Comparison of the Attitude Toward Healthy Eating Between Commuty Nutrition Services Users and Non-Users

Abstract

After the amendment of the National Health Promotion Act in 1995, the awareness of community nutrition services has consistently been expanded in Korea. Among 230 health centers, 20 pilot health centers offered nutrition intervention programs mainly focused on nutrition education activites related to maternal and child health and chronic diseases. For advocating the nutrition services for the community through health centers we carried out an effect evaluation study for the 400 subjects of the pilot health centers. In each of the 20 pilot health centers, 10 nutrition service users and 10 nutrition program non-users were surveyed on first-come-first-basis. More than 95% of the subjects whether or not they had experienced the nutrition services answered that nutrition services through health centers are necessary. There were statistically significant differences in attitudes and behavior modification intentions between the two groups of the subjects. The higher the trust for the dietician, the more positive their attitude toward healthy eating was. These results show the promising future of the public health nutrition services in Korea and the importance of the dietitian's role.