Elementary School Children's Intake Patterns of Health Functional Foods and Parent's Requirements in Daejeon Area

Park, Jin Seon; Lee, Joon Ho

Abstract

This study investigated intake patterns of health functional foods (HFF) in elementary school children and requirements of their parents in the Daejeon area using a questionnaire by 432 parents. Participating parents were composed of female, 83.6% and male, 16.4%. Most of the parents were in their 40's (53.0%) and 30's (45.8%). 47.9% of the children were male and 52.1% were female. The school year of the children was distributed evenly, ranging from the first year to the sixth year. The intake rate of HFF for parents appeared to be 65.3% and for children it appeared to be 63.2%. The primary reason of using HFF to their child was 'For health promotion' (54.4%); the largest reason of non-using HFF was 'Do not feel necessity because is healthy' (48.8%). In regards to purchase place, 'Drugstore' was most selected by 26.1%, while the largest amount of purchase motive was 'Decided by oneself for children's health' (37.7%). The average expense per month was, 'Less than 50 thousand portion' (20.3%). The intake period, 'less than 6 months' was won' for 54.9%. For intake items, 'Vitamin supplementation products' was the largest portion' (20.3%) was indicated. The intake period, 'less than 6 months' was the most selected by 51.3%. Most people (66.7%) selected '1 kind' of intake item. As for intake effect, 45.4% claimed 'A little help'. In regard to experiencing side effects, 'Is not' was 92.7%, however, diarrhea, nettle rash, nausea etc. were a little. The biggest problem of HFF was 'Falsehood/exaggerative advertisement' as identified by 53.1%. For improvement of the HFF system was, 'Verify by more strict formality' as selected by 55.8%. In regards to experience of nutrition education on HFF, 'Is not' was most selected by 51.0%. The most desirous form of nutrition education was, 'Simple paper material' (31.3%). The most desirous content of nutrition education was, 'nutritional management of classified by life cycle' (37.2%). Therefore, HFF must be used properly to promote the health and growth development of children by acquiring scientific and reasonable information about the ability and usage of the food.