• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.64-79
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to compare differences in role conflict, self efficacy, job satisfaction, and job involvement perceived by school nutrition teachers and dietitians. A total of 335 female school nutrition teachers and dietitians from Incheon area were surveyed by a self-report questionnaire in November 2010. Collected data were processed using SPSS 15.0. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested and differences between the two groups were analyzed using the Student's t-test, the chi-square test, and a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The job satisfaction level of nutrition teachers was higher than that of dietitians. The effect of role conflict and job satisfaction for nutrition teachers and dietitians was different according to age. In addition, self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and job involvement of nutrition teachers and dietitians were influenced by their annual salaries. The frequency of meals served also affected role conflict, job satisfaction, and job involvement of the nutrition teachers and dietitians, and the effect of job involvement by the nutrition teachers and dietitians was different according to meal service type. Therefore, it is necessary to establish strategies for resolving role conflicts among school foodservice specialists and improve their self-efficacy for enhancing consumer's satisfaction with the general quality of school food service. These efforts may contribute to job satisfaction and job involvement of food service specialists and ultimately to the productivity of food service and the establishment of food service specialist roles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.525-532
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• 2009

School dietitians are divided into two groups according to their status of employment, school nutrition teachers and dietitians, with the latter being irregularly employed by the institution. In this study, the job satisfaction, communication ability, work performance and importance in feeding services and dietetic counseling of both groups were compared. To accomplish this, 100 regularly employed school nutrition teachers (regularly employed) and 101 dietitians (irregularly employed) were surveyed by questionnaire. The results were as follows: (1) The irregularly employed dietitians showed a lower level of job satisfaction than the school nutrition teachers. This was likely because the school nutrition teachers belonged to the strong inner circle of school teachers and cafeteria workers, and had enough time to prepare for class lectures and consultancy. Conversely, the irregularly employed dietitians generally handle extra office work in addition to their primary duties. Despite these differences, both parties agreed that it was necessary to change the work system. Additionally, school dietitians reported that they had little opportunity for further training for career development. (2) Both parties had good communication skills; however, the irregularly employed dietitians had more conflicts with other staff members than the regular employees. (3) Job performance and job importance level was compared among employees involved in school feeding services and nutrition counseling. No significant differences were observed between dietitians and nutrition teachers in either group (p<0.05). However, the school nutrition teachers showed better skills than school dietitian with respect to public relations, running independent counseling offices, and using effective tools and materials. Job performance level was lower when compared to job importance level for all items, which meant the job was not well performed when compared to the work importance awareness.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.430-441
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between school administrator support as perceived by nutrition teachers (dietitians) and job satisfaction in order to provide data concerning efficient job performance of nutrition teachers, to determine effects of school administrator support on job satisfaction in nutrition teachers, and to provide basic data that could help improve school meals. Major supporters of nutrition teachers (dietitians) were chief administrators (55.3%), principals (27.2%), assistant principals (15.0%), and managers in charge (2.4%). Nutrition teachers (dietitians) scored 3.38 for perception of school administrator support, 3.66 for emotional support, 3.27 for informational support, 3.22 for instrumental support, and 3.11 for evaluation support. Support of nutrition teachers (dietitians) by school managers included emotional support (3.66)>informational support (3.27)>instrumental support (3.22)>evaluative support (3.11). Nutrition teachers (dietitians) scored 3.37 for job satisfaction, as follows: work performance (4.19)>interpersonal relationships (3.39)>job satisfaction in general (3.37)>job itself (3.29)>job environment (3.07)>performance rating and benefits system (2.70). Statistically significant correlation was observed between perception of school administrator support and job satisfaction (r= .771, p< .01). Therefore, school administrators are necessary to provide evaluative supports to nutrition teachers (dietitians), performance assessment, employee benefit packages, and improvement of school meal plans and quality.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate how implementation of direct nutrition education differs between nutrition teachers and dietitians in Gyeonggi Area. In this study, we collected data from 107 nutrition teachers and 129 dietitians in 2012. Among those who have answered they implemented direct nutrition education for the last one year, 36% were nutrition teachers and 10% were dietitians (p < 0.05). Among subjects who implemented direct education, a significantly greater percentage of nutrition teachers used a class as an education time to conduct creative hands-on-activity compare to dietitians (p < 0.05). However, for most dietitians, school meal time was more commonly used for direct nutrition education. When asked to make a suggestion regarding improvement for school nutrition education, the highest rate of people chose simplification of school administrative work (4.68 points) was needed. Developing nutrition education (4.55 points) showed the next highest rate. The rest of the answers were the following order; regular training of teaching methods (4.50 points), increasing awareness of school teachers (4.50 points), improving school facilities and financial support (4.47 points), preparing teaching plan (4.46 points), providing incentive for direct education (4.26 points), organizing regular class for nutrition education (4.17 points), and placing nutrition teachers (4.16 points). This study provides useful information including manageable workload of nutrition teachers and dietitians, capacity building and supportive school environment to be delivered with respect to nutrition education system in South Korea.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.798-806
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to investigate how to improve job satisfaction for dietitians and nutrition teachers by identifying influencing factors in Daejeon and Chungnam Province, South Korea. A survey was conducted among school foodservice dietitians and nutrition teachers from selected primary, middle and high school in the area. This survey consisted of general characteristics, status of their job, job satisfaction, work satisfaction and work performance. In this study we found current state of general characteristics and status of their job according to frequency analysis and the level of work satisfaction, work performance and job satisfaction using descriptive statistics. The t-test, ANOVA and Duncan-test were also conducted in order to searching for tendency of job satisfaction according to the general characteristics and the status of their job. Pearson's correlation was carried out in order to find correlation with job satisfaction. Also, factors, which influenced job satisfaction according to regression analysis, were drawn. We describe the difference of job satisfaction between irregular dietitians and nutrition teachers as well. Besides we discussed the improvement of dietitians' (nutrition teachers') work environment to raise their job satisfaction through this study.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2016

Objectives: Food allergy appears to be increasing in prevalence and can potentially result in significant damaging impact on children's mental and physical health. This study investigated how dietitians/nutrition teachers in Incheon, where a fatal fool allergy incidence occurred, manage food allergy issues in school lunch systems. Methods: A survey with a pre-tested questionnaire was conducted with 358 dietitians/nutrition teachers in Incheon area. The final analytical sample included questionnaire data from 208 study participants (58.1%). Statistical analyses used SPSS ver 19.0. Results: A total of 99.5% respondents reported having received food allergy education. The respondents showed a correction rate of the food allergy test slightly higher than 70%, where nutrition teachers and respondents working in elementary schools had correction rates higher than dietitians and those working in middle schools (p<0.05). All respondents reported regular monitoring to identify students with food allergy and making notification of allergy-prone foods on menu in their school. More nutrition teachers provided "elimination meals" (57.6%) or "replacement meals" (37.0%) than dietitians (43.1%, 19.8%, respectively) (p<0.05). Elimination and replacement meals were provided more in elementary schools than in middle schools (p<0.05). Although counseling students with food allergy on nutrition was done by 64.9% of respondents, the areas of counseling were limited to basics of food allergy and how to use the notification system on menu. To prepare for handling food allergy events effectively, networks with regional clinics or hospitals (34.1%), hotline with parents (87.4%), and keeping an Epi-Pen ready (46.7% elementary school) were established. Only 34.1% of respondents knew how to use Epi-Pens. Conclusions: Dietitians and nutrition teachers in Incheon widely adapted food allergy management methods. It appears that education/training on food allergy for dietitians/nutrition teachers can move on from teaching basics of food allergy to providing applicable food allergy management methods at school system.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.812-825
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the importance and performance level of sodium reduction practices in school meal service by school nutrition teachers and dietitians, and compared them according to school level and placement of the school nutrition teacher. SUBJECTS/METHODS: An online survey was conducted with 608 nutrition teachers and dietitians in schools in the Republic of Korea from September 28 to November 12, 2021 (response rate: 57%). The questionnaire comprised 11 items related to sodium reduction practices (purchasing, food preparation and serving, and education). The importance and performance level of each item was rated on a 5-point scale. The mean differences were analyzed using t-tests or one-way analyses of variance and Duncan's post-hoc tests. An importance-performance analysis was performed on sodium reduction practices. RESULTS: Participating in sodium reduction education, sodium reduction education for cooks, and sodium reduction education for students were assessed to have high importance but low performance. Overall, the higher the school level, the lower was the importance level of sodium reduction practices. The performance in kindergartens and elementary schools was higher than that in middle and high schools. The importance in the purchasing category perceived by dietitians was lower as compared to nutrition teachers. In addition, the performance in the purchasing, food preparation and serving, and education categories perceived by dietitians was lower than those of nutrition teachers. CONCLUSION: Sodium reduction education for nutrition teachers and dietitians, cooks, and students should prioritize practicing sodium reduction in school meal service. Specific guidelines for managing sodium reduction at all stages-purchasing, food preparation, and serving-should also be developed. The results could be used as basic data to reduce the sodium content in school meals.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.422-432
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• 2019

Objectives: The purposes of the study were to assess wastes generated in school foodservice and to identify factors influencing the generation of plate waste. Methods: A survey was administered from November 18-30 in 2015 to dietitians and nutrition teachers that were employed in schools located in Gyeonggi province. A questionnaire file and on-line survey site link were sent to the dietitians and nutrition teachers by e-mail. A total of 622 dietitians and nutrition teachers responded and 594 responses were used for data analysis after excluding 28 responses with significant missing data. Results: Plate waste was the major part of food waste generated in school foodservice. Vegetable menus and soup/stews were discarded the most as plate waste. The dietitians and nutrition teachers perceived students' unbalanced diet and lack of appreciation of food as causes of the plate waste. Regarding waste management, they were concerned about environmental contamination by food waste and felt uncomfortable about discarding food. No plate waste day was the most frequently used plate waste reduction activity, followed by newsletters on plate waste reduction. Difficulty in getting teachers' support for dietary education during meal time was rated the greatest barrier to implementing the activities. To reduce plate waste, they perceived that students should understand the importance of environment conservation, teachers should supervise students' eating during meal time, students should be educated about proper portion, and foodservice staff should improve food quality. Conclusions: To improve students' intake and reduce plate waste in school foodservice, foodservice staff need to involve students in school foodservice and improve the palatability of meals, especially vegetable dishes. School nutrition teachers and dietitians should educate students about healthy eating and environment conservation and the school community needs to understand and support plate waste reduction and healthy eating in schools.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.242-253
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sustainable practices of nutrition science teachers and dietitians working in school food service operations, and identify the social and psychological factors which affect the overall efficacy of the system. The research model was constructed based on the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior (ETPB) in order to analyze how individual motivation affects the sustainable practices of nutrition science teachers and dietitians. The data were collected through e-mail and postal mail from nutrition science teachers and dietitians all across Korea, and self-administered surveys were conducted. SPSS and AMOS programs were used for statistical analysis. First, the sustainable practices of nutrition science teachers and dietitians were analyzed in 6 different categories. Second, the significant pathways were 6 out of 9 in the ETPB model. Sustainable food service practices in school can contribute to the formation of more a sustainable culture, such as through the encouragement of more healthy eating habits, and higher level of environmental awareness and community awareness. The factors influencing these practices can be applied to the design of improvement programs aimed at increasing sustainable practices.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study were to examine the degree of job duty importance and difficulty of nutrition teachers in elementary school and then to make their future duties and roles clearly. Methods : The duties of nutrition teachers were classified into four fields such as foodservice management, nutrition education, nutrition counseling and educational experience of Korean agricultural products, and then each field were divided into job duties and job tasks. The subjects was 139 dietitians at elementary schools in Dague and Kyungpook Province who appraised the degree of importance and difficulty of the above four job duties with the Likert 5-point scale through a questionnaire survey. Results : From the results of the survey, it was found that every dietitian had highly assessed the importance of the four job duties of nutrition teachers. In a survey of the degree of job duty importance and difficulty on the dietitians, subjects recognized the following such as haccp management in the field of foodservice management is of the most importance(4.30), and the personal management has the most difficulty (3.80). In the field of nutrition education, the work of establishment nutrition education plan is of the most importance(4.33), and the developing of nutrition education materials and programsn are the most difficulty (4.13). In the field of nutrition counselling, students of that than parents and teachers counselling is of the most importance (4.15) and the most difficulty (4.08). Finally, in the field of our agricultural products experience education, which of he work is the most importance(4.07), and difficulty (4.02). Conclusion : Therefore, it is judged that nutrition teachers in the future should not only have a foodservice management, as their main job duty, but also aid in constructing life-long health management system for students and teachers by conducting a nutrition education and counseling, and also exert their energies in the job duties of menu development and experience education utilizing our agricultural products.