Korean Journal of Community Nutrition (대한지역사회영양학회지)

The Korean Society of Community Nutrition (대한지역사회영양학회)
권호 표지

Evaluation of a Nutrition Education Program for Elementary School Children

초등학교 고학년 대상 영양교육의 효과 평가

  • Ahn, Yun (Department of Food & Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul Women's University) ;
  • Ko, Seo-Yeon (Department of Food & Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul Women's University) ;
  • Kim, Kyung-Won (Department of Food & Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul Women's University)
  • 안윤 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학전공) ;
  • 고서연 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학전공) ;
  • 김경원 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학전공)
  • Published : 2009.06.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate the nutrition education program for elementary school children Subjects were 5th graders (n = 142) of an elementary school in Seoul, and 138 children completed four sessions of nutrition education during March-April, 2008. One group pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate the program effectiveness. Anthropometric measurements and measurements on nutrition knowledge, eating attitudes and eating behavior were done before and after education. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, t-test and ${\chi}^2-test$. After completing nutrition education, body mass index (from 19.3 to 18.9), fat mass (from 10.9 kg to 10.1 kg), percent body fat (from 25% to 23.3%) of subjects decreased significantly (p < 0.001). Percentages of overweight or obese children were 24.6% at pretest and decreased to 20.3% at posttest, although it did not reach statistical significance. Total score of nutrition knowledge increased significantly from 11.9 (59.5/100) at pretest to 14.7 (73.5/100) at posttest (p < 0.001). After nutrition education, percentages of correct answers increased significantly in 10 knowledge items out of 20 items. These included items such as desirable weight control, energy requirements for boys, food groups, snack, and function of fat and balanced meals (p < 0.001). Total score of eating attitudes increased significantly from 35.1 to 36.9 (p < 0.001). Attitude of applying nutrition knowledge to daily life (p < 0.001), interest toward nutrition and health (p < 0.001), attitude of moderating food intake (p < 0.01), and attitude toward eating habit and future health (p < 0.05) were significantly different between pretest and posttest. Total score of eating behaviors increased significantly from 46.7 (possible score: 20-60) to 49.5 by nutrition education (p < 0.001). Improvement in eight eating behaviors were noticed after nutrition education. These included eating meals slowly, eat protein foods (p < 0.001), eating breakfast, eating meals regularly, eating meals with diverse foods, having dairy foods, eating foods using plant oils (p < 0.01), and having grains (p < 0.05). Subjects evaluated quite positively in attractiveness of program, understanding of program contents, helpfulness of program in improving nutrition knowledge and meal management. Study results show that the nutrition education program was effective in improving nutrition knowledge, eating attitudes and changing eating behaviors of children. This program can be used in nutrition education of children at school or at public health centers.

Keywords

References

  1. Ahn Y, Kim HM, Kim KW (2006): A study on weight control, nutritional knowledge, dietary attitudes and eating behaviors among high school female students. Korean J Community Nutr 11(2): 205-217
  2. Chang JH, Kim DH, Kim HS, Choi IK, Cheong MY, Kim DK (2004): Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in obese children. Korean J Ped 47(11) : 1149-1156
  3. Chin JH, Lee KJ, Lee YH (2002): Effects of nutritional education on food behavior of unbalaced diet children - An investgation of children at elementary schools in Incheon. J East Asian Soc Diet Life 12(1): 7-14
  4. Eom HS, Jeong MJ, Kim SB (2005): A study on nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude, food habit of middle school students in Chonbuk area, Korean J Community Nutr 10(5): 574-581
  5. Han H, Lee KA (2003): Development and Application of Play Materials for Nutrition Education in Practical Arts Education. J Korean Prac Arts Educ 16(1): 41-57
  6. Her ES, Lee KH (2003): Utilization status of internet and dietary information of school children in Gyeongnam and Jeonbuk areas. Korean J Community Nutr 8(1): 15-25
  7. Her ES, Lee SG, Park HJ, Lee KH (2005): Effect-evaluation on nutrition education in related curriculums for elementary school children - Focused on change of dietary habits -. Korean J Community Nutr 10(6): 795-804
  8. Hyun SM, Kim JW (2007): Improvement of dietary attitudes of elementary students by nutrition labeling education. Korean J Community Nutr 12(2): 168-177
  9. Kim HM (2005): Implementation and evaluation of nutrition education program for older adults. MS thesis, Seoul Women's University
  10. Kim KW, Chung MG (2000): Implementation and evaluation of nutrition education program for elementary school children. J Comm Nutr 2(2): 146-158
  11. Kim SH, Hyun TS (2006): Evaluation of a nutrition education website for children. Korean J Community Nutr 11(2): 218-228
  12. Kim YH (2000): A suggestion for curriculum development of elementary nutrition education in the practical arts subject. J Korean Prac Arts Educ 13(2): 159-176
  13. Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Korean Pediatrics Society (2007): 2007 Korean national growth charts. Korean Centers for Disease Contol and Prevention
  14. Kyeon YK, Kang YA, Kim JW (2006): Application of a Practical Nutrition Education Program, KHIDIKIDS, for the Improvement of Dietary Attitudes and Habits of Elementary Students. Korean J Nutr 39(8): 808-816
  15. Lee JE, Jung IK (2005): A study on eating habits of elementary school students and the perception on the nutrition education in curriculum. J Korean Home Econ Educ Assoc 17(2): 79-93
  16. Lee JY, Lee SY (2004): A comparative study on nutrition knowledge, eating behavior and nutrient intake for students at elementary schools with and without nutrition education program. J East Asian Soc Diet Life 14(6): 561-570
  17. Lee KA (2003): Activity-based nutrition education for elementary school students. Korean J Nutr 36(4): 405-417
  18. Lee KH, Her ES, Woo TJ (2005a): Development of nutrition education textbook and teaching manual in elementary school. J Korean Diet Assoc 11(2): 205-215
  19. Lee YJ, Kim GM, Chang KJ (2000): The analysis of effect an nutrition education of elementary school children, Inchon. J Korean Diet Assoc 6(2): 86-96
  20. Lee YM, Lee MJ, Kim SY(2005b): Effects of nutrition education through discretional activities in elementary school - Focused on improving nutrition knowledge and dietary habits in 4th-, 5th- and 6th-grade students - . J Korean Diet Assoc 11(3): 331-340
  21. Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Health Industry Development Institute (2003): The dietary guideline for children. Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea
  22. Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Health Industry Development Institute (2006): The third Korea National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES ), 2005 - Nutrition survey (I, II). Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea
  23. Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs & Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008): 2007 National Health Statistics - The 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the first year(2007). Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea
  24. Nam KH, Kim YM, Lee GE, Lee YN, Joung HJ (2006): Physical development and dietary behaviors of children in low-income families of Seoul area. Korean J Community Nutr 11(2): 172-179
  25. Park HO, Kim EK, Chi KA, Kwak TK (2000): Comparison of the nutrition knowledge, food habits and life styles of obese children and normal children in elementary school in Kyeong-gi province. Korean J Community Nutr 5(4): 586-597
  26. Park JA, Chang KJ (2004): A study on elementary school dietitian's status and recognition of nutrition education in Incheon. Korean J Community Nutr 9(6): 716-724
  27. Park YH, Kim HH, Shin KH, Shin EK, Bae IS, Lee YK (2006): A survey on practice of nutrition education and perception for implementing nutrition education by nutrition teacher in elementary schools. Korean J Nutr 39(4): 403-416
  28. Park YS, Lee DH, Choi JM, Kang YJ, Kim CH (2004): Trend of obesity in school age children Seoul over the past 23 years. Korean J Ped 47(3) : 247-257
  29. Seo JS, Kim KW, Yoon EY, Bae HJ (2006): Development of contents for nutrition education for nutritionally vulnerable groups. Report of the research grant supported by the Korea Food and Drug Administration.
  30. Shin EK, Lee HS, Lee YK (2004a): Effect of nutrition education program in obese children and their parents(I) - Focus on anthropometric values and serum Biochemical Index -. Korean J Community Nutr 9(5): 566-577
  31. Shin EK, Lee HS, Lee YK (2004b): Effect of nutrition education program in obese children and their parents(II) - Focus on nutrition knowledge, eating behaviors, food habit and nutrient intakes -. Korean J Community Nutr 9(5): 578-588
  32. Shin EK, Shin KH, Kim HH, Park YH, Bae IS, Lee YK (2006): A survey on the needs educators, learners and parents for implementing nutrition education by nutrition teachers in elementary schools. J Korean Diet Assoc 12(1): 89-101
  33. Woo TJ, Her ES, Lee KH (2006): Effect-evaluation of nutrition education textbook and teaching manual in elementary school. J Korean Diet Assoc 12(3): 299-306
  34. Yon MY, Hyun TS (2007): Evaluation of nutrition education program for obese children. J Human Ecol 11(2): 143-151
  35. Yoon HS, Yang HL, Her ES (2000): Effect of nutrition education program on nutrition knowledge, dietary diversity of elementary school children. Korean J Community Nutr 5(3): 513-521
  36. http://nutrition.kfda.go.kr/foodlife/index.htm