A study on life styles, dietary attitudes and dietary behaviors according to extracurricular activities of elementary students in Sejong

초록

Parents in South Korea are known for their high level of educational zeal for their children. As a result, their children usually take extra classes in institutions as well as participate in other extracurricular activities such as sports and music. The purpose of this study was to examine the lifestyle and dietary behaviors of Korean elementary students involved in such activities. The total number of subjects was 550 fourth to sixth graders in elementary schools in Sejong, Korea. Of the total subjects, 88.0% were involved in extracurricular classes or other activities for an average of 7.34 hours/week. The subjects were assigned to one of four groups based on the degree of extracurricular activities: No extra-class (n=66), Low extra-class (1≤taking time<5 hours/week, n=118), Medium extra-class (5≤taking time<10 hours/week, n=184), and High extra-class (taking time≥10 hours/week, n=182). More subjects in the High extra-class group went to bed late (P<0.01), were under stress (P<0.01), and skipped breakfast, compared with those in the other groups. The ratio of students who answered 'I go to an institute without a meal' (P<0.01), 'I prepare a meal for myself' (P=0.053), or 'I eat out before going to an institute' (P<0.01) was higher in the High extra-class group than in the Low extra-class group. The frequency of eating fast food was higher in the High extra-class group, compared with the other groups. These results indicate that a high amount of extracurricular studies may have a negative effect on the children's lifestyles and dietary behaviors. Therefore, this study alerts parents to the potential harm of excessive extracurricular activities to their children's health. © 2013 by The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition. All rights reserved.

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