Effects of Nutrition Education through Discretional Activities in Elementary School : Focused on improving nutrition knowledge and dietary habits in 4(th)-, 5(th)- and 6(th)-grade students

ABSTRACT

In the present study, in order to improve elementary students' nutrition knowledge and form correct eating habits, dietitian in charge executed nutrition education for 4th-, 5th- and 6th-grade students at Namchang Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do using various educational media for five weeks and two sessions a week (a total of 10 sessions) through discretional activity classes. As for change in nutritional knowledge after nutrition education, 4th-grade students showed improvement by 24.3points(p<0.001), 5th-grade ones by 18.0(p<0.001), and 6th-grade ones by 16.7(p<0.001). With regard to change in dietary habits after education, no effect was observed in the improvement of dietary life but the score of dietary habits was improved as a whole. Nutritional knowledge and dietary habits were in a positive correlation with each other before education(r=0.406, p<0.001), but in no correlation after education. Nutritional knowledge and dietary habit practice plan were in a positive correlation after education(r=0.310, p<0.01). With regard to nutritional knowledge after nutrition education by children's body type measured using Rohrer Index, knowledge increased significantly in normal children(p<0.001), obese children(p<0.001) and highly obese children(p<0.05) but not in slim children. The effect of education was not significant for children's dietary habits. Practice plan showed significant changes in all of children(p<0.001). This suggests that nutrition education should be executed from early age. It is necessary to define the goals of systematic nutrition education fit for children's level and to develop various education programs and teaching materials.