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

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*

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

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

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to set easily applicable portion sizes by sex and age for children at the Community Child Centers (CCC) in Korea. METHODS: Considering the age and gender specific energy level at Target Patterns for children aged 6-18 years, which were suggested as a part of the 2010 Korean Food Guidance System (KFGS), we set three meal sizes. We reclassified the recommended daily servings of Grains, Meat.fish.eggs.beans and Vegetables group at Target Patterns into three meal sizes, and then calculated the recommended serving per meal. Each proposed amount of food per meal was calculated based on serving size of foods commonly eaten at KFGS, which was then allocated to five meal components; rice, soup, stew, protein and vegetable side-dishes and Kimchi. Each proposed amount of food per meal was applied to 173 menus' recipes from CANpro 3.0 as main ingredient's amounts. We cooked the 173 menus at the medium size and measured their weights after cooking. RESULTS: Each recommended serving per meal was 0.75, 0.9 and 1.2 for Grains; 1.2, 1.6 and 2.4 for Meat.fish.eggs.beans; 2, 2.4 and 2.8 for Vegetables by meal sizes. Among five meal components, the ratio of small and large to medium size was 1/5 less and 1/3 more for rice and 1/3 less and 1/3 more for soup.stew, protein side-dish and Kimchi, respectively. We suggested the same amount for a vegetable side-dish to encourage vegetable intake. Proper portion sizes per meal of medium were rice 190 g, soup.stew 210 g (solid ingredients 60 g), protein side-dish 100 g (meat.eggs.beans) and 70 g (fish), vegetable side-dish 80g and Kimchi 30 g. CONCLUSIONS: Proper portion size per meal suggested in this study may be useful at the CCC where dietitians are not available and the approach could be applicable to the other types of meal services.
Edible Grain ; Child* ; Cooking ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals* ; Nutritionists ; Portion Size ; Serving Size* ; Vegetables ; Weights and Measures

Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate the dietary iodine intake of Koreans by a Total Diet Study (TDS) which provides ‘closer-to-real’ estimates of exposure to hazardous materials and nutrients through an analysis of table-ready (cooked) samples of foods. Methods: Dietary intake data from 2013-2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) was used to select representative foods (RFs) for iodine analysis. A total of 115 RFs were selected and 158 ‘RF × cooking method-combination’ pairs were derived by pairing each RF to corresponding cooking method(s) used more frequently. RFs were collected from 9 mega-markets in 9 metropolitan cities nationwide and mixed into composites prior to cooking preparation to a ‘table ready’ state for iodine analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Iodine intake of Koreans was estimated based on the food intake data of the 2016-2018 KNHANES. Results: High iodine content was detected in seaweeds such as sea mustard and kelp. The mean iodine intake/capita/day was 418.4 ㎍ and the median value was 129.0 ㎍. Seaweeds contributed to 77.4% of the total iodine intake and the contribution by food item was as follows: sea mustard (44.0%), kelp (20.4%), laver (13.1%), milk (3.9%), egg (3.5%). Compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans 2020, the proportion of people with iodine intake exceeding the tolerable upper intake level or below the estimated average requirement was high in the physiologically vulnerable groups (infants, children, pregnant women, and lactating women). Conclusions The results, drawn from a TDS, are regarded closer to real estimates for iodine intake of Koreans compared with values in existing literature, which were based on a very limited variety of foods. On the other hand, it seems necessary to seek out solutions for the problematic iodine intake among physiologically vulnerable groups through in-depth analyses on food intake data collected with significant scale & quality.

Objectives: This study was conducted to find out if the dietary iron intake of Koreans estimated by 2 different methods (iron content sources) using the food intake data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) are comparable. One method was based on the KNHANES's Food & Nutrient Database (FND) derived mainly from the Korean Food Composition Table and the other used the iron content (IC) of food samples processed in the Korean Total Diet Study (KTDS). Methods: Dietary intake data from the 2013-2016 KNHANES was used to select representative foods (RFs) in KTDS for iron analysis. Selection of the RFs and cooking methods for each RF (RF × cooking method pair) was performed according to the ‘Guidebook for Korean Total Diet Studies’ and resulted in a total of 132 RFs and 224 ‘RF × cooking method’ pairs. RFs were collected in 9 metropolitan cities nationwide once or twice (for those with seasonality) in 2018 and made into 6 composites each, based on the origin and season prior to cooking. Then, the RF composites prepared to a ‘table ready’ state for KTDS were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Dietary iron intake of the Korean population was estimated using only RFs’ intake data based on the 2 sources of iron content, namely FND-KNHANES and IC-KTDS. Results: RFs in KTDS covered 92.0% of total food intake of Koreans in the 2016-2018 KNHANES. Mean iron intake of Koreans was 7.77 mg/person/day by IC-KTDS vs 9.73 mg/person/day by FND-KNHANES. The major food groups contributing to iron intake were meats (21.7%), vegetables (20.5%), and grains & cereals (13.4%) as per IC-KTDS. On the other hand, the latter source (FND-KNHANES) resulted in a very different profile: grains & cereals (31.1%), vegetables (16.8%), and meats (15.3%). While the top iron source was beef, accounting for 8.6% in the former, it was polished rice (19.2%) in the latter. There was a 10-fold difference in the iron content of polished rice between 2 sources that iron intakes excluding the contribution by polished rice resulted in very similar values: 7.58 mg/person/day by IC-KTDS and 7.86 mg/person/day by FNDKNHANES. Conclusions This study revealed that the dietary iron intake estimated by 2 different methods were quite comparable, excluding one RF, namely polished rice. KTDS was thus proven to be a useful tool in estimating a ‘closer-to-real’ dietary intake of nutrients for Koreans and further research on various nutrients is warranted.

Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate the dietary iodine intake of Koreans by a Total Diet Study (TDS) which provides ‘closer-to-real’ estimates of exposure to hazardous materials and nutrients through an analysis of table-ready (cooked) samples of foods. Methods: Dietary intake data from 2013-2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) was used to select representative foods (RFs) for iodine analysis. A total of 115 RFs were selected and 158 ‘RF × cooking method-combination’ pairs were derived by pairing each RF to corresponding cooking method(s) used more frequently. RFs were collected from 9 mega-markets in 9 metropolitan cities nationwide and mixed into composites prior to cooking preparation to a ‘table ready’ state for iodine analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Iodine intake of Koreans was estimated based on the food intake data of the 2016-2018 KNHANES. Results: High iodine content was detected in seaweeds such as sea mustard and kelp. The mean iodine intake/capita/day was 418.4 ㎍ and the median value was 129.0 ㎍. Seaweeds contributed to 77.4% of the total iodine intake and the contribution by food item was as follows: sea mustard (44.0%), kelp (20.4%), laver (13.1%), milk (3.9%), egg (3.5%). Compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans 2020, the proportion of people with iodine intake exceeding the tolerable upper intake level or below the estimated average requirement was high in the physiologically vulnerable groups (infants, children, pregnant women, and lactating women). Conclusions The results, drawn from a TDS, are regarded closer to real estimates for iodine intake of Koreans compared with values in existing literature, which were based on a very limited variety of foods. On the other hand, it seems necessary to seek out solutions for the problematic iodine intake among physiologically vulnerable groups through in-depth analyses on food intake data collected with significant scale & quality.