Effects of Nutrition Education Providing School Lunch by Personalized Daily Needed Food Exchange Units for Adolescent Athletes in Jeonbuk Province

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of nutrition education providing school lunch by personalized daily needed food exchange units using Food Exchange System for adolescent athletes. Methods: The subjects were 60 sports high school students (educated group, 30 vs. non- educated group 30). Nutrition education was provided for 4 weeks (40 min/lesson/week). In addition, personalized school lunch was served for 4 weeks, nutrition education period. The personalized lunch were provided Food Exchange Units according to personalized daily needed energy. The lessons were '5 Major nutrients, functions and foods', 'My daily needed energy and food exchange units by Food Exchange System', 'My meal plan by food exchange units according to my daily needed energy' and 'Smart choice of healthy snacks and eating outs'. After nutrition education, we examined the differences in anthropometric characteristics, nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and dietary intake between the educated and the non-educated group. Results: We observed improvements in lean body mass in the educated group. With regard to nutrition knowledge, there were improvements in 'Functions of vitamins', 'Functions of minerals', 'Foods of fat', 'Foods of vitamin', and 'Foods of mineral' in the educated group. In relation to dietary attitude, there were improvements in 'Taking a meal with family and friend', 'Taking a meal at ease', 'Taking a meal with kimchi and vegetables', 'Taking a meal with three kinds of side dishes', 'Priority of choosing snacks' and 'Type of snacks' in the educated group. With regard to dietary intakes according to Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, there were improvements in intakes levels of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron and zinc. The index of nutrition quality, as indicated by nutrition adequacy ratio also improved in the educated group. Conclusions: These results showed that a nutrition education program providing education lessons and personalized school lunch by food exchange units according to daily needed energy showed positive changes in nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and dietary intake of adolescent athletes. Nutrition education program providing personalized school lunch by Food Exchange Units may improve dietary behaviors and dietary intakes of adolescents.