• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.167-178
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• 2002

This study was carried out to compare the meal management attitudes among the mothers(41 years of age) who had middle school students between in industrial complex and in non-industrial complex. The subjects of each group were composed of 192 mothers Living in Ansan city in Korea, and this study was performed by self-administered questionnaire. The results of the present study were as follows: (1) Monthly family income and education level of parents were lower in industrial complex-family(ICF) than in non-industrial complex-family (NICF). The mean age of mothers and family size were similar in two groups, but the frequency of mothers employed was higher in ICF than in NICF Most mothers in ICF worked as a manual- or skilled-laborer. (2) The mothers in ICF tended to have less positive attitude in sewing balanced meals to their families than those in NICF. The score of nutritional knowledge was lower in mothers in ICF than those in NICF. (3) The percentage of expense for purchasing staple foods to total expense of foods tended to be higher in ICF than in NICF. Engel's coefficient was higher, and the frequency and expense for eating out was lower in ICF than in NICF (4) The mothers in ICF did not try to use their time and energy efficiently for meal management. (5) The mothers in ICF were less active in sewing the pleasurable meals including the provision of various cooking methods, flavors, and temperatures, to their families, than those in NICF. Above findings show that family environment such as industrial complex-families and non-industrial complex-families influences the meal management attitudes of mothers. The mothers in ICF had a less positive altitudes for scientific meal managements than those in NICF even though they had the limited resources including money, time and energy for meal management because most mothers in ICF had a job that were paid low salary and finished irregularly or late. Therefore, these results underscore the need to provide the sound nutritional education for the mothers in ICF with respect to reasonable meal management for 'optimal nutrition of family'. In addition, the government should try to make the various welfare policies to improve nutritional status of low income famines including the poor industrial complex-families.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.59-72
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• 2001

This study investigated the effects of factors on the academic achievement in the 'Food and Nutrition' units in the Practical Arts : factors such as gender. family and home environment. and participation in. interest in attitude toward. and encouragement by mother in meal management. The factors were surveyed for 453 grade four elementary students (226 boys and 227 girls) and their mothers in Busan. The extent of participation in meal management. of interest. of attitude. and of the mother's encouragement was broken into three groups. Upon completing the 'Table Setting with Fruits'unit. the students'academic achievements were evaluated and compared according to these factors. The results were as follows : 1. The girls participated in meal management more frequently than the boys. Most of the children exhibited a high interest. the girls showing a higher interest than the boys. Both sexes showed a positive attitude toward meal management. Mothers encouraged girls more often than boys to manage meals at home. 2. The academic achievement of the girls was higher than that of the boys. Children living in apartments and more affluent environments scored higher than those who were less well off and living in independent households. 3. Those who frequently participated in meal management. exhibited a high interest. and showed a positive attitude towards it. achieved higher scores than those who showed a lower interest. less positive attitude. and only occasionally participated in it. 4. Those who were encouraged frequently to manage meals by their mother showed a tendency to score higher than those who wee encouraged only occasionally. In conclusion. academic achievement in the 'Food and Nutrition'units in Practical Arts was affected by gender. domestic economy. type of residence. participation in meal management in the home. interest in it. attitude toward it. and encouragement in participation by the other. Thus academic achievement in food. nutrition. and meal management is dependent upon both the school and home environments. Children would learn more in the 'Food and Nutrition'units when their parents set a positive and encouraging environment in the home.