유아기 신체 건강 증진을 위한 정책 방안 연구(Ⅰ): 프로그램 효과를 중심으로

Abstract

In this research, application of 「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」 put into action after the 2015 research on planning for promoting children’s health improvement (Kim et al., 2015) was tried on children between 4 and 5 years of age, effectiveness and a field-application possibility thereof were confirmed and assessed respectively, and thus an attempt was made at providing a plan for utilizing the program as a health improvement program for children. Also, based on the data, obtained from the research, on the current state of physical health development and nutrition status of children between 4 and 5 years old, an attempt was made to provide fundamental data that can be used for examining the current state of children’s physical health in Korea, and, based on the result as well as examinations of the perceptions and demands, of parents and teachers, related to children’s physical health and on analyzing policy making for children, an attempt was made at proposing a policy plan. In the research, first, children’s physical activity, nutrition, and eating habit development, domestic and foreign guidelines, domestic policy related to children’s health improvement, assessment tools of children’s physical activity, nutrition, and eating habit development, and prior studies were analyzed. Second, a study on assessing effectiveness of the program by running a ten-week long, three-times-weekly program on children between 4 and 5 years of age in three kindergartens and four daycare centers in Seongnam City, Yongin City, and Osan City. Third, on the participating 679 parents and 34 home room teachers, a survey on beliefs and attitudes related to perceptions on children’s physical health, an assessment of demands for improving children’s physical health, and a survey on the parents regarding knowledge of nutrition were conducted, and, through surveying, physical effectiveness on the children was assessed. Fourth, the research was conducted by forming a research team consisting of a professor of nutrition science and a professor of physical education for discussing research design, selection of activities of the 「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」 to be applied, selection of assessment tools, teacher education related issues, and implementation of the 「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」. Fifth, an effort was made for smoothly conducting the research by increasing understanding of the research by explaining the research to the principals and teachers through briefing sessions, having discussions for examiner training, etc. and by identifying problems and implementation status at enforcement agencies. Lastly, difficulties of running the 「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」as well as ways to improve the program were examined by conducting in-depth interviews with agency heads participating in this research and teachers participating in the program. As the analysis methods in this research, frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, χ2 confirmation, independent sampling, t-test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were utilized. Analyzing the surveys of parents and teachers, mothers of children had relatively good knowledge of nutrition, 82.3% of mothers considered physical activity of a child to be very important, and considered having confidence and formation of positive perception of self to be important goals. Teachers reported that the most frequently practiced physical activity was ‘outdoor playing and taking a walk’ as well as special activity led by an outside teacher. While teachers adequately perceived a need for physical activity, 41.2% of teachers reported never having received physical activity related education and the reason was attributed to the absence of information and programs related thereto. Analyzing the effects of the「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」, of the 6 areas including upper body strength, lower body strength, flexibility, balance, agility, reaction, three areas including flexibility(F=4.76, p<.05), balance(F=8.68, p<.01), reaction(F=8.46, p<.01) had statistically meaningful effects due to participating in the program. While nutrition intake related to eating habits did not show effects due to participating in the program, mothers talked about healthy food with increased frequency, exerted efforts to eat more nutritionally balanced food, and exerted efforts to drink more water. After participating in the program, children showed a positive change (3 points above normal), and, of the activities learned at kindergartens and daycare centers, rolling (M=3.58) was most frequently done at home. Also, 89% of teachers showed satisfactory response above normal. Concluding, the 「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」 were effective for development of a child in the areas of flexibility, balance, reaction, and accordingly the following suggestions are made for policy planning. First, in terms of running the program, there is a need for utilizing「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」 as an outdoor play program, distributing necessary equipment designed for classes according to the activity program for improving physical health, establishing infrastructure for supporting monitoring by physical activity (physical education) experts, and utilizing a pool of outside teachers for education of nutrition and eating habits. In terms of program education, there is a need, for educating teachers, for utilizing a variety of methods including utilizing an online education method utilizing high quality video in addition to group education, considering designing programs involving parents for improving physical health of children, and utilizing group education, correspondence with home, and booklets, etc. In terms of generating publicity for and utilization of the program, campaigning for increased awareness of a need for improving physical health, adaptation of the 「KICCE Children’s Health Improvement Program」 by the Children Support Center, the Childhood Education Promotion Authority, and the National Science & Technology Museum, etc., and forming a working group formed of relevant authorities are suggested to share information, seek future direction, and promote events for improving physical health.