Evaluation of Eating Behaviors of children in Early Childhood Education Institution

유아교육기관에서의 유아 섭식 행동 평가

The purpose of this study was to evaluate food behavior in relation to the program of kindergarten and day care center as well as to identify problems which can be aroused there. We conducted the survey repeatedly, ten times among same 124 preschool children below 5 years old. The instruments were categorized into 3 different parts: part 1 for pre-meal food behavior, part 2 for mid-meal food behavior, and part 3 for after-meal food behavior. These were types of checklists which consisted of guideline of habit formation for daily life, especially food habit were developed on the basis of the National Kindergarten Curriculum. We Have reached the following results. $\circled1$ The group of below 3 year-old children had lunch and snacks more frequently than other age groups. $\circled2$ The children's age did playa role as one of the factors which influences on children's food behavior. The less frequency of taking meals in day care center the better their food behavior score. $\circled3$ Therefore, the age of children whose age is 3 or Jess spent more (of day) time at care center and had significantly more number of meals and snack at the care center. In such case, the food behavior was found to be not in good shape. I-ence, the children who were more exposed to feeding meal in kindergarten and day care center, were like to form unfavorable food behavior. The average food behavior score is significantly correlated with pre-mea, mid-meal, and post-meal food behavior. The study suggested that feeding program for young children at kindergarten and day care center should be systematized and developed on the basis of the status of their food behavior.