Assessment of Foodservice and Cooking Program for Children Attending Community Child Centers in Korea

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a foodservice and cooking program for children attending community child centers in Korea. The foodservice and cooking program included a reference menu, nutrition and hygiene class for foodservice managers, as well as cooking classes for children during the winter or summer vacation in 2015. In order to evaluate the program, a survey was conducted before and after the program. A total of 1,120 children who participated in the program completed questionnaires regarding eating behaviors, food intake, and their opinions and levels of satisfaction with the program. The scores of children’s eating behaviors increased significantly from 59.71 to 63.62 out of 85 points (p<0.001). A significant increase was detected in children’s food intake. Vegetable intake, which received the lowest scores, increased significantly from 3.63 to 3.81 out of 5 points (p<0.001). The score for opinions and satisfaction concerning the program was 28.34 out of 35 points. These results suggest that the foodservice and cooking program could be helpful in promoting healthy food habits in children attending community child centers.