A Study on Elementary School Teacher's Status and Recognition of Nutrition Education in Incheon

Park, Jeong Ah; Chang, Kyung Ja

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the elementary school teacher's status and recognition of nutrition education (NE) in Incheon. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire and subjects were 147 elementary school teachers. The results are as follows. Only 9.5% of the teachers had training in NE and 71.4% of the teachers with training increased concern about NE after training. As for experience of NE, 61.6% of the teachers experienced NE and more than half of them gave NE less than twice per month. There was a significant difference in reason for not giving NE between subgroups by teaching career; 57.7% of the teachers with career more than 10 years did not give NE due to too much other work. As for existence of nutrition educator in school, 48.9% of the teachers recognized its existence and 91.3% of them answered that dietitians have done NE. For correction of unbalanced diet, good table manner, and nutrition and growth, 97.9% of the teachers answered that NE is necessary in elementary school. As for proper time to start NE, 57.5% of the teachers answered kindergarten and 39,7% answered lower grade of elementary school. As for effective type for NE, 47.3% of the teachers answered NE as a part of other subject and 28.1% answered NE as a separate subject. Also 69.8% of the teachers answered dietitian as suitable person for NE. As for newly establishing a NE subject, 37.9% of the teachers disagreed and as for most effective method for NE, 73.3% answered NE linked with school lunch program. Most of teachers recognized elementary school students'eating habit problem severe and change of their eating habit such as various food choice, no plate waste and good table manner after school lunch program. Therefore, it should be nationally supported that a standardized NE program is developed and coordinated among teachers, school lunch dietitian as NE specialist, family and community for elementary students' health and well-being.