Comparisons of the Eating Habit, Preferences and Intake Frequency of Vegetables between Middle and High School Students in Busan

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the eating habit, preferences, intake frequency, nutrition knowledge, and self efficacy of vegetables between middle and high school students in Busan. Subjects were 550 middle school and 560 high school students. The survey was conducted by questionnaire in May 2015. The results are as follows. About 68% of adolescents in Busan have eaten a variety of vegetables from a child. Less than 50% of them ate all vegetable dishes in school foodservice and ate three kinds of vegetable dishes at home. 40% of them did not like vegetables independent of gender and schools. They have low preferences for vegetables. More than 2/3 of them have rarely eaten green vegetables a month or twice. They have eaten more frequently white than green vegetables. They have eaten frequently yellow vegetables, but seldom purple or black vegetables. Middle school students have eaten more vegetables than high school students. Adolescents in Busan have low nutrition knowledge about vegetables. Middle school students have higher self efficacy of vegetables than high school students. Conclusively, adolescents in Busan have undesirable eating habit, low preference, and low nutrition knowledge of vegetables. Middle school students have more desirable eating habit, higher preference, more frequent intake, and higher self efficacy of vegetables than high school students. Therefore differentiated education is needed by middle and high school. It is needed urgently, especially vegetables targeted education for high school students.