Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the utility of a dietary habit check sheet developed by the authors as a method of self-reviewing dietary habits. Dietary habit characteristics were extracted from the completed check sheets of 42 university nursing students, which were then analyzed from the perspective of appropriateness of self-evaluations and awareness changes aimed at dietary improvements based on individual realizations regarding dietary habits. The results revealed 11 balance patterns across the four Kagawa food groups with some deficiency of groups 1, 3 and 4and a tendency towards excessive intake of group 2 observed overall. Application of the check sheet increased students' interest in dietary habits and enabled them to evaluate dietary habit characteristics, such as imbalanced food group intake, and to analyze dietary habit imbalances by reviewing their specific dietary situation and to investigate the cause of the imbalance. Furthermore, the check sheet provided motivation for dietary habit improvement and elicited specific improvement measures. Reasonable appropriateness of self-evaluation as confirmed by extracted dietary habit characteristics and ease of check sheet use were reported for about 80% of students. The present findings suggest that the dietary habit check sheet provided motivation for lifestyle adjustment.
