Application of a Practical Nutrition Education Program, KHIDIKIDS, for the Improvement of Dietary Attitudes and Habits of Elementary Students

실천적인 영양교육 프로그램 (KHIDIKIDS)을 통한 초등학교 저학년생의 식생활 태도 및 식습관 향상

  • Kyeon, Yong-Kyung (Department of Science & Technology Education for Life, Seoul National University of Education) ;
  • Jang, Young-Ai (Nutrition Research Team, Korea Health Industry Development Institute) ;
  • Kim, Jeong-Weon (Department of Science & Technology Education for Life, Seoul National University of Education)
  • 권용경 (서울교육대학교 생활과학교육과) ;
  • 장영애 (한국보건산업진흥원 보건영양팀) ;
  • 김정원 (서울교육대학교 생활과학교육과)
  • Published : 2006.12.31

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to improve the dietary attitudes and habits of elementary students in lower classes through a 12-week practical nutrition education program called KHIDIKIDS, which was developed by Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) in 2004 based on the 2003 Children's Dietary Guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea. KHIDIKIDS has never been applied in the field, therefore, another purpose of this study was to evaluate the program in the school education and suggest the ideas for the improvement. KHIDIKIDS was applied to a class of 2nd-grade elementary students consisting of 28 children in Seoul during the fall semester of 2005, and the effect of the program was measured by using questionnaires for the students and their parents. The statistical analysis of the study was conducted by using SPSS WIN 11.5 program, and the results were as follows: The children's knowledge on nutrition was improved significantly by KHIDIKIDS education (p<.001), such that the average score on nutritional knowledge increased from 8.32 to 9.64 after education. This practical nutrition education program also improved the dietary attitudes and habits of children especially in healthy body weight, daily exercise, and having breakfast (p<.05). Parents also showed very positive responses for the nutrition education. During the application of KHIDIKIDS in the field, the followings were indicated for adjustment, First, some education content of the week was too much to be finished in a class hour and more hours need to be allocated. Second, some terminology need to be adjusted to help the students understand easily. Thirdl, the order of the's Basic Food Groups' needs to be matched with the order of each food group in the 'Food Tower' not to make children be confused. Above results showed that KHIDIKIDS was effective for the improvement of dietary attitudes and habits of lower elementary students. However, further educational effects would be achieved when the education was started from the 1st to higher grades along with the parents' participation.

Keywords

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