A study on nutrition education provided by teachers and dietitians in Korean elementary schools

초록

In order to seek ways to promote nutrition education provided in Korean elementary schools, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire with teachers and dietitians working in 100 elementary schools in Inchon metropolitan area Ages of the subject teachers were 30-40 years, and most of them were in teaching service for 10-20 years. However, ages of the dietitians varied between 30-40, and most of them were in service for 3-5 years. Most teachers (90.5%) did not receive any training for nutrition education. Half of the total subject teachers thought that their schools had a person(s) responsible for nutrition education, Most of the subject teachers thought dietitians as those in charge of nutrition education. Most (63.4%) of the subject dietitians received training for nutrition education. Both teachers and dietitians agreed at the need of nutrition education for correcting children's unbalanced diet above all. Both groups wanted to start nutrition education prior to kindergarten. As to the placement of nutrition education in the school curriculum, they wanted to integrate it within the total curriculum. Teachers provided two or less nutrition lessons monthly, while dietitians offered 2-4 lessons monthly. Teachers and dietitians who did not give a nutrition lesson attributed the reason to heavy workload, For the most desirable way for efficient nutrition education, most teachers answered the connection of it to the school meals program. The way to promote nutrition education drawn from this study is to provide direct, systematic nutrition education constantly as a professional domain through the intensified, standardized nutrition education program designed by nutrition experts with full administrative supports.