the students reported that they enjoyed family meals because mealtime is a time to talk with other family members. When the degree of satisfaction with life was evaluated using a Likert scale (strongly satisfied-5 points, strongly unsatisfied-1 point), the results showed a significantly higher level of satisfaction with their daily lives, health, nutritious conditions, and family care. Students had more positive psychological feelings as the frequency of family meals increases. Likewise, the groups who frequently ate family meals scored higher in positive attitudes and behaviors toward family meals, thereby implying that the consumption of family meals is associated with the promotion of familial relationships, psychological stability, and positive thinking in children. These findings indicate that attention should be directed toward increasing the frequency of family meals and creating a positive family meal environment.

The Perceptions and Attitudes of Elementary School Children Towards Family Meals

The objective of this study was to determine the overall conditions related to family meals-including perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors-among elementary school children. The data were collected from 464 male and female students attending elementary schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do in December 2006 to February 2007, using self-administered questionnaires. The results were as follows: 77.7% of the students regarded family meals as meals eaten with all family members living together in a household. With regard to the frequency of family meals, 40.9% of the students reported that they ate with their family 'more than once per day'. 74.7% of the students reported that they enjoyed family meals because mealtime is a time to talk with other family members. When the degree of satisfaction with life was evaluated using a Likert scale (strongly satisfied-5 points, strongly unsatisfied-1 point), the results showed a significantly higher level of satisfaction with their daily lives, health, nutritious conditions, and family care. Students had more positive psychological feelings as the frequency of family meals increases. Likewise, the groups who frequently ate family meals scored higher in positive attitudes and behaviors toward family meals, thereby implying that the consumption of family meals is associated with the promotion of familial relationships, psychological stability, and positive thinking in children. These findings indicate that attention should be directed toward increasing the frequency of family meals and creating a positive family meal environment.

Attitudes Toward Family Meals and Comparisons of Dietary Quality Between Family Meals and Meals Eaten Alone in Middle and High School Students

This study investigated attitudes and behaviors related to family meals among middle and high school students. Furthermore, it evaluated the dietary quality of family meals as compared to meals eaten alone. The data were collected between March and May, 2006, from 353 male and female students attending middle and high schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, using pre-tested self-administered questionnaires. The following results were obtained. In terms of family meal frequency, 44.0% of the middle school students ate with their family 'more than once per day', and 19.3% participated in family meals 1 or 2 times per day. However, only 16.4% of the high school students had family meals 'more than once per day', and 32.9% participated in family meals '1 or 2 times per a week', showing a significant difference between the groups (p<0.001). Fifty-nine percent of the middle school students answered they ate with their family everyday or on week days, whereas 67.8% of the high school students had family meals only on holidays (p<0.001). The nutrient intakes of those participating in family meals were compared to the intakes of those who ate meals alone. For both males and females, calorie intake was higher for those who ate family meals. Animal protein intake was significantly different (p<0.001) between groups, with the results showing a two-fold higher intake for those eating family meals as compared to meals alone. In addition, the intake of animal fat was significantly higher in the family meal group (p<0.001); however, plant-based fat intake was higher in the meal alone group.

The Health and Nutritional Status of Low-Income, Alone-Living Elderly / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The nutritional and health status of low-income alone-living elderly(ALE) was assessed in relation to the activity of daily living (ADL) and nutritional risk factors. One hundred and eighty five ALE over 65 years old, living in the Sungnam area, were interviewed in their homes through questionnaires. The results were as follows : 63.6% of the subjects considered themselves in poor the health and only 4.3% of them considered thermselves healthy. 89.7% of the subjects answered that they were suffering from illness and 29.7% were taking medication. The ADL was assessed through 10 checklist items and the average score of the ADL was 84.78+/-11.11(maximum :100) The nutritional risk index(NRI) was evaluated by 12 risk factors and the average score of the NRI was 4.43+/-1.38 (maximum: 12) The scores of the ADL were positively correlated with the scored of the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)(r=0.7523, p or =5) and nutritionally low risk group(LNRI :NRI<5) according to the USA screening basis, 48.9% of the subjects belonged to the HNRI, But 16.9% of the HNRI and 34.4% of the LNRI belonged to the fourth quartile(Q/sub 0.75) of the ADL, the distribution of which showed significant differences(p<0.05) We suggest that the application of the ADL as a screening tool for nutrition intervention programs for the elderly. Oncemore, further research is needed to develop appropriate checklist items for the ADL and NRI along with the screening basis for the NRI to diagnose the adverse nutritional status of the Korean elderly.

Satisfaction of the Elderly toward Free Congregate Meal Service / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was designed to determine the attitude and degree of satisfaction of recipients toward the meal service program for elderly people. Nine hundred and eight elderly people(male: 301, female: 607) were interviewed by trained personnel. The results were as follows. Forty two percent of them had no income and 43.8% of the respondents were supported economically by the government. Their main reasons for attending the free congregated meal program was economic hardship(37.9%) The channels of becoming aware of the free meal program were through their friends(33.4%) and the meal service centers were located in the respondents residence area(36.0%) Thus any other advertisement from local government of official channels about the free meal program were not effective for the elderly 26.9% of the respondents felt inconvenience in visiting the meal service centers because they had some difficulty in walking, 53.5% of them however answered that they didn t have any complains and were quite satisfied with the meal service. The average satisfaction score for the free meal service was 63.4(maximum score 75) As for each evaluation item respondents were highly satisfied with volunteers attitude in meal serving(4.58+/-0.65: maximum 5 point) The evaluation score of females was generally lower than that of males(p<0.05) Oncemore, respondents who were in lowere socio-economic classes were marked by having significantly lower satisfaction scores for the meal service compared with higher scocio-economic classes. For the welfare of elderly people, meal service programs should be extended to more elderly persons and developed considering the elderlys ecological factors.