Korean Journal of Community Nutrition (대한지역사회영양학회지)

The Korean Society of Community Nutrition (대한지역사회영양학회)
권호 표지

Nutrition Label Use, Self-Efficacy, Snacking and Eating Behavior of Middle School Students in Kyunggi Area

경기 일부지역 중학생의 영양표시 이용과 자아효능감, 간식 실태 및 식행동

  • 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)
  • 고서연 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학) ;
  • 김경원 (서울여자대학교 자연과학대학 식품영양학)
  • Received : 2010.05.27
  • Accepted : 2010.07.02
  • Published : 2010.08.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study was designed to examine nutrition label use, self-efficacy, snacking and eating behaviors of middle school students, and to investigate if these characteristics were different by nutrition label use. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to 348 middle school students in Kyunggi, Korea. About a third of subjects read nutrition labels when they purchased snacks/packaged foods. Most nutrition label users were interested in reading information on calories, fat and trans-fat. Self-efficacy of eating/selecting snacks or general nutrition behavior was moderate (mean score: 44.4 out of 60), with significantly higher score in nutrition label users compared to nonusers (p < 0.001). Nutrition label users felt more confident in 9 items out of 15 items of self-efficacy, such as "taking fruits instead of cookies/candy for snack" (p < 0.001), "choosing milk instead of soft drink" (p < 0.01), "not having snacks after dinner" and "avoiding processed foods for snacks" (p < 0.05). Subjects had snacks 1.3 times a day, and nutrition label nonusers consumed snacks more frequently than the counterparts (p < 0.01). About 55% of nutrition label users and 64.7% of nonusers mainly purchased snacks for themselves (p < 0.05). Commonly purchased snacks by adolescents were ice cream, cookies/chips, breads and ramen. Major considerations in purchasing snacks were taste (46.9%) and price (34.6%). In selecting snacks, the influence of friends and parents was greater than the other sources. Based on eating frequency of snacks, nutrition label users were more likely to consume healthy snacks, such as fruit juices, vegetables, milk, yogurt, and potato/sweet potato than nonusers (p < 0.05). Eating behaviors measured by 15 items scored 33.6 out of 45. Nutrition label users showed better eating behaviors, such as "eating meals slowly", "eating foods cooked with plant oil", and "eating out less frequently" (p < 0.05). Study results showed that majority of adolescents did not read nutrition labels, selected snacks for themselves and had somewhat unhealthy foods for snacks. This study also showed the differences in self-efficacy, snacking and eating behaviors between nutrition label users and nonusers. In nutrition education, it is necessary to stress the importance and skills for reading nutrition labels. It is also needed to help adolescents to select healthy snacks and have desirable eating behaviors, as well as increasing self-efficacy.

Keywords

References

  1. Ahn Y, Ko SY, Kim KW (2009): Evaluation of a nutrition education program for elementary school children. Korean J Community Nutr 14(3): 266-276
  2. Chang HS, Roh SM (2006): Comparison with dietary habits, dietary attitudes and nutritional knowledge according to sex of teenagers in Jeonnam province. Korean J Community Nutr 11(4): 459-468
  3. Chea MN (2008): Actual status of snack intake and recognition for representation of food in middle-school students.-focusing on Jeonju. MS thesis, Kunsan National Uuniversity
  4. Cho SH, Yu HH (2007): Nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, dietary habits and awareness of food-nutrition labelling by girl's high school students. Korean J Community Nutr 12(5): 519-533
  5. Choi MY, Kim HY (2008): Nutrition knowledge, dietary self-efficacy and eating habits according to student's stage of regular breakfast or exercise. Korean J Community Nutr 13(5): 653-662
  6. Choi SK, Choi HJ, Chang NS, Cho SH, Choi YS, Park HK, Joung HJ (2008): Snacking behaviors of middle and high school students in Seoul. Korean J Community Nutr 13(2): 199-206
  7. 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
  8. Her ES, Lee KH, Bae EY, Lyu ES (2008): Interrelations among beverage intake, food behavior and personality in adolescents. Korean J Community Nutr 13(2): 189-198
  9. Jeong KY, Lee YS, Kim SM (2005): The study of dietary behavior, BMI and nutrient intakes status in middle school students of Daegu area. J East Asian Soc Dietary Life 15(1): 1-10
  10. Jo JI, Kim HK (2008); Food habits and eating snack behaviors of middle school students in Ulsan area. Korean J Nutr 41(8): 797-808
  11. Kang SA, Lee JW, Kim KE, Koo JO, Park DY (2004): A study of the frequency of food purchase for snacking and its related ecological factors on elementary school children. Korean J Community Nutr 9(4): 453-463
  12. Kim HH, Ro HK (2009): A study on middle school students of Gwangju.Chonnam in terms of dietary life, dietary related selfefficacy according to body mass index. Korean J Community Nutr 14(5): 483-494
  13. Kim HS (2008): Research on the purchasing behaviors of high school students according to their knowledge of nutrition. MS thesis, Sookmyung Women's university
  14. Kim JE, Min HS (2008): Weight-related perceptions, practices and eating behaviors of middle school students: associations with BMI. Korean J Community Nutr 13(1): 13-23
  15. Kim JH (2009): Perception and utilization of food labels depending on educational experience with the food labeling system in middle school students. Korean J Community Living Sci 20(1): 51-59
  16. Kim JY (2007): The effect of self-efficacy and nutrition knowledge on the eating behavior of elementary school students in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do. MS thesis, University of Suwon
  17. Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Korean Pediatrics Society (2007): Korean national growth charts. Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul
  18. Korea Food and Drug Administration (2005): Labeling standard of food
  19. Korean Nutrition Society (2005): Dietary reference intakes for Koreans. Seoul
  20. Kwon SY (2004): A study of dietary patterns and analysis of the factors that influence snack intake of middle school students in Seoul. MS thesis, Sookmyung Women's university
  21. Lee HJ, Rhie SG, Won HR (2008): Weight, eating habits and dietary self-efficacy of middle school girls with eating disorder. Korean J Community Living Sci 19(2): 283-295
  22. Lee HY, Kim MK (2008): Dietary behavioral correlates of nutrition label use in Korean women. Korean J Nutr 41(8): 839-850
  23. Lee JS, Ha BJ (2003): A study of the dietary attitude, dietary selfefficacy and nutrient intake among middle school students with different obesity indices in Gyeong-nam. Korean J Community Nutr 8(2): 171-180
  24. Lin CT, Lee JY, Yen ST (2004): Do dietary intakes affect search for nutrient information on food labels?. Soc Sci Med 59(9): 1955-1967 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.02.030
  25. 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
  26. Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Health Industry Development Institute (2006): The third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES III), 2005 - Nutrition Survey (I). Ministry of Health and Welfare
  27. Park HY, Kim KN (1995): Relationships among snacks, unbalanced diet, and eating behavior of middle school students. J Korean Home Econ Educ Assoc 7(2): 79-89
  28. Park SJ (2002): A survey on the fatness extent of middle school students in Seoul, on their habit and on their tendency. MS thesis, Sejong University
  29. Park SS, Kim NY, Han MJ (2008): Processed food preferences and food and nutrition labeling perceptions of middle school students. Korean J Food Cookery Sci 24(2): 164-173
  30. Rhie SG, Park HA, Jung EH (2007): The effects of nutrition education on dietary behavior, nutrition knowledge and weight control of middle school students. Korean J Community Living Sci 18(3): 469-480
  31. Satia JA, Galanko JA, Neuhouser ML (2005): Food nutrition label use is associated with demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors and dietary intake among African Americans in North Carolina. J Am Diet Assoc 105(3): 392-402 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2004.12.006
  32. Seo JY (2008): A study on adolescents' between meals consumptionbased on middle school students in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. MS thesis, Ewha Women's University
  33. Stockman NK, Schenkel TC, Brown JN, Duncan AM (2005): Comparison of energy and nutrient intakes among meals and snacks of adolescent males. Prev Med 41(1): 203-210 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.11.001