Perception and Preference of Elementary Schoolchildren on Rice Foods in Changwon and Gimhae City

창원.김해 지역 초등학생의 쌀음식에 대한 인식 및 기호도 조사

This study was based on the information provided by 1,180 elementary school children (630 boys and 550 girls) of 5th or 6th grade in Changwon and Gimhae of Gyeongnam province. They were asked about perception and preference for rice foods by questionnaires. The purpose of this survey was to find the way of encouraging rice intake and preference which is currently getting lower because of increasing simple westernized eating habits, and to provide basic information needed for inheriting and improving our traditional rice-based dietary culture. The results are summarized as follows. Most of subjects (91.2%) thought that steamed rice is better than bread for own health. The reason why they chose to eat steamed rice was 'because it is good for health' (61.2%), and 'because it is staple food item that we eat everyday' (26.4%). Seventy one percent of girls and 52.7% of boys gave the answer 'because it is good for health' as the reason for eating steamed rice. The reasons for the importance of the rice-based dietary culture were 'because of its superior nutritional value' (40.8%), and 'because it is our traditional eating culture' (28.6%). While significantly more girls (42.9%) answered as 'because of its superior nutritional value', more boys (39.0%) answered as 'because it is our traditional dietary culture'. More boys (59.0%) preferred noodles than girls' (54.7%), and fruits were preferred more by girls than boys as substitution foods for steamed rice showing significant difference (p<0.01). They wanted rice product developed in the forms such as Ssalamyun (29.8%), Ssalmandoo (24.1%), rice noodles (20.6%), and rice bread (15.6%). The preference score on rice products of subjects was one dish meals (4.27) and drinks (4.26), snacks (3.72), convenience foods (3.61), and steamed rice (3.44) in order. Preferred food showing points over 4 were Ssalbap (plain steamed rice) (4.29) in steamed rice type food, Kimchi bokeumbap (4.56), Bokeumbap (4.55), Bibimbop (4.45), Omelet rice (4.44), Kimbap (4.42), Ddukkuk (4.33), Curried rice (4.33), Jajangbap (4.28), and Ddukmandookuk (4.24) in one dish meal type food, Samgak Kimbap (4.26) in convenience type food, Songpyun (4.48), Injulmi (4.18), Teokbokki (4.71), Ddukkochiguyi (4.46), and rice cookies (4.24) in snack type food, and Shikhye (4.61) and Misugaru (4.28) in drink type food. Based on these results, it may be said that elementary school children think the rice-based diet is good for health and this dietary culture should be inherited and developed not only in a traditional aspect but also in a nutritional aspect. Therefore, more studies are needed to develop various forms of rice food products and cooking recipes.