Milk is an important source of calcium, especially for growing children. The present study was to investigate the factors influenced milk consumption, and thus provide the guideline for improving milk consumption at the elementary school. Three hundre...
Milk is an important source of calcium, especially for growing children. The present study was to investigate the factors influenced milk consumption, and thus provide the guideline for improving milk consumption at the elementary school. Three hundreds forty nine students at an elementary school in Seoul were participated in the survey and the information regarding demography, milk consumption at home and school, the preferred type of milk, dietary habits, milk accessibility, and milk program at school were collected. Boys and the 6th grader consumed milk significantly more than girls and 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, respectively. Students with regular meal habit drunk more milk than skip a meals. Students drinking milk in the home at least once a day tended to drink milk at school. Majority of students (n=234) opposed teacher’s interference regarding milk program. Bread and cereals were the food consumed with milk most often at home. A cup of milk (200 ml) was accepted as the proper amount for one serving, and many students (n=210) preferred to drink the processed milk. Chocolate milk was most preferred type of processed milk. The reason to drink milk was to be healthy, or delicious, and the reason not to drink milk was taste and digestion, smell. This study suggested that preference and frequency of milk consumption were influence by the usual diet, milk consumption at home, and tastes of milk. Therefore, to improve milk consumption, nutrition education regarding nutrition aspect of milk, improving taste of milk, can considering various kinds of milk including types of milk consumed at home or student's favorite milk was recommended.