Relationships among Eating Behavior, Dietary Self Efficacy and Nutrition Knowledge of Elementary School Students in Gangwon Province

강원지역 초등학생의 영양지식, 식생활태도, 식이자기효능감과의 관련성

This study was made to provide basic materials required to develop the program for desirable change of eating behavior which might be regarded as the aim of nutrition education. In this study, the relationship between the factors known to be affecting eating behavior like nutrition knowledge and dietary self efficacy was examined with high grade elementary students in Gangwon Province. The results are as follows; First, positive relationship was observed with significant difference(p<0.001) in the relationships between eating behavior and dietary self efficacy(r=0.465), between nutrition knowledge level and eating behavior(r=0.216) and between nutrition knowledge level and dietary self efficacy(r=0.312). Second, the ratio explaining the effect of dietary self efficacy and nutrition knowledge on eating behavior was 22.3%, and it affected in the order of significance level such that dietary self efficacy(p<0.001) and nutrition knowledge level(p<0.05). Third, the level of desirable eating behavior was consistent with the level of nutrition knowledge. And the scores of nutrition knowledge were $28.97{\pm}4.66$ for 'poor' group, $30.01{\pm}3.85$ for 'normal' group, $31.13{\pm}3.94$ for 'good' group and $31.75{\pm}4.10$ for 'excellent' group. When the scores of eating behavior was considered in accordance with the level of nutrition knowledge, there was difference between the groups with poor and normal scores and the groups with good and excellent scores(p<0.001), however, there was no difference between poor and normal group, and between good and excellent group. Fourth, it was found that dietary self efficacy affected the eating behavior level by level. The eating behavior score was $23.82{\pm}5.25$ for the poor dietary self efficacy group, $26.88{\pm}4.00$ for the normal group, $30.27{\pm}3.66$ for the good group and $32.81{\pm}3.79$ for the excellent group. It showed that as the degree of dietary self efficacy increased the degree of eating behavior increased in all four groups (p<0.001).