The Study on the Consumption and the Preference of Chungkukjang among Elementary School Children in Seongnam Area

성남 지역 일부 초등학생의 청국장 섭취 실태 및 기호도 조사

This study examined the preference and consumption of chungkukjang among elementary school children in Seongnam, Korea. The subjects included 583 students(male 300, female 283) who were asked to fill out a questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the SAS package. The results showed that 91.9% of the female students, 91.6% of children from nuclear families, and 90.7% of children with stay-at-home mothers, consumed chungkukjang. Among the children who had eaten chungkukjang previously, most had consumed it at home, and 65.5% of the students responded that chungkukjang was tasty. The data also revealed that female students, children from nuclear families, and those with stay-at-home mothers had greater preference for chungkukjang than male students, children from extended families, and those with working mothers. When asked why they dislike chungkukjang, both male and female students who had eaten it responded because 'it smells bad' and that 'it is not tasty'. However, among the students who had never eaten it, the male students replied because 'it is not tasty'(33.3%) and that 'it is not eaten at home'(27.8%), and the primary responses of the female students were 'it is not eaten at home'(65.2%) and 'it is not tasty'(21.7%). However, the subjects who had tried chungkukjang previously answered that in the future they would like to have it more frequently, as compared to the subjects who had never eaten chungkukjang. Therefore, to increase knowledge and improve perceptions of chungkukjang foods, families should give children many opportunities to try them, and in return, children will consume chungkukjang foods with pride. Furthermore, it is important that society as well as mass media, which have great influence on children, show concern and offer support in promoting chungkukjang.