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Shim, Kim, Ji, Sohn, Hwang, and Chung: The Effects of a Nutrition and Body Shape Education Program as Part of Health Promoting Projects in an Elementary School
Research Article
Korean Journal of Nutrition

Korean Journal of Nutrition 2010; 43(4): 382-394.

Published online: 31 August 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/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

Eugene Shim1, Jin-Soon Kim2, Se-Min Ji3, Tae-Yong Sohn2, Jinah Hwang4, Eun-Jung Chung5

1National Hypertension Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul 120-752, Korea.

2Department of Health Services Administration, Yuhan University, Bucheon 422-749, Korea.

3Department of Public Hygiene, Bucheon City, Bucheon 420-736, Korea.

4Department of Foods and Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, Myongji University, Yongin 449-728, Korea.

5Department of General Education, Kangnam University, Yongin 446-702, Korea.

To whom correspondence should be addressed. (eugene_shim@yonsei.ac.kr)

Received 23 April 2010       Revised 5 May 2010       Accepted 29 June 2010

© 2010 The Korean Nutrition Society

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.

Keywords: nutrition education, nutrition knowledge, dietary habit, nutrient intakes, body shape perception

Figures and Tables

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.
kjn-43-382-g001
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.
kjn-43-382-g002
Table 1
Outlines of the education program
kjn-43-382-i001
Table 2
General characteristics of subjects
kjn-43-382-i002

Values are expressed as means ± SEM.

Unpaired two-sample t-tests were performed to test the difference between means of boys and girls.

1) Body mass index = body weight (kg)/height (m)2

2) Rohrer's index = {body weight (g)/height (cm)3} × 100

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01

Table 3
Correct answers in the nutrition knowledge test before and after the education program
kjn-43-382-i003

1) McNemar's tests were performed to assess the associations of correct answers to each questions between before and after the program.

2) Expressed as means ± SEM. Paired two-sample t-tests were performed to test the difference between means before and after the program.

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001

Table 4
Body shape scores before and after the education program
kjn-43-382-i004

Paired two-sample t-tests were performed to test the difference between means before and after the education (*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001).

Unpaired two-sample t-tests were performed to test the difference between means of boys and girls before and after the education respectively (§: p < 0.05, §§: p < 0.01).

Paired two-sample t-tests were performed to test the differences between the means of perceived current body shape and children's body shape desired to be, or between the means of older adolescents' body shapes considered to be healthy and desired to be (†: p < 0.05, ††: p < 0.01, †††: p < 0.001).

1), 2) The score range was 1-7 scales and the median was 4.

4), 5) The score range was 1-9 scales and the median was 5.

3), 6) Absolute values

Table 5
Pearson's correlation coefficients between perceived current body shape scores and body mass or Rohrer's indices before and after the education program
kjn-43-382-i005

All the coefficients are significant at p < 0.001.

1) Body mass index = body weight (kg)/height (m)2 2) Rohrer's index = {body weight (g)/height (cm)3} × 100

Table 6
Dietary habit scores before and after the education program
kjn-43-382-i006

Values are expressed as means ± SEM.

Paired two-sample t-tests were performed to test the difference between means before and after the education.

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001

Table 7
Nutrient intakes before and after the education program
kjn-43-382-i007

Values are expressed as means ± SEM.

Paired two-sample t-tests were performed to test the difference between means before and after the education.

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001

1) Calcium, 2) Phosphorus, 3) Sodium, 4) Potassium, 5) Iron, 6) Zinc

Table 8
Pearson's correlation coefficients of dietary habit scores with nutrition knowledge scores and with difference between perceived current and desired body shapes after the education program
kjn-43-382-i008

*: p < 0.05

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