PURPOSE: This study was conducted in order to determine the difference of Importance and Performance Related service management and feeding practices of teachers at mealtime in childcare centers. METHODS: In December, 2013, questionnaires were completed by teachers working at childcare centers in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. A total of 179 teachers responded to questions regarding perceived importance and degree of performing related service management and feeding practices at mealtime in childcare centers. Factor analysis and Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) were used. RESULTS: Four factors including 11 items were represented by factor analysis: 'Personal hygiene management', 'Feeding practice', 'Food material management', and 'Service at serving foods'. For 'Personal hygiene management', scores for perception on importance and performance were 4.42 and 3.84 points of 5 that were the lowest among factors. As a result of IPA, teachers were aware of the importance and performed well, 'Encouraging and praising children's eating habits at mealtime', 'Giving thanks before and after a meal', and 'Sitting and eating with children at mealtime' belonged to 'Feeding practice'; whereas they were not aware of the importance and performed insufficiently, 'Wearing the hygiene hat for serving foods', 'Wearing disposable gloves for serving foods', and 'Wearing the apron for serving foods' belonged to 'Personal hygiene management'. CONCLUSION: For children's health and safety in foodservice at childcare centers, personal hygiene management is very important when cooking as well as serving food. The results suggest that education targeting personal hygiene management is necessary for management of hygiene by teachers while serving food in childcare centers. In addition, guidelines on service management and feeding practice are needed for teachers working at childcare centers.
Child ; Cooking ; Eating ; Education ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Meals* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul

PURPOSE: School meal programs should be part of the educational process to promote good eating habits for students. The purpose of this study was to develop an evaluation scale for educational school meal programs and evaluate the achievement level of educational school meal programs using the developed scale. METHODS: The evaluation scale for educational school meal programs consisted of 23 items in eight categories and was developed using content validity ratio (CVR) analysis and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) by 15 related experts. The results of a survey on nutrition teachers or dietitians at 91 elementary, middle, and high schools in Gyeonggi province, South Korea were analyzed to evaluate the achievement levels of educational school meal programs. RESULTS: Overall, total average score was 45.7 out of 100, with significant differences among schools (p = 0.005). Elementary schools (51.9) showed a higher average score than middle (41.5) and high schools (37.1). The score for the category of regular nutrition and dietary education was the lowest (5.7 out of 33.7). In addition, school meal environment (5 out of 10), educational activities through school meal time (9.2 out of 19), and extra-curricular experiential activities (3.5 out of 10) also showed inadequate levels. CONCLUSION: The results show that the overall level of educational school meal programs is not adequate and needs to be improved, especially at middle and high schools. Government support polices need to be implemented to encourage educational activities related to school meal programs.
Eating ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Meals* ; Nutritionists

PURPOSE: This study was conducted for analysis of menu pattern and food diversity of snack menus of child care centers in order to provide preliminary data for establishment of related guidelines for snack menus for child care centers. METHODS: Data from 630 snack menus (350 for morning snacks and 280 for afternoon snacks) of March, 2013 from 14 Child Care Information Centers in Seoul provided for child care centers were analyzed. In addition, the menu pattern and food diversity of morning snack menus were compared with those of afternoon snack menus. RESULTS: Differences in menu pattern and food diversity were observed between morning and afternoon snack menus. The majority of snack menus (66.8%) included two menu items and the numbers of menu items of afternoon snack menus were significantly larger than those of morning snack menus. The percentages of "Grains (G)" and "Grains (G) + Milk (D)" patterns were higher in snack menu (G: 18.9%, G+D: 17.1%). Approximately one third of snack menus were composed of only one food group. In addition, 45.6 % of all snack menus comprised milk and only 23.0% included fruits. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated the need for improvement in food composition and diversity of snack menus provided by Child Care Information Centers for child care centers. Therefore, to ensure children's intake of nutritionally balanced snacks, it will be necessary to establish more detailed guidelines for the menu pattern and food composition in snack menus for child care centers.
Child ; Child Care* ; Fruit ; Humans ; Information Centers* ; Milk ; Seoul ; Snacks*

The objectives of this study were to investigate the current status of the Korean government-funded meal support program for low-income children through convenience stores and to evaluate the nutritional quality of the meal items available under the program. The POS data of three convenient stores where children had used their electronic meal cards most often in Seoul during January 2010 and the kinds and amounts of ingredients of the meals items available to the children were obtained from the headquarter of the convenient stores. A total of 5,081 transactions by 693 children included in the POS data was analyzed. In addition, nutritional contents of meal items, which were meal boxes (11 kinds), kimbab (13 kinds), rice balls (27 kinds), inari sushi (1 kind), and sandwiches (26 kinds), were analyzed with Can Pro 3.0. The results showed that children had purchased flavored-milk products most often. Children tended to purchase meal items together with drinks (60.9% of transactions), but some purchased drinks (27.6%) or meal items only (11.5%). Except for meal boxes, none of the meal items satisfied 1/3 of Estimated Energy Requirements of the 9-11 year-old boys per day. The average energy contents of different kinds of meal boxes, kimbabs, rice balls, and sandwiches were 619, 357, 200, and 380 kcal, respectively, and the energy content of a package of Inari sushi was 457 kcal. Vitamin C amount was found to be deficient in all the meal items, compared to 1/3 of Recommended Intake of the 9-11 year-old boys per day. The results of this study could be useful to develop nutritionally appropriate meal items for the convenient stores participating in the government-funded meal support program for children from low-income families.
Ascorbic Acid ; Child ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Humans ; Meals ; Nutritive Value

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate children's eating behaviors and teachers' feeding practices during mealtime at child-care centers. In addition, it focused on the difference of teachers' feeding practices on children age under 2 years ( < or = 2 years old) and 3 years and older (3~5 years old). METHODS: A total of 169 teachers working at child-care centers in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, Korea, completed self-report questionnaires in December 2013. The questionnaires were composed of questions on children's eating behaviors, feeding practices; 'Explain', 'Praise', 'Modeling', 'Indulgent', 'Insist' and 'Reward', interaction with home, and a range of demographic information (analysis rate: 51.2%). RESULTS: Approximately 59.2% of teachers had not taken a class on feeding practice and the average score for nutrition knowledge was 14.6 out of 30 points. The most undesirable eating behavior of children during mealtime was 'eating while walking around (36.7%)' both ' < or = 2 years old' and '3~5 years old'. Regarding feeding practices according to children's undesirable eating behaviors during mealtime, there were differences between age groups. When children did not eat all of the foods that were served and did not clean up silverware or seats after having food, teachers caring for '3~5 years old' practiced 'Explain'. However, percentages of those who practiced 'Indulgent' and 'Modeling' were significantly higher in teachers caring for ' < or = 2 years old' than '3~5 years old'. CONCLUSION: These findings indicated that teachers caring for children lack education and knowledge about nutrition and feeding practice. In addition, verbal feeding practices, like explain, were mainly used by teachers. As a result, for teachers, guidelines and programs for learning about age appropriate feeding practice during mealtime at child-care centers may be needed.
Child ; Education ; Feeding Behavior* ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Meals* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul ; Walking

This study was conducted to investigate how child-care teachers participate, practice mealtime instruction, and perceive difficulties in food service, focusing on comparison between the teachers caring two different age groups: children younger than three years (Younger Group) and those three years or older (Older Group). Questionnaires were distributed to 151 child-care centers in Kwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea during December, 2011. Only the data from 25 child-care centers, where two respective teachers in charge of Younger Group and Older Group completed the questionnaires, were analyzed. The results showed that there was no difference in terms of child-care teachers' participation in food service practice between the two groups, except for serving method; 'Pre-plated' serving was used significantly more often in Younger Group, whereas 'Line-up' serving was used in Older Group. Approximately, three quarters of the child-care centers had policies or guidelines on mealtime instruction. During mealtime, child-care teachers tended to use frequently verbal instructions such as "sit up straight when you eat" about eating manner, "don't be picky with your food" about eating habit, and "wash your hands before eating" about eating procedure in both the groups. There was no statistically significant difference regarding child-care teachers' perceived difficulties in food service between the two groups. These results indicated that child-care teachers' participation and mealtime instruction in food service did not differ between the two age groups, although children's development of digestion and eating skill differed by age. Therefore, training should be provided to child-care teachers about food service practices and mealtime instruction appropriate to children's age.
Child ; Digestion ; Eating ; Fees and Charges ; Food Services ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: School meals are not just meals consumed at school, they are part of the culture, education, and life experience at school. Nevertheless, few studies have revealed the influence of school meals on students' school lives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of satisfaction with the school meal program on students' school happiness. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey conducted in December 2015 asked 2,336 students (1,062 elementary school students, 880 middle school students, and 394 high school students) about their satisfaction with the school meal program and their school happiness. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relation between the students' school meal satisfaction and their happiness level. RESULTS: The average level of satisfaction with school meals of elementary school students was 4.1 out of 5 points, comparatively higher than that of middle and high school students, with a significant difference between school levels (P < 0.001). In addition, school happiness, as well as overall happiness, of elementary school students was higher than that of middle and high school students (P < 0.001). The school meal operation factor (0.232, P < 0.001) had the most influence on students' school happiness, followed by the school meal environment factor (0.219, P < 0.001) and school meal quality factor (0.136, P < 0.001). Overall satisfaction (0.097, P = 0.001) and school meal hygiene factor (0.095, P = 0.001) also had significant influences on students' school happiness. CONCLUSIONS: Students' satisfaction with the school meal program was related to their school happiness. Therefore, plans to enhance students' satisfaction with a school meal program needs to be implemented, with emphasis on placing a priority on school meal operation and school environment factors, in order to improve students' level of happiness.
Education ; Happiness* ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Korea* ; Life Change Events ; Meals*

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the importance and performance level of sodium reduction practices in school meal service by school nutrition teachers and dietitians, and compared them according to school level and placement of the school nutrition teacher. SUBJECTS/METHODS: An online survey was conducted with 608 nutrition teachers and dietitians in schools in the Republic of Korea from September 28 to November 12, 2021 (response rate: 57%). The questionnaire comprised 11 items related to sodium reduction practices (purchasing, food preparation and serving, and education). The importance and performance level of each item was rated on a 5-point scale. The mean differences were analyzed using t-tests or one-way analyses of variance and Duncan’s post-hoc tests. An importance-performance analysis was performed on sodium reduction practices. RESULTS: Participating in sodium reduction education, sodium reduction education for cooks, and sodium reduction education for students were assessed to have high importance but low performance. Overall, the higher the school level, the lower was the importance level of sodium reduction practices. The performance in kindergartens and elementary schools was higher than that in middle and high schools. The importance in the purchasing category perceived by dietitians was lower as compared to nutrition teachers. In addition, the performance in the purchasing, food preparation and serving, and education categories perceived by dietitians was lower than those of nutrition teachers. CONCLUSION Sodium reduction education for nutrition teachers and dietitians, cooks, and students should prioritize practicing sodium reduction in school meal service. Specific guidelines for managing sodium reduction at all stages—purchasing, food preparation, and serving—should also be developed. The results could be used as basic data to reduce the sodium content in school meals.

The purpose of this study was to investigate school dietitians' satisfaction with and needs for School Meal Service Support Centers. A web-based on-line survey was conducted with 1,102 nutrition teachers or school dietitians using four School Meal Service Support Centers during the summer of 2011. The data from 578 respondents (52.5%), consisting of 165 (44.4%), 334 (53.4%), 41 (67.2%), and 38 (86.4%) dietitians using Seoul, Gyeonggi, Suncheon and Gyeongju centers, respectively, were analyzed. The main reason for using the centers was subsidies from local governments. The dietitians using the metropolitan centers, which were Seoul and Gyeonggi centers, tended to buy agricultural products through the centers only, and those using local centers, which were Suncehon and Gyeongju centers, bought those products from the private suppliers as well as from the centers. The dietitians' overall level of satisfaction with the centers was not high showing 3.3 out of 5 points; it was significantly associated with the operating system and services of the centers such as system efficiency, delivery accuracy, communication, and information provision rather than the agricultural products provided by the centers. The dietitians preferred joint operation of the centers by local governments and producers' groups. They wanted School Meal Service Support Centers to be evaluated every year. It was suggested that efforts should be made to improve the operation system and service of School Meal Service Support Centers for improving dietitians' satisfaction with the centers. In addition, an evaluation system for School Meal Service Support Centers should be implemented soon based on school dietitians' needs.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Joints ; Meals

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of food service management in the restaurants participating in the government-funded children's meal program during summer vacation. A mail survey was conducted with individuals who worked in the restaurants participating in the government-funded children's meal program in Seoul during the summer vacation in 2010. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed to 274 Chinese, 235 Bunsik and 91 Korean restaurants, which were selected using proportionate stratified sampling by regions and types of operations. A total of 138 usable questionnaires (23.0%) were returned and analyzed. The results showed that over half (57.2%) of the restaurants did not employ any certified cooks. Most of the restaurants (97.8%) provided side dishes; among them, only 42% planned menus for side dishes in advance and only a half changed side dish menus periodically. The suggested reasonable reimbursement rate per meal for children using restaurants differed by types of restaurants; the percentage of restaurants having responded 5,000 won or higher was the highest in Chinese restaurants. This study revealed that food service in the restaurants participating in the government-funded children's meal program was not properly managed during summer vacation, especially in terms of menu and food production. This study also showed that the suggested reasonable reimbursement rate of meals for children using restaurants differed by types of restaurants, implying that adjusting the reimbursement rate according to types of restaurants should be considered in the government-funded children's meal program.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Food Services ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Restaurants