Using Focus Group Interviews to Assess Food Behavior and Needs of Nutrition Education for Female University Students

In this study, focus group interviews were used to investigate female university students' eating behavior, factors related to eating behavior, information sources for nutrition, and formats for nutrition education. Thirty-six students participated in one of five focus groups during December 1998 in Seoul. Focus group discussions were video, audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed by major themes. Results showed that subjects have undesirable eating behaviors, such s eating irregular meals and skipping meals. These behaviors are caused by a lack of time, habit, or for the purpose of losing weight. The students tended to have unbalanced diets and frequently ate out. They had a large amount for dinner and frequently snaked when stressed or had an empty stomach. Most of them were interested in weight control and had attempted to lose weight, but they did not participate in regular exercise. The most frequently used source for nutrition information was the mass media, but much nutrition information was based on what they learned from home economics class during middle to high school. They received more support from mothers, elder sisters, and friends for eating behaviors, such s lowering caloric intake and losing weight. In nutrition education, they wanted to learns behaviorla skills to adopt healthy behaviors, including meal planning, applying scientific weight control methods, exercise that fit into their lives, and stress management. They also mentioned that nutrition screening and assessment should be a part of nutrition education programs. As a method for nutrition education, subjects preferred an individualized approach to group education. These results provide the qualitative information for developing nutrition education programs which will be implemented for Korean University students.