A Study on Weight Control, Nutritional Knowledge, Dietary Attitudes and Eating Behaviors among High School Female Students

여고생의 체중조절, 영양지식, 식태도, 식행동에 관한 연구

  • Ahn Yun (Food & Nutrition, Seoul Women's University) ;
  • Kim Hyung-Mee (Food & Nutrition, Seoul Women's University) ;
  • Kim Kyung-Won (Food & Nutrition, Seoul Women's University)
  • 안윤 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학) ;
  • 김형미 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학) ;
  • 김경원 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학)
  • Published : 2006.04.01

Abstract

This study was designed to examine weight control, nutritional knowledge, dietary attitudes and eating behaviors of 370 high school girls and to investigate if there were differences in these variables by weight control status. The weight control attempters (65.1%) had significantly higher body weight and BMI (p<0.001). The difference between desired and current body weight was -9.1 kg in the attempters, showing a significantly higher difference than the counterparts (p<0.001). The attempters also showed more interest toward weight control (p<0.001), but were less satisfied with their body size (p<0.001). Most of subjects (88.1%), especially in the attempters (96.7%) responded that they would try to control their weights in the future. The regular exerciser was 22.9% in the attempters while the percentage of the counterparts was 11.9% (p<0.05). The use of internet or television watching was not significantly different by weight control status. Subjects scored 15.8 out of 20 on a nutritional knowledge scale, which showed a moderate level of knowledge. The nutritional knowledge score was 15.7 for the attempters and 15.8 for the counterparts. None of the nutritional knowledge items reached statistical significance, although the percentages of correct answers regarding weight control or balanced meals were slightly lower in the attempters. The attempters showed more favorable eating attitudes than the counterparts (p<0.001), especially in the attitudes of applying nutritional knowledge to daily life (p<0.01), attitudes for modifying diets (p<0.01) and importance of having adequate meals (p<0.01). The eating behavior was moderate, with mean scores of 31.1 (possible score: 15 - 45). Subjects showed problems in eating a variety of foods, eating meals regularly, eating slowly, eating breakfast and consumption of some food groups (e.g., dairy foods, fruits). The attempters consumed seaweeds more frequently than the counterparts (p<0.05). Although there were not many significant differences by weight control status, this study suggested that nutrition education for adolescent girls should be planned to provide nutrition information regarding desirable weight control as well as modifying diets and eating behaviors.

Keywords

References

  1. Ahn HS, Bai HS (2004): A survey of the weight control and intake pattern of the girl's high school student residing in Busan. J Korean Soc for the Study of Obesity 13(2): 150-162
  2. Chang HS, Kim MR (2003): A study on the anthropometry and healthrelated lifestyle habits of women college students in Kunsan. Korean J Comm Nutr 8 (4): 526-537
  3. Cheong SH, Kwon WJ, Chang KJ (2002): A comparative study on the dietary attitudes, dietary behaviors and diet qualities of food and nutrition major and non-major female university students. Korean J Comm Nutr 7(3): 293-303
  4. Department of Health and Welfare (2005): Self-assessment of nutritional management. Health Guide. http://healthguide.kihasa.re.kr
  5. Her ES, Kang HJ, Lee KH (2003): The factors associated with weight control experiences among adolescents -based on self-esteem, bodycathexis, attitudes toward the body, anthropometric characteristics and perceptions of body shape-. Korean J Comm Nutr 8(5): 658-666
  6. Jang HS (2002): Comparisons of nutritional knowledge, perception of body image and dietary behavior between adolescent boys and girls in the Daegu.Kyungbuk area. J East Asian Soc Dietary Life 12(4): 299-306
  7. Je HJ, Lee KH, Sakong JK, Song CJ, Sohn IK (2003): Eating attitudes and the body-shape change in high school girls. J Korean Soc Piol Ther Psychiatry 9(1): 98-105
  8. Kang JH (2000): Epidemiology of obesity. The Proceedings of Korean Society for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, p.48
  9. Kim HY (2004): Body weight control and degree of satisfaction in Korean adults. Bull Nat Sci, Yong-In Univ 9(1): 81-88
  10. Kim YS, Choi YA (2001): Factors having an effect on weight control behavior and health belief of adolescent women. J Kimcheon Science College 27: 55-71
  11. Kim HY, Yang IS, Lee HY, Kang YH (2003): The analysis of internet usage for nutritional information by junior and high school students in Seoul. The Korean Nutrition Society 36(9): 960-965
  12. Kim JA, Kim YS (2002): A study on the body cathexis and appearance management behaviors of high school girls. J Korean Home Econ Educ Assoc 14(1): 55-73
  13. Kim KH, Kim OR, Chung KO, Jeong KS, Lee EJ (2004): Weight control experience, body image and stress coping according to obesity in college female student. J Kimcheon Science College 30: 63-76
  14. Kim KH (2003): A study of the dietary habits, the nutritional knowledge and the consumption patterns of convenience foods of university students in the Gwangju area. Korean J Comm Nutr 8(2): 181-191
  15. Kim KW, Kim YA, Kim JH (1997): A study of the obesity index and psychosocial factors influencing obesity among adolescent girls. Korean J Comm Nutr 2(4): 496-504
  16. Kim KW, Shin EM (2002): A study on nutrition knowledge, nutritional attitudes, dietary behavior and dietary intake by weight control attempt among middle school female students. Korean J Comm Nutr 7(1): 23-31
  17. Kim OS, Kim KH (2000): Weight, self-esteem, and depression in high school and college females. J Korean Acad Adult Nurs 12(3): 396-406
  18. Kim OS, Kim SW, Kim AJ (2002): BMI, weight control behavior, and self-esteem in high school adolescents. J Korean Acad Adult Nurs 14(1): 53-61
  19. Kwon WJ, Chang KJ, Kim SK (2002): Comparison of nutrient intake, dietary behavior, perception of body image and iron nutritional status among female high school students of urban and rural areas in Kyunggi-do. Korean Nutr Soc 35(1): 90-101
  20. Lee JS (2003): The effects of gender, obesity rate, nutrition knowledge and dietary attitude on the dietary self-efficacy of adolescents. Korean J Comm Nutr 8(5): 652-657
  21. Lee JW, Lee MS, Kim JH, Son SM, Lee BS (1999): Nutritional Assessment. Kyomunsa, p.84-85
  22. Lee KH, Kang HJ, Her ES (2002): Adolescent' internet utilization status of dietary information in Kyungnam. The Korean Nutrition Society 35(1): 115-123
  23. Lee SW, Sung CJ, Kim AJ, Kim MH (2000): A atudy of nutritional attitude, food behavior and nutritional status according to nutrition knowledge of Korean middle school students. Korean J Comm Nutr 5(3): 419-431
  24. Lee YM, Yoon SW (1998): Effects of eating behavior and body fat on exercise performance of high school students in Sungnam area. Korean J Comm Nutr 3(2): 190-201
  25. Lee YS (2000): A study on the eating behavior, nutritional status and health condition of obese adult attending a weight control exercise. Korean J Food & Nutr 13(2): 125-132
  26. Lim ET, Kim YN (2003): The relationship between the prevalence of constipation and beverage intake of female high school students in Seoul. Korean J Comm Nutr 8(6): 856-866
  27. National Internet Development Agency of Korea (2005): Report on the first half of 2005 status of information use. http://isis.nic.or.kr
  28. Park SH (2001): A study on dieting behaviors and related factors among normal of low-weight middle school girls in Seoul. J of Korean Soc of School Health 14(1): 115-130
  29. Park SJ, Park YJ (2001): A study of concern about weight control, nutrition knowledge, eating behavior and nutrients intake according to weight control attempt among high school girls in Seoul. J East Asian Soc Dietary Life 11(5): 356-367
  30. Park SY, Yoo CH, Choi CM, Lee JH, Lee DH, OH SY (2000): Subcommittee for the energy and macronutrients. Physical standards for Koreans. The Proceedings of the 2000 Spring Symposium of the Korean Nutrition Society, p.34-40
  31. Ryu HK, Yoon JS (1998): Relations of perception of obesity and experiences of weight control and body image in high school students. Korean J Comm Nutr 3(2): 202-209
  32. Ryu HK, Yoon JS, Park DY (1999): A study of factors influencing weight control behavior in adolescent females. Korean J Comm Nutr 4(4): 561-567
  33. Yang IS, Lee HY, Kim HY, Kang YH (2003): Setting instructional goals for nutritional education program through an analysis of problems identified in junior/senior high school students. Korean J Comm Nutr 8(4): 495-503
  34. Yoo WS, Kim YN (2004): A study on eating disorders and it's related factors in high school girls. Korean J Comm Nutr 9(3): 274-284
  35. Yoon GA (2002): Television watching, family social class, parental overweight, and parental physical activity levels in relation to childhood overweight. Korean J Comm Nutr 7(2): 177-187