Abstract

This study was carried out to find the relationship among dietary behavior, dietary self efficacy and nutrition knowledge according to the perceived body shape of the 5th and 6th grade elementary students in Gangwon Province and found out their relationships. The results are as follows; The factors that showed significant difference according to perceived body shape were gender, father's education level, the number of siblings, birth order, obesity of parents and siblings and ideal body shape. For the perceived body shape, the students answered generally normal(48.9%), slightly fat(27.9%), thin(16.5%) and very fat(6.7%). Out of total students 76.5% of them were not satisfied with their body shape such that satisfactory(23.5%), want to lose weight(61.4%) and want to increase weight(15.1%). The score of eating behavior showed significant difference between perceived body shape on such questions as eating speed(p<0.001), frequency of fatty food intake(p<0.001), adequate intake quantity(p<0.001), balanced diet(p<0.05), frequency of going out to eat(p<0.001). The score of diet self efficacy showed significant difference in the area of general habit on such questions as whether to eat slowly together with friends (p<0.001), whether to eat adequate quantity(p<0.001), whether not to have snacks after dinner(p<0.001). And in the area of food selection it showed significant difference on such questions as to select ice cream in stead of yoplait(p<0.001). In the area of social circumstance it showed significant difference on such questions as to reject the food(p<0.01) and to restrain food in birthday party or holiday(p<0.05). In the area of emotional status it showed significant difference on the question about food restrain when boring and depressed(p<0.05 respectively). The score of nutrition knowledge showed significant difference according to the perceived body shape on such questions as total score(p<0.01), five basic food group(p<0.05), snack and body weight(p<0.001), calcium function(p<0.01). It showed perceived body shape co-related with the nutrition knowledge(p<0.01). In summary, the perceived body shape for the highly eating behavior was generally normal, for the highly dietary self efficacy was slightly fat, and for the highly nutrition knowledge was also slightly fat.

Keywords

• perceived body shape;
• eating behavior;
• dietary self efficacy;
• nutrition knowledge