• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.376-385
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The purposes of this study were(a) to identify smoking behavior by following a cohort representative of the population of 4th grade elementary schoolers in South Korea over a four-year period(2004-2007), and(b) to explore predictors of smoking initiation among non-smokers in Wave 1. Methods: Secondary data, the Korea Youth Panel Study, was analyzed in this study. First, frequencies or percentages were calculated to identify smoking behavior(i.e., smoking initiation, smoking intensity, and smoking duration). Second, binary logistic regression analysis was performed to examine significant factors related to smoking initiation. Results: Smoking initiation and daily smoking were more pronounced when the participants entered middle school. In bivariate analysis, statistically significant predictors of smoking initiation were loneliness at school, self-control, delinquent behavior, depressive symptoms, and stress. However, after controlling for other factors, only a high level of risk-taking tendency and a greater number of delinquent behaviors remained statistically significant. Conclusion: Based on greater involvement in smoking among first-year middle schoolers, smoking prevention strategies should be provided to elementary schoolers rather than middle schoolers. A risk-taking tendency and delinquent behaviors should be considered as proxy measures to detect the high-risk group for smoking initiation.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.75-91
• /
• 2007

Objectives: It is known that the majority of middle schoolers spend the substantial amount of time using the Internet. Despite the fact, little is known about which factors are related to an increase in Internet use and what could be the consequences of excessive Internet use. The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting an increase in Internet use among elementary schoolers representing the population of South Korean elementary schoolers. Method: Secondary data obtained from the Korea Youth Panel Survey were analyzed longitudinally. Results: The average minutes spent using the Internet was 73.43 in the first wave, and was 92.17 in the second wave. Also, the percentage of those who experienced illegal behaviors on the Internet was 22.86% in the first wave, and was 30.92% in the second wave. Second, increased Internet use was strongly associated with an attack tendency, depression, suicidal ideation, stress, and delinquent behaviors. Finally, gender(being female), and increased attacking tendency, and smoking experiences successfully predicted an increase in Internet use one year later. Conclusions: It is necessary to provide education programs to young people and to develop preventive strategies for them. Through providing education programs, children can form desirable attitudes regarding the Internet use. Through providing intervention strategies, children can prevent from experiencing negative consequences due to excessive Internet use.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.544-556
• /
• 2011

This study investigated how elementary schoolers (n=159, 9~11 years) and middle schoolers (n=176, 13~15 years) perceived maternal parenting style dimensions, both general and child-feeding related, and whether these dimensions are associated with the subject's food behaviors. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in a solution of 10 parenting dimensions (reasonable guidance, affection and involvement, achievement expectation, clear behavioral regulation, criticism and anger, overprotection, psychological punishment, harsh punishment, punish by withdrawal of child's privileges, and lack of punishment) and 8 child-feeding dimensions (portion control, restriction, pressure to eat, monitor, undesirable model, desirable model, discourage unhealthful eating, and encourage healthful eating) with 49 and 43 items, respectively. Three parenting styles, authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative, were extracted via a second factor analysis using the 10 parenting dimensions. The correlation analysis indicated that authoritarian style was positively correlated with 'restriction' and 'undesirable model', while permissive style was negatively correlated with 'encourage healthful eating' in both groups. Authoritative style was strongly associated with all of the child-feeding dimensions except for 'undesirable model'. For food behaviors, the more likely elementary schoolers and middle schoolers perceived their mothers as authoritarian and permissive, respectively, the more unhealthful foods were consumed. The consumption frequency of healthful foods increased as mothers were perceived to be authoritative. More elementary schoolers of authoritative mothers ate meals with parents. Findings suggest that maternal parenting styles and dimensions, child-feeding dimensions, and child's food behaviors are associated. It may be that authoritarian and permissive styles are more detrimental for elementary schoolers and middle schoolers, respectively, whereas authoritative style is beneficial for both groups in terms of subject's food behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.879-889
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine nutrition management conditions of lunch with the elementary schools and middle schools in the Changwon area. 292 students (5th and 6th graders) from three elementary schools and 330 students from three middle schools (boys, girls, and co-ed) participated in the aggregate selective plate waste measurement for 5 days. Planned menus, serving sizes and plate waste amount data were collected. Nutrient analyses for the planned, served and consumed menus at school lunches were performed by using CAN-PRO 3.0. Nutrient analyses of the planned, served and consumed menus were compared with nutrient management standard (former edition) for school lunch and 1/3 Korean Dietary Reference Intakes (KDRIs). Significant difference was found in the average consumption rate between the elementary schools (82.2%) and the middle schools (71.8%). Specifically, the consumption rates of steamed rice (p < 0.001), side dish 1 (p < 0.001), and Kimchi (p < 0.01) at the middle schools were significantly lower than those of the elementary schools. When the nutrient contents in the served menus were put into percentages to the nutrient contents in the planned menus, middle schools (92.3%) showed bigger serving loss than the elementary schools (95.4%). In the nutrient assessment comparied with nutrient management standard (former edition), middle school lunches showed comparatively less energy or less some nutrient contents against the standard than the elementary school lunches. Specifically, in case of boys in middle schools, Vitamin C was the only nutrient content that satisfied the standard in the planned menus, served menus and consumed menus. In the 1/3 KDRIs based assessment, middle schoolers were found not to be provided proper nutrients with school lunches. To improve nutrition management at middle school foodservices, dietitians should reinforce nutrient assessment for menu planning, and try to decrease serving loss and plate waste.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.44-49
• /
• 2006

The aim of this study was to evaluate the body composition difference and obesity prevalence in grade 5 to 8 by gender. A total of 1,333 students, 707 boys and 631 girls, were recruited from one elementary and one middle school in Seoul, Korea. Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, lean body mass, and body fat were assessed. Height and weight were increased by grade, but Body Mass Index (BMI) by grade showed no significant difference among boys. Lean body mass had growth spurt between 7 and 8 grade among boys compared to gradual increase among girls. Overweight and obesity prevalence were higher among elementary schoolers than middle schoolers. Overweight (BMI for age> $85^{th}$ percentile) prevalence was about $44\%$ among $5^{th}$ grade boys compared $29\%$ among same grade girls. These results provided that there were prominent difference regarding body growth and obesity prevalence in gender and grade. Further studies for children and adolescents should be considered their body composition change.

• The Korean Journal of Elementary Counseling
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.181-196
• /
• 2008

The purposes of this study were to develop vocational cards for elementary school children as a useful means to be applicable to elementary career counseling, to carry out a career counseling program by using vocational cards, and ultimately to determine the effect of the program on the career maturity of elementary schoolers. After job selection criteria were prepared in light of the characteristics of different occupations, changing business world and school children, how many number of vocational cards would be suitable for elementary schoolers was decided, and leading occupations were selected according to Holland classification in consideration of promising job list for the future, analysis of schoolbook and dream job among school children. And then what should be described on vocational card was determined, and their size was selected. Students who participated in the career counseling program based on vocational cards were significantly different in career maturity from others who didn't. To improve the reliability of quantitative approach, the students were asked to describe how they felt, and they made a positive assessment of the program as they found it to be interesting and of use for their understanding of themselves and business world. In conclusion, the vocational card for elementary middle-year students developed in this study catered to the career development stage of elementary schoolers, and the career counseling program using the vocational cards had a positive effect on enhancing the career maturity of children.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.332-345
• /
• 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of elementary and middle school students by gender with an emphasis on comparison of nutritional intake between weekday and weekend. Survey construct included one 24-hour diet recall and two diet records, short food frequency questionnaire, and anthropometry. Eating behaviors and nutritional intake were largely different for four groups divided by age and gender: ME, FE, MM, and FM. Frequency of consumption of healthful foods was significantly higher in the ME and FE groups. The highest and lowest scores for frequency of eating with parents were observed in the FE and FM groups, respectively. The amount of consumption of food groups was lower on weekends than on weekdays and this trend was more prominent in elementary schoolers compared with middle schoolers. In terms of food group consumption as well as energy and nutrient intake, the ME group showed the greatest differences between weekday and weekend, followed by FE, MM, and FM, in descending order. A significantly higher amount of potassium, phosphorus, and calcium was consumed on weekdays than on the weekend in the ME and FE groups. The amount of energy and nutrient intake was smallest in the FM group; however, the difference between weekday and weekend was minimal as well. In comparison of the subjects' energy and nutrient intake with their Korean Dietary Reference Intakes values (%KDRI), the MM group showed the most undesirable results for energy, protein, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, niacin, vitamin $B_6$, calcium, and zinc. Overall, findings indicated that nutritional intake status may differ between weekday and weekend for elementary and middle schoolers by gender, suggesting that youth may benefit from nutritional education programs that stress the impact of gender and weekend effect on their dietary intake.

• The Korean Journal of Elementary Counseling
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.99-122
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of a career education program during a discretional activity class in elementary school. It established the following questions to achieve the objectives. First, does a career education program In a discretional activity class have an effect on elementary schooler's career maturity? Second, does a career education program in a discretional activity class make an influence on elementary schooler's self-concept? To settle these subjects, it assigned two classes in 5th grade of A elementary school, city of Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, experiment group and control group. It was applied the experiment group a career education program. As for measurement, it was used career maturity level test for elementary and middle schoolers' and 'the self-concept diagnostic test'. It was examined career maturity and self-concept of the groups through the pre-test post-test, applying cross-tabulation analysis to career choices pattern and t-test to career maturity level and self-concept. The results were as follows: First, students of experiment group showed meaningful differences in career choice pattern, career choice attitude, and career choosing skills compared to control group, and that presented a career education program made a positive impact on elementary schooler's career maturity. Second, it showed that there was a significant difference in self-concept, showing students of experiment group took better place. it is believed that a career education program had a potent influence on the self-concept of elementary students.

• Human Ecology Research
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.483-494
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the causal relationship of early adolescents' personal variables and social support on their self-esteem by grade. Information on 226 6th graders from elementary schools and 226 1st year students from middle schools in Busan was collected. Early adolescents' prosocial behavior, academic achievement, social support, and self-esteem were assessed using their self-reports. For the data analysis, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$, t -test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression were used. The collected data were analyzed by the SPSS ver. 21.0 program for Windows. The major findings were as follows: first, early adolescents' prosocial behavior, academic achievement, social support demonstrated a significant difference between grades. Second, peers' social support was the most powerful determinant of self-esteem in both the 6th graders from elementary schools and the 1st year middle school students. Third, prosocial behavior had the greatest total effect on self-esteem in the case of both groups of students. The middle schoolers' academic achievement had no causal effect on their self-esteem. The findings from this study indicate that early adolescents' personal variables and social support are important elements that affect their self-esteem differently depending on their grade. Further, the findings of this study can be used as fundamental data to develop a teaching plan and provide counseling for early adolescents in order to increase their self-esteem.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.279-288
• /
• 2000

The study examined BMIs, physical strength, activities, and the attitudes and behavior toward weight control among 7,968 Korean students{2,435 5th graders from elementary schools(ESs), 2,524 2nd graders from middle schools(MSs), 2,739 2nd graders from high schools(HSs)} nationwide. Compared to the 1987 data, there were increases of height(3-6cm) and weight(3-8kg), but decreases of physical strength and exercise. Lack of 'regular exercise' among girls from MSs and HSs and higher proportion of time spent on watching TV and using a computer for elementary schoolers were particularly noticeable. Proportions of students who were satisfied with their body weight were 49% for ESs, 35% for MSs, and 29% for HSs. There was no relationship between subjective and objective evaluations of body weight. Diet rather than exercise was more frequently chosen as a method of weight control. Compared to boys, girls showed stronger association between the amount of exercise and the subjective body weight in MSs and HSs, however this association was not found for the subjects from HSs. Values for the 50th percentile of BMI of boys and girls were 18.4 and 17.7 for ESs, 19.9 and 20.1for MSs, and 21.4 and 20.6 for HSs. In MSs and HSs, boys with BMI between 15th to 85th percentiles were physically stronger than those whose BMIs were lower than 15th kor higher than 85th percentiles. For the other groups, there was a trend of a positive relationship between BMI and physical strength. Based on the analyses of BMI and physical strength, this study suggests 22 and 21 for upper grades in ESs, 24 and 23 for MSs, and 27 and 25 for HSs as the respective cut off points of BMI for weight control n boys and girls. A need for implementing nutrition education program focused on weight control is also suggested.