Abstract

A survey was conducted on 222 students in two elementary schools in rural areas, one was a rural small city and the other was in the countryside. By measuring their skin-foldness in 4 spots by caliper, the body fatness of 5 grades(BFGr) of the subjects was resulted as follows ; 28.0% of boys and 6.7% of girls were classified as obese the and 34.1% of boys and 31.1% of girls as overweight. Comparing by region, children in the small city seemed to be fatter than the ones in the countryside(21.7% vs. 17.2% as obesity). Comparing by gender, boys were fatter than girls(28.0% vs. 6.7% as obesity). When recategorizing body fatness from 5 grades(BFGr) into 3 groups(BFGp) as overweight group(obesity+overweight), normal and underweight group(underweight+severe-underweight), we observed no significant difference in childrens dietary habits and food intake frequencies by BFGp. Overweight and underweight groups enjoyed snacking before dinner more frequently than the normal group(42.1-59.3% vs. 31.5%). The subjects showed poor nutrition knowledge score with relatively high attitude score about weight control and dietary behavior score was a little lower than the attitude score. Nutrition education programs, like camps, should stress on childrens nutrition knowledge. BFGp related to obesity attitude positive, a very low level and the latter related to diet, exercise and fasting attitudes at positive levels. Therefore overweight children seemed to be motivated easily. Also the higher the in exercise-value score, the more increased was shown in exercise attitude at positive, very low level. Emphasizing exercise-value in camp programs might make childrens exercise attitude more positive. As strategies for a rural obesity camp program are being developed by obese and non-obese children. The camp would be held over summer vacation for 3 days(2 nights) at the participants expence not exceeding 50,000 won. Contents of the program cover nutrition knowledge, and exercise-value as well as cooking lessons, exercise practice, and self-esteem enhencement.

• Keywords: rural; child obesity; knowledge; attitude; camp strategy