Korean Job Discussion Forums

[maddog]

Asians seem to be very proud of their academic acheivements, but I've noticed that the youth of today never eat healthy snacks. My students always stuffing their faces with candy, chocolate, chips, slush puppies, etc. Surely this will have an adverse effect somewhere down the line. It's been fairly well document in the UK and USA that there is a link between diet and academic ability. Just curious as to what others think.

MD

[periwinkle]

Tired jokes about how kimchi counteracts everything, anyone?

[Demophobe]

What's to think about? You are what you eat and your body will output to the level of the input.

I work in the country, and my students prefer the kimbap triangles to candy all the time. I told them I was surprised after I offered to get them something from family mart - they all bought kimbap - and recieved a small lecture on the dangers of eating junk.

[Smee]

Obesity: a disease of luxury.

There's probably a connection between poor diet and school here: I mean, the kids who are spending hours at hagwon are the ones who don't have time for a proper breakfast or dinner. The ones who dont' go to hagwon are the ones who spend time eating dinner with the family. And, of course, the kids who go to hagwon are the ones with money; the ones who stay at home don't have it.

"Toonies" and "Pringles" are two of my favorite traditional Korean snacks.

[kimchi_pizza]

Breakfast cereal used to be considered a snack or treat. Never as an actual meal for breakfast in Korea. Now that they've adapted that as a breakfast they've moved on to more western style snack foods and eat that and cup of ramien all day and evening. In '93 I saw ONE overweight Korean man. Now, .....well, you know....look at your students.

[jlb]

The amount of junk food seems shocking to me sometimes until I think back to when I was a kid. We'd stop at the local 7-11 on our way home every day and stock up on the 5 cent candies. Or we'd go home and eat a hot dog or two as a snack. Of course, people in North America are fat!

[maeil]

Smee, I don't know if I'd agree that obesity is a disease of luxury, as you say. Actually, obesity in the USA is more often than not linked to poverty, as healthy food is often much more expensive than unhealthy food. Feeding a family of five is easier with the dollar menu at McDonald's than with fresh vegetables and meats from the grocery store.

I will agree with you in that the opposite seems to be true in Korea, however.

Another element to throw in there is the stress. These children are under constant pressure to perform, and I'm sure that leads to greater cravings and emotional eating. Late night studying means they're awake longer, and I don't know about you, but I get very hungry if I'm up late studying.

It's not probably possible to pinpoint one root cause, but the gradual fattening of a nation a sad thing to watch - not just in Korea.

[maddog]

Yeah, I feel sorry for these kids. They're in some kinda school or hagwon all day. There's an art hagwon next to mine, and I see some of my students leaving there at 9pm! Then they have to go home and do homework, which we have to give them cos if we don't they're parents call and complain.

[stumptown]

I'm amazed at what I see Koreans stocking up on when I go to the supermarket. While they're busy looking in my basket I'm poking through theirs.

[VanIslander]

I was out walking one weekday morning with a an adult student from the hagwon and when we saw a bunch of kids in school athletic gear jogging together through the park, the 40-year-old guy complained that it was day time and the kids should be studying instead of exercising. As if one is important and the other isn't.

This country might become number one after all, in ways less chest-thumping proud.

[jlb]

[dreamscape]

After teaching in Canada I must say that I've encountered just the opposite. The vast majority of my students here each MUCH healthier meals than the kids I taught back home. I've had kids here chastise me for drinking Pepsi (teacher no! bad for body!). In a class of 28 grade 4 students at home, at least 6 would have their meals brought in by their parents, usually McDonalds or other burger fast food. One of them even got a LARGE pop with his meal every day....needless to say at 10 years old he was already on the chubby side, well on his way to diabetes and obesity. Great parenting!

That said, there has no doubt been a general increase in the unhealthy foods consumed by Korean children. As fastfood outlets grow in popularity and availability, it's only a matter of time that kids end up eating more and more unhealthily.

[happeningthang]

I'd have to agree with dreamscape here. Admittedly I'm in small town Korea, but there are kids I teach who have NEVER eaten a hamburger, DON'T KNOW what McDonalds is and regularly list kimchi as their favourite foods. They're always munching on dry ramen noodles as a snack though, I doubt the chili pepper flavour packs they pour over it is going to be good for them.

And my kids are overflowing with advice about what constitutes healthy food, and diet.

Still with pop idol influences like this it's not hard to see why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyUeVXA_vwI

Uyu!! Chuwa Chuwah!!

[princess]

It's probably because their mommy can't or won't cook. I have never seen so many kids with rotten teeth! I am thankful my Mom was always a stay-at-home Mom who cooked wonderful meals for me as a child, and she still does. I love to cook, too. Today, most poor kids are lucky to get a sandwich. I'd rather have a little less money and take care of the house and kids, than worry about keeping up with the Jones' or Kims of the world.

[Demophobe]