The purpose of this study was to suggest the desirable direction for dietary education in elementary school by investigating the trend of researches on dietary education in elementary school.
This study analyzed 115 researches about dietary education ...
The purpose of this study was to suggest the desirable direction for dietary education in elementary school by investigating the trend of researches on dietary education in elementary school.
This study analyzed 115 researches about dietary education in elementary school published from 2009 when Dietary Education Support Act was established to 2016.
Research contents were categorized as dietary life of elementary school students(17.4%), the recognition and current state of dietary education(21.7%), development of dietary education program(54.8%) and the direction of dietary education in elementary school(6.1%). The major dietary problems were skipping meals, the safe and healthy choices of snacks and unbalanced diets and the dietary habits and nutrition knowledge of the elementary school students needed improvement and Teachers, parents and students recognized the necessity of dietary education starting from the lower grades. the nutrition teacher was recognized as the person in charge of dietary education. However, the nutrition teacher had difficulties in teaching due to the burden of school food service and the lack of the time assigned to dietary education. As a result, the homeroom teachers role became more important as they could teach consistently throughout all of schools. Dietary contents about eco-friendliness and gratitude were the two main subjects of the Dietary education support act that needed reinforcement. the most frequent theme of dietary education program was dietary habits and the number of studies aimed at 5grade students was the highest. Dietary education is more effective for lower grades than upper grades. but a longer education period is needed.
Dietary education which includes contents of eco-friendliness, health and gratitude should raise dietary life competency and include more dietary life experience learning activities. In addition, comprehensive dietary educational system spanning the whole elementary school curriculum that can be used by the homeroom teacher must be established.