The Development of a Nutrition Education Program for Low-income Family Children by applying the Social Cognitive Theory and Health Belief Model

Article information

Korean J Community Nutr. 2015;20(3):165-177

Publication date (electronic) : 2015 June 30

doi : https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2015.20.3.165

Saes-byoul Lee ¹, Yu-Ri Jeong ¹, Hyo-Jin Ahn ¹, Min-Ji Ahn ¹, Su-A Ryu ¹, Nam-E Kang ², Se-Young Oh ¹

¹Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.

²Department of Food and Nutrition, Eulji University, Songnam, Korea.

Corresponding author: Se-Young Oh. Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea. Tel: (02) 961-0602, Fax: (02) 959-0649, seyoung@khu.ac.kr

Received 2015 June 01; Revised 2015 June 19; Accepted 2015 June 27.

Abstract

Objectives

Based on individual and environmental characteristics of low-income children, we developed a nutrition education program for school-aged children from low-income families according to effective use in social welfare centers.

Methods

We conducted in-depth group interviews to assess program needs in 28 participants, 10 low-income school-aged children and 9 of their care givers, 9 social workers and 9 care-givers. Theoretical backgrounds of our program were heath belief model and social cognitive theory considering motivation, action and environment characteristics.

Results

Based on the findings of this qualitative study, we developed major program themes and contents. Five selected key themes were 'balanced diet', 'processed food', 'food hygiene and safety', 'Korean healthy traditional diet', and 'family cooking' to induce changes in dietary behaviors. Main findings of in-depth group interviews included 'child's active participation', 'simple and easy to understand messages', and 'environmental constraints' such as a lack of child care at home, limited budget of social welfare centers, and less qualified educators for nutrition and health. Each lesson was constructed as a 1-hour program particularly emphasizing activity-based programs, including cooking and teamwork exercises. Program contents in each session consisted of activities that could induce outcome and value expectations, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and barriers and cues to actions regarding diet behavior.

Conclusions

We developed a nutrition education programthat is rarely available for low-income children in Korea, considering theoretical bases. Further studies are needed to validate our program.

Keywords: low income family children; qualitative research; social cognition theory; health belief model; nutrition education program

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant from Amway Korea (2013).

References

1. Kim HR, Lee SH, Choi JM, Oh YI. Children's obesity and underweight among low income families in Korea: status, implications and policy options [Internet] Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs; 2011. cited 2015 May 3. Available from: https://www.kihasa.re.kr/.

2. Headquarters for Community Child Center. National community children welfare center status survey [Internet] 2014. cited 2015 May 3. Available from: http://www.icareinfo.info/.

3. Korea Association of Social Welfare Centers. Projected population [Internet] 2014. cited 2014 May 10. Available from: http://www.kaswc.or.kr/.

4. Jung KA. The review of the researches on the nutritional education state in the elementary school. J Korean Pract Arts Educ 2013;19(1):117–145.

5. Kim HK, Yun CH, Lee EH, Lee KI, Moon CS, Lee YH, et al. Development of health promotion program for low income children in underserved area Korean Association of Health Promotion; 2007. Mar.

6. Kim HS. A user satisfaction and needs survey a child education program of social service center [master's thesis] Sookmyung Women's University; 2012.

7. Hyon SM, Kim JW. Improvement of dietary attitudes of elementary students by nutrition labeling education. Korean J Community Nutr 2007;12(2):168–177.

8. Han HM, Lee SS. A nutrition education program development and the application for the elementary students - focused on sugar intake education -. J Korean Pract Arts Educ 2008;21(2):111–131.

9. Suh Y, Chung YJ. The effect of nutrition education on the improvement of psychosocial factors related to vegetable and fruit intake of elementary school children in pre-action stages. Korean J Nutr 2010;43(6):597–606.

10. Kim YS, Lee MJ. Effects of nutrition education through social cognitive theory in elementary school students - focusing on the nutrition education of sugar intake -. Korean J Food Nutr 2011;24(2):246–257.

11. Kim HH, Park YH, Shin EK, Shin KH, Bae IS, Lee YK. Students' and parents' perceptions of nutrition education in elementary schools. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr 2006;35(8):1016–1024.

12. Kim MS, Bae HO. Child poverty in Korea: Its magnitude and causes. Health Soc Welf Rev 2007;27(1):3–26.

13. Lim ES, Cho YS, Kim SN, Kim SB. Development and effects' analysis of nutrition education pamphlet for the higher grades elementary students - Focused on individual daily needed food exchange units -. Korean J Community Nutr 2012;17(6):689–706.

14. Ahn SH, Kim HK, Kim KM, Yoon JS, Kwon JS. Development of nutrition education program for consumers to reduce sodium intake applying the social cognitive theory - Based on focus group interviews -. Korean J Community Nutr 2014;19(4):342–360.

15. Lee IS, Shin EK. A study on the conceptualization of disability identity. Korean J Health Psychol 2005;10(4):509–530.

16. Choi EH, Son YB, Kim HJ. A study on the experiences of children using community children center. J Korean Counc Child Rights 2008;12(2):135–159.

17. Kim JH, Kim YS, Kim Y, Kang MS. Fruit and vegetable consumption and factors affecting fruit and vegetable consumption of school children and adolescents : Findings from focus - group interviews with school nutrition teachers and nutritionists -. Korean J Community Living Sci 2013;24(4):567–581.

18. Nam KH, Kim YM, Lee GE, Lee YN, Joung HJ. Physical development and dietary behaviors of children in low-income families of seoul area. Korean J Community Nutr 2006;11(2):172–179.

19. Jang HB, Park JY, Lee HJ, Kang JH, Park KH, Song JH. Association between parental socioeconomic level, overweight, and eating habits with diet quality in Korean sixth grade school children. Korean J Nutr 2011;44(5):416–427.

20. Park S, Song SM, Lee YH. The influence of self-esteem and self-efficacy on the academic achievement of elementary school children in poverty and comparative groups. Korean J Community Living Sci 2011;22(3):407–416.

21. Jung KA. The review of the researches on the nutritional education state in the elementary school. J Korean Pract Arts Educ 2013;19(1):117–145.

22. Park EY, Han SN, Kim HK. Assessment of meal quality and dietary behaviors of children in low-income families by diet records and interviews. Korean J Food Nutr 2011;24(2):145–152.

23. Lim SA. Investigating low-and high-income group differences in the academic achievement: longitudinal effects of cognitive readiness and parent's expectation and involvement. J Child Educ 2012;21(4):319–335.

24. Lee YJ, Bae JH. A study on the necessity for hygiene education for children at the Gyeongbuk community children center. Korean J Food Nutr 2011;24(4):577–588.

25. Her ES. Development of dietary life education textbook and teaching for creative activities in elementary school. Korean J Community Nutr 2013;18(3):203–212.

Supplements

Supplement 1

Article information Continued

This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Funded by : Amway Korea