The effect of nutrition education using animations on the nutrition knowledge, eating habits and food preferences of elementary school students.

The purpose of this study was to conduct nutrition education using animations for the establishment of proper habits among elementary school students and to evaluate its effectiveness. The subjects of this study were two classes of fourth grade students in an elementary school located in Daegu-city. There were 29 students in each class. One class, the group, received nutrition education; the other class, the group, did not receive the education. After completing the eight nutrition lessons, the effectiveness of the education was analyzed by measuring changes in the nutrition knowledge, habits and food preferences of the nutrition-education group vs. the no-education group. Before nutrition education, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of nutrition knowledge. However, after the nutrition education, the nutrition-education group`s nutrition knowledge was significantly improved, compared to that of the no-education group (p<0.001). Following education, the nutrition-education group`s responses to the eating habit item, I eat fruits every day, were significantly more positive, compared to the responses of the no-education group (p<0.01). However, for the ten food groups listed as food preferences, except for fish and shellfish (p<0.05), there was no significant difference in the responses of the two groups. Following the education, the nutrition-education group showed significantly increased preferences for 12 food items (red beans, mackerels, yellow corvinas, dried laver, kelps, radish, lettuce, pears, kiwi fruits, plums, grapes and sweet drinks made from fermented rice) out of 112 items, compared to the selected preferences of the no-education group. After education, 75.9% of the students in the nutrition-education group indicated changes in their habits, and 89.6% of them answered that the nutrition education helped them change their habits. The most helpful medium for changing their habits was animations (31.0%), followed by songs (20.7%) and lectures (17.2%). As a result of this study, after completing the nutrition education, students in the nutrition-education group showed significant changes in food preferences, and their level of nutrition knowledge was significantly increased. However, their habits did not actively change. Therefore, in order to establish proper habits, a longer period of consistent education is required, using various educational media and learning methods such as extracurricular activities and discretionary activity programs. (Korean J Community Nutrition 15(1): 50~60, 2010)