J Korean Diet Assoc.  2024 Aug;30(3):192-203. 10.14373/JKDA.2024.30.3.192.

Mukbang Watching Status according to Sex and Grade, and Its Association with the Nutrition Quotient of Elementary School Students in Daejeon

• Kim MJ
• Choi MK

• KMID: 2558568
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14373/JKDA.2024.30.3.192

Abstract

The digital environment has become an integral part of human lives today. This study aimed to investigate Mukbang watching status and its association with eating behaviors, eating habits, and the nutritional status of children. We conducted a survey of the actual status of Mukbang watching, and nutrition quotient of children (NQ-C) among 222 students in elementary schools in Daejeon. The prevalence of viewing Mukbang content was 68.9%, the most common frequency of viewing was 1∼2 times per month (36.5%), and the duration of watching a single episode was less than 10 minutes (54.9%). Overall, 31.4% of students responded that they ate while watching a Mukbang and, 66.0% said they felt hungry after watching a Mukbang. YouTube (82.4%) was the most common source of viewing Mukbang. The most common reason for watching Mukbang was because all the students found the content entertaining. The NQ-C score of all the subjects surveyed was 58.95, which is a moderate grade. The scores of NQ-C, balance, and practice factors were significantly higher in boys than in girls. In addition, the scores of NQ-C, and balance and moderation were significantly higher in Mukbang non-viewers than viewers for all subjects and more specifically boys. These results suggest that watching Mukbang is associated with poor nutritional status in elementary school children. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the Mukbang watching status when providing nutrition guidance to instill healthy eating habits in children.

Keyword

Mukbang; elementary school; children; nutrition quotient; eating habits