This study aimed at elementary, middle, and high school dietitians who purchase ingredients for school meals. Therefore, for the study, the awareness and usage of nutritional information by 108 teachers and dieticians on 5 hazard-free meals using multivariate analysis of variance were investigated during May 18~21, 2021. Among the five questions that asked the general perceptions of school meal dietitians of 5 hazard-free meals, the perception that the “5 hazard-free foods can be easily distinguished” was the lowest. Problems were associated with using the 5 hazard-free meals such as “expensive price,” “no variety in items,” “disruption in the supply and demand,” “inconsistent quality,” and “lack of taste,” in that order. Therefore, to improve 5 hazard-free school meal service, it is necessary to not only lower the price burden by providing subsidies to schools but also improve the development and distribution structure of various 5 hazard-free foods.

The purpose of this study was to provide basic information on the development of nutrition education programs to improve the mealtime behavior of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by investigating the mealtime behavior and food preferences of children with ASD through the perception of special education teachers. Surveys were given to 108 special education teachers in special education schools in Korea regarding the demographic characteristics, nutrition education support needs, mealtime behavior, and food preferences of children with ASD. Most of the special education teachers responded that nutrition education in special schools had not been conducted properly and nutrition education for ASD children is necessary. Mealtime behavior analysis classified the behavior into three clusters: cluster 1, ‘less problematic mealtime behavior’; cluster 2, ‘general feature of autism’; cluster 3, ‘difficulty in self-directed diet’. The age, eating habits, and food preferences were different according to each mealtime behavior cluster. Therefore, it will be necessary to develop a nutrition education program based on the characteristics of mealtime behavior.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between school administrator support as perceived by nutrition teachers (dietitians) and job satisfaction in order to provide data concerning efficient job performance of nutrition teachers, to determine effects of school administrator support on job satisfaction in nutrition teachers, and to provide basic data that could help improve school meals. Major supporters of nutrition teachers (dietitians) were chief administrators (55.3%), principals (27.2%), assistant principals (15.0%), and managers in charge (2.4%). Nutrition teachers (dietitians) scored 3.38 for perception of school administrator support, 3.66 for emotional support, 3.27 for informational support, 3.22 for instrumental support, and 3.11 for evaluation support. Support of nutrition teachers (dietitians) by school managers included emotional support (3.66)>informational support (3.27)>instrumental support (3.22)>evaluative support (3.11). Nutrition teachers (dietitians) scored 3.37 for job satisfaction, as follows: work performance (4.19)>interpersonal relationships (3.39)>job satisfaction in general (3.37)>job itself (3.29)>job environment (3.07)>performance rating and benefits system (2.70). Statistically significant correlation was observed between perception of school administrator support and job satisfaction (r= .771, p< .01). Therefore, school administrators are necessary to provide evaluative supports to nutrition teachers (dietitians), performance assessment, employee benefit packages, and improvement of school meal plans and quality.

초등교사와 영양교사는 어린이 식생활 교육자로서 이들의 식품안전 및 위해에 대한 인식은 식생활교육에 큰 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 주요 식품 위해 요인으로 오인되고 있는 식품첨가물에 대해 수도권 소재초등학교에 근무하는 초등교사(279명)와 영양교사(72명)를 대상으로 식품첨가물에 대한 인식 및 정보요구도에 대한 설문조사를 실시하여 분석함으로써, 식품첨가물에 대한 올바른 정보전달 촉진을 위한 기초자료를 확보하고자 하였다. 맛을 우선하는 교사(39.1%)에 비해 영양교사는 식품을 구입할 때 안전성(68.1%)을 가장 먼저 고려하여 유의한차이(p < 0.001)를 보였고, 제조사, 가격 유통기한 외에 교사는 원산지(32.5%), 영양교사는 주성분(50.0%)을 우선 확인한다고 하였다(p < 0.01). 식품표시 이해도는, 주성분, 식품첨가물, 영양성분, 인증마크 등 모든 부분에서 영양교사가 높았으며, 교사(3.53), 영양교사(4.17) 모두 식품첨가물관련 표시 이해도가 가장 낮게 나타났다. 교사, 영양교사 모두 식품의 안전을 위협하는 요인으로 환경오염물질, 식중독 세균과 바이러스, 식품첨가물 순서로 응답하였고, 가공식품 구매시 ‘무첨가’, ‘무색소’ 표시가 있는 식품을 구매한다는 응답 비율이 높았다. 또한 영양교사는 식품첨가 물이 안전성, 유효성 평가를 거치고(100%), 사용기준 및 규격이 정해져 있다(81.9%)는 것을 안다고 응답했음에도 불구하고, 교사(75.2%)보다 많은 87.5%가 식품첨가물 섭취는 건강에 위험하다고 응답하는 괴리를 보여 이들에 대한 올바른 정보전달의 필요성을 확인할 수 있었다. 교사 및 영양교사 모두 식품첨가물에 대해 가장 알고싶어 하는 정보는 ‘안전성과 위험성’이었고, 정보매체로는 교사는 TV(3.80)를, 영양교사는 강의(3.65)를 가장 선호하였다. 식품첨가물에 대한 정보 제공기관이나 제공자에 대한 신뢰도에서 정부기관이나 식약처 공무원에 대한 신뢰도는 병원, 대학연구기관, 의사, 연구원 등에 대한 신뢰도보다 낮았다. 대중매체의 정보는 신뢰하지 않는다는 비율이 높았으나, 대중매체를 접한 후 교사(39.4%)는 식품첨가물 표시를 보게 된다고 하였고, 영양교사(50%)는 식품첨가물이 함유된 식품을 줄인다고 응답하여 그 영향력을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 대중매체 내용이 선정적·감성적 접근을 하여 문제가 있다고 답변하며, 정부가 잘못된 정보를 곧바로 바로잡을 수 있도록 전문가 집단을 활용하여 균형적으로 정보를 제공하여야 한다고 지적하였다. 본 연구 결과, 초등교사와 영양교사는 식품첨가물에 대해 각기 다른 인식과 정보요구도를 보이고 있어 어린이들에게 올바른 식생활교육을 할 수 있도록 식품첨가물에 대한 정보전달 노력이 요구된다.

In the present study, we conducted in-depth interviews with school dieticians and nutrition teachers to determine the local foods they were aware of and their experiences with local foods. We also aimed to obtain more detailed measures for local food vitalization and suggestions for improvements. In-depth interviews were performed with 8 school dieticians and nutrition teachers, who stated that local food vitalization was needed for school food services, because it could be a foundation for securing safefood products, student healthi mprovements, environmental protection, and the establishment of a general consumption market. However, they were aware of a higher number of disadvantages than advantages in school situations and indicated the deterioration of the quality of food products as the biggest disadvantage. The most-suggested measurement items for local food vitalization in schools included improvement of the food distribution system, expansion of education, information sharing, prevention of monopolies, improvement of food-product quality, and mass production. In addition, it was suggested that school dieticians and nutrition teachers should invest efforts in the development of excellent recipes and varied diets utilizing local foods. Therefore, system supplementation is urgently required in order for school food service officials, and consumers, to efficiently introduce and vitalize local foods. It is also necessary to foster an environment that encourages trust-based relationships with producers to maximize the effect of system supplementation. This would be the foundation for improving the health of students, improving food-service quality, nutrition management, and vitalization of the regional economy in the future, and will positively affect students’ food consumption patterns even after they become adults.

The purpose of this study is to compare the perceptions and needs for nutrition education between early childhood teachers and parents. This data will address the effective plans and suggest further nutrition education programs for early childhood education centers. This study was conducted with 200 early childhood teachers and 174 parents in Busan. We collected data through questionnaires from teachers and parents and then computed the frequency and χ2 test to analyze the data. The questionnaire was revised and complemented on the basis of related literatures and previous researches. According to our results in this study, there was a significant difference between the teachers’ and parents’ perceptions on the need of nutrition education and the reason for needing nutrition education. And there were differences among aims, contents, methods, and effective ways of nutrition education for children. In addition, there was a significant difference among the needs from teachers and parents on nutrition education. Finally, the results of this study suggest various implications for developing nutrition education programs in early childhood education centers. These results can be used to develop nutrition education program by considering the teachers’ and parents’ perceptions and needs. These may be useful data when planning for the nutrition curriculum in early childhood education centers.

School dietitians are divided into two groups according to their status of employment, school nutrition teachers and dietitians, with the latter being irregularly employed by the institution. In this study, the job satisfaction, communication ability, work performance and importance in feeding services and dietetic counseling of both groups were compared. To accomplish this, 100 regularly employed school nutrition teachers (regularly employed) and 101 dietitians (irregularly employed) were surveyed by questionnaire. The results were as follows: (1) The irregularly employed dietitians showed a lower level of job satisfaction than the school nutrition teachers. This was likely because the school nutrition teachers belonged to the strong inner circle of school teachers and cafeteria workers, and had enough time to prepare for class lectures and consultancy. Conversely, the irregularly employed dietitians generally handle extra office work in addition to their primary duties. Despite these differences, both parties agreed that it was necessary to change the work system. Additionally, school dietitians reported that they had little opportunity for further training for career development. (2) Both parties had good communication skills; however, the irregularly employed dietitians had more conflicts with other staff members than the regular employees. (3) Job performance and job importance level was compared among employees involved in school feeding services and nutrition counseling. No significant differences were observed between dietitians and nutrition teachers in either group (p<0.05). However, the school nutrition teachers showed better skills than school dietitian with respect to public relations, running independent counseling offices, and using effective tools and materials. Job performance level was lower when compared to job importance level for all items, which meant the job was not well performed when compared to the work importance awareness.

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of school foodservice dietitians' work value on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Also, this study explored the role of the expectation to the institution of nutrition teachers as a moderating variable in three relationships: 1) between work value and job satisfaction, 2) between work value and organizational commitment, and 3) between work value and turnover intentions. This study surveyed dietitians who worked at school foodservice in Kyunggii and Daegu·Gyeoungbuk province. A total of 509 responses were collected using on-site survey and online survey (response rate 59.3%). This study conducted hierarchical regression analysis to test the moderating effect of the expectation to the institution of nutrition teachers. Results of hierarchical regression showed that work value of status upgrade had a positive effect on job satisfaction to promotion opportunity and salary, and such effect was more significantly apparent in high expectation to new work. In addition, work value of status upgrade had a positive effect on turnover intention, and such effect was more significantly apparent in low expectation to new work environment improvement. Work value of work activity preference also appeared to have a positive effect on organizational commitment, and such effect was more significantly apparent in high expectation to social status and professionalism.

A nutrition education program for teachers and caregivers of the preschool children can be most effective when it is based on a comprehensive needs assessment dealing with sociodemographic factors, dietary habits, and nutrition. The purpose of the present study was to investigate current dietary habits and nutrition knowledge of the teachers and caregivers of the day-care centers. Two hundred forty two teachers and caregivers were administered a questionnaire which was designed to ascertain informations on sociodemographic data, dietary habits and nutrition knowledge. Dietary habits of the teachers were found to be significantly different by sociodemographic variables; breakfast skipping/meal irregularities (age, p=0.011); frequency of snacking (education level p=0.031); preference for salty taste(age, p = 0.000, marital status p=0.038); preference for sweet tarte (age p=0.009); preference for vegetables (income level p=0.050); frequency of eating out (age p=0.028, marital status p=0.001); frequency of coffee drinking (age p=0.019). Daycare center teachers' nutrition knowledge level was found to be less than adequate expecially on nutrients that are liable to be deficient in young growing children and their food sources. Proportions of the teachers who answered correctly to the questions on foods rich in vitamin A, iron content of milk, bioavailability of calcium in plant foods were as low as 20.2%-54.5%. The most frequently used sources of nutrition information were mass media such as TV, radio, newspaper and magazines. Only 2.9% of the subjects reported that they obtain nutrition information from health professionals such as nutritionists/dietitians, physicians, and nurses. These findings are applicable at the planning and implementation stages of various nutrition programs for the improvement of dietary habits and nutrition knowledge of the teachers and caregivers of the daycare centers. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of teachers' dietary of habits and nutrition knowledge on food habits of young growing children.