KOREASCHOLAR

The objective of this study was to investigate a method to improve and to increase the utilization of Korean traditional food in middle school students by examining preferences and perceptions. Middle school students in Seoul area were surveyed from 29 November to 6 December 2007. The results are summarized as follows: 83.9% students ate Korean food as breakfast. The reasons for the success of Korean food were 'Nation's traditional food' (29.2%), 'fit in taste' (27.4%), and 'suitable match of nutrients' (24.8%). Students responded that the following needed to be changed in order to improve Korean food: 'alleviation of strong taste' (30.3%), 'various cooking methods' (23.9%), and 'convenience of eating the food' (22.1%). Meal preferences in this survey of middle school students were 'Korean food' (4.09), 'Western food' (4.08), 'Japanese food' (4.00), 'Chinese food' (3.91) and 'Fast food' (3.55). Perceptions in the taste of Korean food were 'spicy taste' (3.28), 'hot taste' (3.22), and 'salty taste' (3.15). Male students (3.23) perceived a higher salty taste than female students (3.05). Expectations for the taste of Korean food included 'spicy taste' (3.16) and hot taste (3.03). Male students (3.25) anticipated the spicier taste more than female students (3.05).

• 오나영 | Oh, Na-Young
• 한명주 | Han, Myung-Joo