A Study on the Dietary Habits and Health Consciousness of High School Students in Seoul

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to examine the dietary behaviors with 510 high school students (260 males and 250 females) residing in Seoul. The average age of male and female students were 16.3 and 16.4 years old, respectively. Mean height and weight of male students were 174.1 cm and 65.9 kg and those of female students were 161.6 cm and 52.5 kg. The body mass index (BMI) of male and female students were 21.7 kg/m2 and 20.1 kg/m2, respectively, which were within the normal range. Students skipped breakfast more than once a week were 41.1% of males and 44.4% of females. More than 40% of the male and female students skipped breakfast frequently. The mean mini dietary assessment index score of male and female students were 30.6 and 29.6 out of total 50 index scores, respectively. Female students perceived significantly less healthy and fatter than male students. Furthermore, body image satisfaction of the female students was lower than that of male students. Female students were more significantly concerned with body image and desired a thin body shape. Only 22.7% of male students and 6.4% of female students exercised regularly, and the frequency, time, and intensity of exercise in the male students were significantly higher than those of female students.