Abstract

This study was performed by a comparative analysis of nutritional knowledge, dietary attitudes and nutrient intakes of dietitians and non-dietitians. The subjects of this study were 103 dietitians and 166 non-dietitians working in the Chonnam area. The general characteristics, nutrition knowledge and dietary attitudes of the subjects were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire, and nutrient intakes were examined using 24-hour recall method. The results were as follows: Dietitian group (15.17+/-3.88) scored significantly (p < 0.0001) higher than non-dietitian group (13.34+/-3.31) in nutrition knowledge. Dietitian group (69.58+/-10.67) scored significantly higher on dietary attitudes than the non-dietitian group (63.97+/-11.18). The correlation between nutritional knowledge scores and dietary attitudes scores were statistically significance on job, age (20~39), education level (below university), marital status and work experience (2~5, above 10). The dietitian group was significantly higher than the non-dietitians in body weight and BMI of anthropometric data. The prevalence of obesity was 5.8% from the dietitian group and 6.6% from the non-dietitian group when judged by BMI and therefore obesity rate was significaltly (p < 0.001) different between the two groups. In case of the dietitian group, the average intake of vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, niacin, vitamin E, phosphorous, zinc were above the Korean RDA whereas the average intake of vitamin C, calcium, iron, folic acid were below the Korean RDA. The average intake of most nutrients, except vitamin B1, vitamin B6, phosphorus, were below the Korean RDA in the non-dietitian group. Therefore the non-dietitian group needs nutrition education in order to improve their nutritional status.

• Keywords: dietitian; non-dietitian; nutrition knowledge; dietary attitude; nutrient intakes