A Study on Middle School Students' Perception and Knowledge for Kimchi in Masan and Changwon City

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and perception for Kimchi in middle school students. A questionnaire was used as the instrument of investigation. The subjects were 375 male students and 278 female students in Masan and Changwon City. The main results of this study are as follows. Ninety-three point three percent of the subjects were nuclear family type and 61.7% of respondent's mother had job. The average knowledge score for Kimchi of the subjects was 5.27 out of possible 10 points and the average value score on Kimchi was 41.25 out of 50 points. Eighty-six point one percent of students think they should eat Kimchi because Kimchi is good for the health(38.6%) and Kimchi is our traditional food(31.4%), and it was significantly difference between gender(p<0.01), male students more realized 'Kimchi is good for the health(41.6%)', whereas female students more realized 'Kimchi is our traditional food(38.9%)'. The subjects perceived that the additive material making for Kimchi were powdered red pepper(80.2%), garlic(62.5%), salt(62.0%), salted, fermented shrimp(50.2%). ginger(49.5%), green onion(39.8%), salted, fermented anchovy(34.9%), sesame(25.0%), carrot(22.4%). More than 70% of the subjects estimated for Kimchi 'Kimchi is our traditional food(84.1%)', 'Kimchi must be developed the international food'(73.7%), 'Kimchi must be in succession(75.8%)', 'Kimchi is very nutritious food(70.3%)'. However, they thought Kimchi have to be improved more hygienically(38.8%) and less stimulative taste(25.7%). The knowledge for Kimchi showed a positive correlation with the value on Kimchi and the preferences for Kimchi, and the value on Kimchi was a positively related to the preferences for Kimchi(p<0.01). Therefore it is need to the development of program for the knowledge for Kimchi and the value on Kimchi in order to improvement the preferences for Kimchi.