This qualitative study analyzed various environmental factors and difficulties faced by school foodservices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focus group interviews were conducted by enrolling 12 nutrition teachers and nutritionists. Data collected were subsequently analyzed for changes implemented during the pandemic, in hygiene management, diet management, and distribution management of the school meal. The content and method of delivery of information related to diet guidance and school foodservice by related organizations were also examined. Results of the survey show that personal hygiene (such as maintaining student-to-student distance, checking students for a fever, and hand disinfection) was duly applied, installation of table coverings and distancing between school cafeteria seats were conducted, and mandatory mask-wearing to prevent droplet transmission was enforced. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, the number of students having school meals was limited per grade, and time-spaced meals were provided. To prevent infection, menus that required frequent hand contact were excluded from the meal plan. Overall, it was difficult to manage the meal plan due to frequent changes in tasks, such as the number of orders and meal expenses. These changes were communicated by nutrition teachers and nutritionists wherein the numbers of school meals were adjusted, depending on situations arising from each COVID- 19 crisis stage. Furthermore, in some schools, either face-to-face nutrition counseling was stopped entirely, or nutrition education was conducted online. Parent participation was disallowed in the monitoring of school meals, and the prohibition on conversations inside the school cafeteria resulted in the absence of communication among students, nutrition teachers, and nutritionists. Additionally, confusion in meal management was caused by frequent changes in the school meal management guidelines provided by the Office of Education and the School Health Promotion Center in response to COVID-19. In anticipation of the emergence of a new virus or infectious diseases caused by mutations in the years to come, it is suggested that a holistic, well-thought-out response manual for safe meal operation needs to be established, in close collaboration with schools and school foodservice-related institutions.

This study examined the dietary habits and nutrition quotient (NQ) scores according to leftover food during school meal services among middle school students in the Gyeonggi region. A survey on the dietary habits was conducted among 405 male and female middle school students located in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province. The amount of leftover food in the school meals was surveyed using the visual method through a questionnaire over two days. The survey was conducted from July 8, 2019, to July 12, 2019. After calculating the average total leftovers of each student over the two days, they were categorized into the following three groups: the top third was the large leftover group. The middle third was the medium leftover group, and the lower third was the small leftover group. The characteristics of the groups that had leftovers were analyzed. Female, normal-weight, and underweight students accounted for a greater proportion of the large leftover group than male, overweight, and obese students. The rates of selective eating and compliance with new food intake were significantly lower in the large leftover group than in the small leftover group. A comparison of the nutrition quotient for the adolescent (NQ-A) scores of each group revealed significantly lower scores of the large leftover group for all factors (balance, moderation, food diversity, practice, and environment) than the small leftover group. Therefore, there are statistically significant differences in the dietary habits, nutritional quality, and eating behaviors of middle school students that are associated with the amount of leftover food during school meals.

This study examined the background of the dietary life of North Korean defector adolescents born and raised in North Korea and their new South Korean dietary experiences after being settled in South Korea. The study included six North Korean defector adolescents enrolled in an alternative school located in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. This study’s qualitative research methodology included two-by-two group interviews, followed by individual interviews and field observation. The study period was from September 14 to October 26, 2019. Before entering South Korea, they primarily ate food pickled with soybean and salt, a cooking method by which foods are preserved because refrigerators were unavailable. After settling in South Korea, they had difficulty adapting to South Korean foods because of the unfamiliar ingredients and recipes. On the other hand, they quickly adapted to some foods, such as chicken. The participants reported that North Korean foods are generally light, whereas South Korean foods are sweet, salty, and spicy; hence, they do not taste delicious. The results suggest that attention be paid to menu improvement and the provision of nutritional education by schools and the government to prevent undernourishment or malnourishment because of unfamiliar ingredients and recipes.

This study aim to evaluate dietary quality and nutritional status according to the consumption of health functional food using Nutrition Quotient for Korean elderly (NQ-E) for 288 elderly people attending senior welfare centers in Gyeonggi-do. The questionnaire consisted of items about general information, health functional food, and Nutrition Quotient for Korean elderly (NQ-E). Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact tests, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were performed using the SAS program ver. 9.4. Among the male and female subjects, the female subjects consumed more health functional food. The results of the dietary quality and nutritional status difference according to the intake of health functional food showed significant differences only in the areas of variety and abstinence among nutrition quotient factors for men, while no significant differences were observed in any of the nutrition quotient factors for women. In conclusion, focused-nutrition education program and useful guideline is needed for promoting adequate consumption of health functional foods in elderly.