Korean J Nutr.  2010 Aug;43(4):382-394. 10.4163/kjn.2010.43.4.382.

The Effects of a Nutrition and Body Shape Education Program as Part of Health Promoting Projects in an Elementary School

• Shim E
• Kim JS
• Ji SM
• Sohn TY
• Hwang J
• Chung EJ

• KMID: 2268027
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/kjn.2010.43.4.382

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a nutrition education program as part of health promoting projects in an elementary school. A total of 168 students in the 4th grade were enrolled in the program for 6 months. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to assess nutrition knowledge and dietary habit. Nutrient intakes and body shape perceptions were measured using 24-hour recall method and self-ratings of body shape figures, respectively. The education program was conducted in various ways, focused on healthy dietary behavior, nutrients' roles and sources, and proper body shape perceptions, etc. After the education program, nutrition knowledge and dietary habit were significantly improved. Dietary habit scores were significantly and positively related to nutrition knowledge levels. Body shape perceptions were significantly and properly changed after the program. Dissatisfaction with perceived current body shape and discrepancy between shapes desired and considered healthy were significantly decreased. But girls still indicated a desire to be leaner than shapes which were perceived current and considered healthy. Nutrient intakes were partly improved by the program, but some nutrients, such as calcium, folate, zinc, sodium and niacin, were still remained deficient or excessive. These findings indicate that enhancement of nutrition knowledge is extended to the improvement of dietary habit. In addition, establishment of proper body shape perception is closely related to healthy dietary habits and is required to good nutrition and health.

Keyword

nutrition education; nutrition knowledge; dietary habit; nutrient intakes; body shape perception

MeSH Terms

Calcium
Folic Acid
Food Habits
Humans
Niacin
Surveys and Questionnaires
Sodium
Zinc
Calcium
Folic Acid
Niacin
Sodium
Zinc

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Body mass and Rohrer's indices by perceived current body shape. 1) Body mass index = body weight (kg)/height (m)2, 2) Rohrer's index = {body weight (g)/height (cm)3} × 100. Analysis of variance (Student-Newman-Keuls test) was performed to test the difference between means of each body shape groups. Bars with a different letter or letters are significantly different at p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Percentages of nutrient intakes to dietary reference intakes for Koreans before and after the education program. Energy refers to estimated energy requirement; dietary fiber, Na, K and vitamin E refer to adequate intake; carbohydrates, lipids, cholesterol, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, Ca, P, Fe and Zn refer to recommended intake.

Reference

1. World Health Organization. WHO's global school health initiative: Health-promoting schools. 1998. Geneva:

2. Contento IR. Nutrition education: linking research, theory, and practice. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008. 17:Suppl 1. 176–179.

3. Ministry of Health & Welfare. Health Plan 2010. 2005.

4. World Health Organization. Healthy nutrition: An essential element of a health-promoting school. 1998. Geneva:

5. Glasauer P, Aldinger C, Yu SH, Xia SC, Tang SM. Nutrition as an entry point for health-promoting schools: Lessons from China. Food, Nutrition and Agriculture. 2003. 33:27–35.

6. Mo S. Symposium: The present status and a future scheme in nutrition education. Korean J Nutr. 1990. 23(3):208–212.

7. Kim KA, Lee YK. The effect of nutrition education using animations on the nutrition knowledge, eating habits and food preferences of elementary school students. Korean J Community Nutr. 2010. 15(1):50–60.

8. Ahn Y, Ko SY, Kim KW. Evaluation of a nutrition education program for elementary school children. Korean J Community Nutr. 2009. 14(3):266–276.

9. Lee JW, Lee HS, Chang N, Kim JM. The relationship between nutrition scores and dietary behavior, dietary intakes and anthropometric parameters among primary school children participating in a nutrition education program. Korean J Nutr. 2009. 42(4):338–349.

10. Moon HK, Park Y, Park J. Evaluation of a nutrition education program for 5th grade students provided by community health centers in the Seoul metropolitan area. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2008. 14(3):259–275.

11. Kim SB, Choi HJ. Effects of nutrition education using food exchange system: Changes in elementary students' nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and nutrients intake. Korean J Community Nutr. 2008. 13(6):922–933.

12. Kyeon YK, Jang YA, Kim JW. Application of a practical nutrition education program, KHIDIKIDS, for the improvement of dietary attitudes and habits of elementary students. Korean J Nutr. 2006. 39(8):808–816.

13. Lee YM, Lee MJ, Kim SY. Effects of nutrition education through discretional activities in elementary school-focused on improving nutrition knowledge and dietary habits in 4th-, 5th- and 6th-grade students. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2005. 11(3):331–340.

14. Lee AR, Moon HK, Kim EK. A study on dietary habits, dietary behaviors and body image recognition of nutrition knowledge after nutrition education for obese children in Seoul. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2000. 6(2):171–178.

15. Lee O, Chang SO, Park MJ. Comparison of nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and dietary habit in elementary school children with and without nutrition education. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr. 2008. 32(11):1427–1434.

16. Chang SO, Lee OH, Lee KS. Intake of processed foods and the effects of nutrition label education in 5th grade children. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2008. 14(2):166–175.

17. Hyon SM, Kim JW. Improvement of dietary attitudes of elementary students by nutrition labeling education. Korean J Community Nutr. 2007. 12(2):168–177.

18. Kim SH, Hyun TS. Evaluation of a nutrition education website for children. Korean J Community Nutr. 2006. 11(2):218–228.

19. Sharma SV, Gernand AD, Day RS. Nutrition knowledge predicts eating behavior of all food groups except fruits and vegetables among adults in the Paso del Norte region: Qué Sabrosa Vida. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2008. 40(6):361–368.

20. Woo TJ, Her ES, Lee KH. Effect-evaluation of nutrition education textbook and teaching manual in elementary school. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2006. 12(3):299–306.

21. Lee YM. The effect of children's body shape perception and body image perception on their diet behavior. J Korea Home Econ Assoc. 2004. 42(4):143–153.

22. Her ES, Lee SG, Park HJ, Lee KH. Effect-evaluation on nutrition education in related curriculums for elementary school children-focused on change of dietary habits. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2005. 10(6):795–804.

23. Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007 Korean national growth charts. 2007.

24. Korea Health Industry Development Institute. Dietary guidelines for healthy diets and disease prevention. 2003.

25. Parkinson KN, Tovée MJ, Cohen-Tovée EM. Body shape perceptions of preadolescent and young adolescent children. Eur Eat Disord Rev. 1998. 6(2):126–135.

26. The Korean Nutrition Society. Dietary reference intakes for Koreans. 2005. Seoul:

27. Lee YJ, Kim GM, Chang KJ. The analysis of effect an nutrition education of elementary school children, Inchon. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2000. 6(2):86–96.

28. Blaesing S, Brockhaus J. The development of body image in the child. Nurs Clin North Am. 1972. 7(4):597–607.

29. Contento IR, Bach G, Bronner YL, Lytle LA, Maloney SK, Olson CM, Swadener SS, Randell JS. The effectiveness of nutrition education and implications for nutrition education policy, program and research: a review of research. J Nutr Educ. 1995. 27(6):298–311.

30. Yon MY, Han YH, Hyun TS. Dietary habits, food frequency and dietary attitues by gender and nutrition knowledge level in upper-grade school children. Korean J Community Nutr. 2008. 13(3):307–322.

31. Yoon HS, Yang HL, Her ES. Effect of nutrition education program on nutrition knowledge, dietary diversity of elementary school children. Korean J Community Nutr. 2000. 5(3):513–521.

32. Yang IS, Kim HY, Lee HY, Kang YH. Effectiveness of web-based nutritional education program for junior and senior high school students. Korean J Nutr. 2004. 37(7):576–584.

33. Moore DC. Body image and eating behavior in adolescents. J Am Coll Nutr. 1993. 12(5):505–510.

34. Foster GD, Wadden TA. Blackburn GL, Kanders BS, editors. The psychology of obesity, weight loss, and weight regain: Research and clinical findings. Obesity: pathophysiology, psychology, and treatment. 1996. New York: Chapman & Hall;141–159.

35. Lee Y, Shin HK, Choi BM, Eun BL, Park SH, Lee KH, Shin C. A survey of body shape perception and weight control of adolescent girls in three areas of Korea. Korean J Pediatr. 2008. 51(2):134–144.

36. Kang Y, Sohn MS, Jin KN, Kim HJ, Ohr HC, Suh SJ. Factors influencing weight control behavior and intention of obese children and adolescents. Korean J Prev Med. 1998. 31(2):199–214.

37. Nam HJ, Kim SY, Park HM, Cho KH. Dietary behaviors and lifestyle by self-perception of body image. Korean J Health Promot Dis Prev. 2003. 3(2):121–136.

38. Westenhoefera J. Establishing good dietary habits-capturing the minds of children. Public Health Nutr. 2001. 4(1A):125–129.

39. Hoare P, Cosgrove L. Eating habits, body-esteem and self-esteem in Scottish children and adolescents. J Psychosom Res. 1998. 45(5):425–431.

40. Kim JH, Lee MH, Lee JJ. Body Image, eating behavior, and weight control practices among Korean adolescent girls. Nutr Sci. 2002. 5(4):245–255.

41. Shariff ZM, Yasin ZM. Correlates of children's eating attitude test scores among primary school children. Percept Mot Skills. 2005. 100(2):463–472.

42. Ministry of Health & Welfare. The Third Korea National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES III), 2005. 2006.