Korean J Community Nutr.  2016 Apr;21(2):152-164. 10.5720/kjcn.2016.21.2.152.

Status and Need Assessment on Nutrition & Dietary Life Education among Nutrition Teachers in Elementary, Middle and High Schools

• Oh NG
• Gwon SJ
• Kim KW
• Sohn CM
• Park HR
• Seo JS

• KMID: 2269416
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2016.21.2.152

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to investigate the status and need for nutrition and dietary life education among nutrition teachers at schools. These characteristics were analyzed if they were different between elementary schools and middle-high schools.
METHODS
Subjects were 151 nutrition teachers from 70 elementary schools, 41 middle schools and 40 high schools in 17 cities nationwide selected by two-stage stratified cluster sampling process. Survey questionnaires included the items on general characteristics, status and need assessment for nutrition and dietary life education. Chi-square test or t-test was used for data analysis by school groups.
RESULTS
Nutrition education was implemented at 65.7% of elementary schools and 51.9% of middle-high schools. Nutrition education was mainly performed in 'discretionary activities·extracurricular activities' at elementary school and through 'newsletters, school homepage, foodservice bulletin board' at middle-high school (p<0.001). The most needed topic for nutrition education in nutrition teachers was 'healthy dietary habits and table manners' and this was not significantly different by school groups. Responses on adequate frequency (p<0.01), methods used for nutrition education (p<001), materials for nutrition education (p<0.001), information sources for nutrition education (p<0.001) were significantly different by school groups. Major tasks for activating nutrition education included 'securing the time for implementing nutrition education by reducing work loads' and 'developing standardized nutrition education materials' in schools.
CONCLUSIONS
Nutrition education at schools might be activated by improving working conditions of nutrition teachers and developing the practical programs that reflect the needs of nutrition teachers.

Keyword

nutrition teacher; nutrition education; needs assessment; children; adolescents

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Child
Education*
Food Habits
Humans
Needs Assessment
Statistics as Topic

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