The purpose of this study was to investigate fruits and vegetables intakes and related factors by gender and frequency of eating fruits and vegetables in elementary school students(n=234). This survey was conducted by 24-hour food-recall and a self-ad...
The purpose of this study was to investigate fruits and vegetables intakes and related factors by gender and frequency of eating fruits and vegetables in elementary school students(n=234). This survey was conducted by 24-hour food-recall and a self-administered questionnaire which included frequency of fruits and vegetables intakes, nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, beliefs regarding eating fruits and vegetables, dietary habits, eating behavior, and food preferences.
The average age, height, weight of subjects were 9.4 years, 139.1cm and 35.8kg. About 70% percentage of subjects were normal weight.
High consumption group(≤5 servings of fruits and vegetables/a day) compared to low consumption group was higher in the frequency of eating kimchi, vegetables, fruits, and total fruits and vegetables of frequency(p<0.001). Fruits and vegetables consumption was not significantly different by gender. The mean intakes of vegetables, fruits/juice, total fruits and vegetables were 188.7g, 151.4g, 340.2g respectively. Girls(p<0.05) and high consumption groups(p<0.01) were higher in intake of vegetables than the counterparts.
The mean score of nutrition knowledge was 8.5 out of 15; nutrition knowledge score was not significantly different by gender or frequency of eating fruits and vegetables a day. The mean score of beliefs regarding eating fruits and vegetables was 56.4 out of 68, indicating the positive beliefs of about fruits and vegetables. Girls perceived about benefits of eating fruits and vegetables such as 'cancer prevention'(p<0.001), 'constipation prevention'(p<0.001), 'good for skin'(p<0.05) than boys. High consumption groups recognized more positively about the benefits of 'good for skin'(p<0.05) than low consumption groups. Boys accepted 'dont have enough time'(p<0.01), 'didn't eat before'(p<0.05), 'family member hates'(p<0.05), as disadvantages of eating fruits and vegetables than girls. Disliking color of vegetables of boys were appeared to be in order of purple, green, black, and the girls answered in order of black, green, purple(p<0.01), The hatred cooking methods that boys disliked in the order of 'only seasoning', 'vegetable soup', 'frying'; girls answered 'frying', only seasoning', 'boiling & seasoning'(p<0.05). The texture of disliking vegetables were replied as in a turn of 'soft', 'bad smells', 'bitterish'. Gender and frequency of eating fruits and vegetables was not significantly different. Subjects showed a relatively high result of self-efficacy(32.0 out of 40). Girls and high consumption groups were higher in self-efficacy than boys and low consumption groups(p<0.05, p<0.01). Girls showed higher self-efficacy in 'eating fruits or salad as a snack'(p<0.01), 'drinking fruit and vegetable juice'(p<0.01) than boys. High consumption groups showed higher self-efficacy in 'eating vegetable side dishes'(p<0.01), 'eating vegetables with meat'(p<0.05), 'eating vegetables when having a meal alone'(p<0.05), 'eating fruits and salads as a snack'(p<0.05) than low consumption groups. Eating-out frequency was 1.3 times per week, and more than half were having an unbalanced diet. The foods that they avoid vegetables, beans, fish, dairy products, Girls showed higher frequency in eating snacks than boys(p<0.01). The mean score of eating behavior was 34.0 out of 45. High consumption groups scored higher in eating habit than low consumption groups(p<0.01). Girls showed better eating behavior in 'eating adequate amount of meal'(p<0.001), 'eating foods considering nutrition'(p<0.05), 'eating fruits'(p<0.05) than boys. Eating oily foods showed higher frequency in boys than girls(p<0.05). High consumption groups showed better eating behavior in 'eating foods considering nutrition'(p<0.01), 'eating vegetables'(p<0.01), 'eating protein foods'(p<0.05) than low consumption groups. The subjects showed the mean daily intakes of sodium, protein, vitamin A were excessive, but, those of calcium and potassium were very low. The food preferences were high in fruits, snacks, and beverages except vegetables.
The results of this survey presents that elementary school students were having a low intake of vegetables and fruits. Also this survey showed differences in self-efficacy, beliefs and eating behavior by gender and by frequency of eating fruits and vegetables. This survey provides information for developing nutrition education programs to increase fruits and vegetables intakes.