A Study on Dietary Behaviors and Food Preference of Elementary School Children in Gyeonggi Area

To investigate the dietary behavior and food preference by the obesity index, 524 children (male 265, female 259) from 4 elementary schools in Gyeonggi area participated in this study. The overweight group included more boys (52.5%) than girls (47.5%). The overweight group had significantly higher values in height, weight, Obesity index (OI), Body mass index (BMI), and Rohrer index (RI) than the underweight or normal weight groups. The majority (43.4%) of children showed 11-20 minutes of eating time, and boys ate significantly rapidly than girls (p<0.00l). Snack was consumed 2-3 times a day, with the preference principally for ice-cream and cookies. The frequency of eating out was 1-2 times a month, representing 71.4% of subjects, and 73.3% of children preferred Korean style meals, followed by Western, Chinese and Japanese foods. Twigim (frying) was the preferred cooking method for vegetables, fish and meat. The food preference study showed that Ssalbap, Hyunmibap and Boribap were preferred in the rice group. For one-dish foods in the rice group, Jjajangbap, Kimchibokeumbap, Bokeumbap were preferred, with the tendency that boys preferred significantly more Curry rice (p<0.05) and Chickenbap (p<0.01) than girls. The preference for guk, jjigae, and tang group showed that Soegogimiyeokguk, Chamchikimchijjigae were preferred Boys preferred significantly more Samgyetang (p<0.05), Haemultang (p<0.05) and Yukgaejang (p<0.01) than girls, and girls preferred significantly more Kongbijijjigae (p<0.05) than boys. It is considered that organized and continuous nutritional education beginning in childhood, is necessary to for the development and formation of desirable dietary behaviors.