어린이집 아동들의 식생활 태도에 관한 연구

A Study on Dietary Attitudes of Preschool Children in Child Care Center

This study aimed at examine dietary attitude, eating behavior and food preferences of children in child care center. The children involved in this study were 153 boys and 134 girls, aged 3 to 6 years old. The eating frequency of breakfast and the number of meal times a day were significant difference according to sex(P<0.01). Reason for skipping breakfast was ‘no appetite’(49.3%). It was found that 51.5% of the children belonged to ‘fair’ in food habit score, while children in ‘poor’ and in ‘excellent’ were 25.0% and 9.7% respectively. There was no significant difference in food habit score between boys and girls. Their preferred staple foods were ‘cooked rice’ and ‘Chajangmyon’, their preferred soup was ‘seaweed soup’. Also, their most preferred side dishes with animal foods were ‘fried chicken’ and ‘Bulgogi’. The preference of ‘hard boiled soybean curd’ and ‘pan fried soybean curd’ among the side dishes with vegetable foods were significant according to the obesity index(P<0.05). Children preferred side dishes with animal foods to those with vegetable foods. First considered item in meal preparation was child's favorite(58.1%). Mother's response to child's unbalanced diet was ‘trying to persuade the child’(56.6%). It was significant according to mother's occupation(P<0.01). The nutritional management program at child care center is required to enhance the nutritional status of children. Also the nutritional education for the children and their meal planners is required for better growth and health promotion of preschool children.