Abstract

A nutrition education program has been designed for the children of obese or unbalanced dietary habits. A total of 120 children(60-obese and 60-unbalanced dietary habits) who were in 5th-6th grade was chosen for the program and the effectiveness of the nutrition education was evaluated. The nutrition education program was organized into daily lessons(3 wks). A booklet was made for the education and used during the education period, dealing with 5-Basic Food Groups and their functions, excess or deficiency in a human body, food exchange list, importance of health, obesity, unbalance dietary habits and of school lunch program were emphasized in every day session. dietary recall records were collected to assess their daily food intake and the amounts of meals were discussed. During the education period, booklets, wall charts, photographs, food models, VTR films and slide films were utilized. Assessment of effects of the nutrition education program was carried out by a nutrition knowledge test, food habit records, anthropometric measurements and food preference test. The nutrition knowledge scores were significantly improved after the education and the scores were higher on the children in the school with school lunch program. The anthropometric measurements and food preference test revealed no significant influences of the education on the children, showing that the education period was too short to change their eating behavior any may need a long-term education program. Food habit scores were improved after the education in both experimental and control groups. The experimental groups showed higher scores than the control group.

Keywords