This study examines the relationship between food intake frequency and the awareness, knowledge and attitude to health practices from school health education. The subjects of the analysis were 522 senior high school students comprising 234 males and 288 females. The survey was carried out in September 2001.
The intake frequency of fish, meat, light-colored vegetables, bean curd and eggs was high, but of dark-colored vegetables, fruit, milk and seaweed was low. The level of health awareness was not high in respect of not eating breakfast, eating late at night and not taking sufficient exercise. However, interest in lifestyle-related diseases was apparent.
The average score attained for the 15 items of health knowledge in health textbooks was 64.4%. The attitude to health (sleeping, smoking, drinking, exercise, breakfast intake, etc.) was encouraging. Those who had a high score for their food intake frequency also had highly developed health awareness. Their lifestyle was healthy, and they were also highly interested in lifestyle-related diseases. They had also acquired knowledge of health, and education about their attitude to health had been effectively achieved.
These findings indicate simple surveys on the importance of the right eating habits can be utilized as part of the curriculum for school health education.
