Journal of Education and Human Development

Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions of Healthy Diets from a Sociocultural Perspective: A Comparative Study of Two Countries
Do-Yong Park, PhD; Chanphorn Prommas, PhD; Ye Jun Bae, PhD Candidate

Abstract
This study investigated preservice teachers‟ perceptions and their dietary behaviors and nutrition knowledge regarding healthy diets from a sociocultural perspective. Thirty Thai and twenty U.S. preservice elementary teachers participated in this study representing different culture and society. Using mixed methods, we compared their dietary behaviors and nutrition knowledge so that we could better understand their perceptions of global food. Participants recorded what they ate for one week in each country. Data resources included (a) a food journal, (b) a “nutrients and me” report, (c) a survey, and (d) a focus group interview. The results indicated that preservice teachers (a) perceived global food to be healthy, (b) added renewed interests to their nutrition knowledge and dietary behaviors from a sociocultural perspective, and (c) their future teaching plan using global diets became clearer. The implications are discussed in the paper.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v9n4a13