Objectives School meal programs in South Korea are a major public nutrition service and an important part of student diets. Although previous National Education Information System-based studies have described frequently served menu items and annual trends, nationwide evidence on how school lunch menus differ seasonally remains limited. Thus, in this exploratory study, we aimed to analyze summer–winter differences in frequently served items in South Korean elementary, middle, and high schools. Methods Nationwide school lunch records from 2023 to 2025 were obtained from the National School Meal Information application programming interface. Lunch meal units served in elementary, middle, and high schools were analyzed. The final dataset comprised 1,200,000 meal units. Menu items were classified into six categories: rice/noodles, soups/stews, kimchi, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts. In each category, items frequently served in summer and winter were identified, and seasonal differences were quantified using a seasonal gap index and z-tests. Results Seasonal variation was highest in kimchi and desserts. Among the top items, 25/26 kimchi items and 27/30 dessert items showed significant seasonal differences. In desserts, watermelon, oriental melon, and ice cream were strongly summer-dominant, whereas apple, strawberry, and sweet persimmon were winter-dominant. In kimchi, young summer radish kimchi and cucumber kimchi were summer-dominant, whereas diced radish kimchi and napa cabbage kimchi were winter-dominant. Rice/noodles, soups/stews, and side dishes showed moderate seasonal variation. Main dishes showed the lowest degree of seasonal variation, with all-time popular items displaying minimal variation. Conclusion Seasonal variation in menu items was concentrated in specific categories rather than evenly distributed across all categories. Item-level analysis revealed that familiar meal structures were maintained overall, whereas specific menu items were seasonally rotated. These findings provide practical evidence for seasonally sensitive school meal planning, particularly in categories with greater seasonal variation.
Objectives This study analyzed the features of community-based nutrition education programs in community-dwelling older adults in Korea. The study examined the theoretical bases, delivery settings, target populations, and reported outcome indicators, and aimed to identify research gaps for future research. Methods Based on the Joanna Briggs Institute protocol for a scoping review, four Korean databases (KISS, RISS, KCI, and e-Article) were searched through May 18, 2026. Of 5,179 records identified, duplicates and irrelevant studies were removed. Studies targeting community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 years with nutrition education interventions were included, and theses, reports, conference papers, and studies not written in Korean or English were excluded. A total of 24 studies were included, and two reviewers independently performed study selection and charted general characteristics, intervention features, outcome measures, and main findings. Results Of 24 studies, 11 (45.8%) specified a theoretical framework, most often the knowledge-attitude-practice scheme (n = 7, 29.2%), and 13 (54.2%) reported no framework. Programs were delivered mainly at senior welfare centers (n = 9, 37.5%) and public health centers (n = 6, 25.0%); 10 (41.7%) studies included individual counseling, and only 7 (29.2%) lasted more than 3 months. Nutrition knowledge improved consistently, whereas dietary attitude and behavioral changes were selective. Nutrients such as calcium, folate, and riboflavin often were inadequate. Among 12 studies measuring biochemical or clinical indicators, 9 studies that showed significant improvement were multicomponent programs, whereas the remaining 3 studies were education-only programs. Conclusion Nutrition education for older adults in Korea has evolved from knowledge transfer to a theory-based, behavior-change-oriented, and chronic-disease-preventive approach, yet more than half of the studies were conducted without an explicit theoretical framework. Integrated, dietitian-led programs that combine individualized counseling and food or meal support in chronic disease health-promotion frameworks warrant further evaluation using validated outcome measures and longitudinal designs.
Objectives This study evaluated the changes in hygiene management performance in long-term care institutions for older adults, following repeated hygiene and safety monitoring visits conducted by the Center for Social Welfare Foodservice Management. Methods This retrospective, longitudinal, observational study included 29 long-term care institutions for older adults registered with the Dobong-gu Center for Social Welfare Foodservice Management in Seoul, South Korea, that prepared meals on-site. Hygiene and safety monitoring visits were conducted up to six times from January to December 2025. Hygiene management was assessed using a 29-item checklist across six domains. Changes in the overall hygiene management scores and domain scores (%) by visit round were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models to account for repeated measurements within institutions and an unbalanced repeated-measures data structure. Results The mean hygiene management score increased from 85.76 at visit 1 to 90.91 at visit 6. In the linear mixed-effects model, visit round was positively associated with hygiene management score, with an average increase of 0.89 points per additional visit (β = 0.89, P < 0.001). Institution type, institution size, foodservice operation type, and number of cooks were not significantly associated with hygiene management scores. When the visit round was treated as a categorical variable, the scores at the first and second visits were significantly lower than those at the sixth visit, whereas no significant differences were observed from the third visit onward. Significant increases in the mean domain scores were observed for personal hygiene, ingredient management, storage management, and other items. In the item-level analyses, implementation status was significantly associated with higher overall hygiene management scores for 11 of the 15 analyzable items, and all personal hygiene-related items showed significant associations. Conclusion Repeated hygiene and safety monitoring visits were associated with improved hygiene management performance in long-term care institutions for older adults, particularly during the early stages of repeated visits. Such field-based guidance and feedback may contribute to the strengthening of hygiene management practices in small-scale institutions.
Objectives Rural areas face distinct health and nutrition challenges, including limited healthcare access and rapid population aging. This study assessed health and nutrition challenges in a rural area of Gangwon State, South Korea, and identified directions for tailored nutrition management using a mixed-methods approach. Methods A sequential mixed-methods design was applied. Community Health Survey (CHS) data (2020–2024) were analyzed to compare health indicators across national, provincial, and local levels. Baseline quantitative data were obtained from a community-based cohort of adults aged 20–69 years (n = 403). Qualitative data were collected through focus group interviews with residents and local stakeholders. A needs assessment survey (n = 98) identified program demand and priorities. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data using framework analysis. Results CHS data showed that obesity prevalence in the study area was higher than that in national and provincial averages, particularly among young and middle-aged adults. The cohort data showed an obesity prevalence of approximately 45%, with no significant age-group differences. Older adults had higher prevalence of abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, elevated blood pressure, and impaired glucose metabolism. Age-specific dietary imbalances were observed, with higher fat intake among younger adults and excessive carbohydrate intake among older adults; sodium intake exceeded recommended levels across all age groups. Focus group interviews revealed structural constraints on health behaviors, including limited food access, seasonal and geographic barriers, and rural lifestyle patterns involving frequent alcohol use. In the needs assessment, perceived seriousness of obesity was low, whereas demand for nutrition programs and willingness to participate were high. Conclusion Health and nutrition problems in this rural setting may reflect individual behaviors and structural and environmental constraints. Preventive, family-based strategies targeting young and middle-aged adults are warranted. Tailored interventions integrating dietary improvement, physical activity, and local context are needed to reduce health disparities and improve community health.
Objectives This qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of female university students after completing a 4-week digital health behavior intervention. Using social cognitive theory as a framework, this study aimed to understand their acceptance, perceptions, and emotional responses to the program. Methods Fifteen university students at a women's university in Seoul, Korea completed the 4-week mobile-based intervention and subsequently participated in semi-structured interviews. All participants logged their daily health metrics via a mobile app and shared their records in an online community. The conditions served as distinct environmental contexts, rather than comparative evaluation units, and comprised the following: 1) peer-support with an expert receiving weekly data-driven feedback, 2) peer-support with a facilitator using covert leaders to encourage interaction, and 3) peer-support with no additional activities. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results This analysis identified four themes: ‘Environmental and Emotional Challenges Experienced by Participants,’ ‘Sharing Health Behaviors and Group Responses within the Community,’ ‘Shifts in Perception and Cognition through Program Participation,’ and ‘Practice of Healthy Behaviors and Changes in Self-Regulation in Daily Life.’ Initially, participants reported experiencing struggles with health management owing to structural constraints, such as academic stress and limited housing. While campus solidarity developed across all groups, those in a facilitator-supported context described maintaining self-regulation through positive group norms, despite peers’ dietary lapses. Conversely, participants in unguided or expert-driven contexts reported feeling challenged when they encountered unguided deviations. Overall, mobile logging enhanced objective self-awareness, transforming peer observation into encouraging reinforcement. Engaging in small daily health behaviors allowed the participants to experience restored self-confidence that extended into their daily life. Conclusion Pairing mobile self-monitoring with online community interaction provides valuable qualitative insights into how students experience health behavior engagement. Peer facilitation shapes a distinct contextual environment which influences user motivation, peer interaction, and social support perception. These findings offer foundational qualitative perspectives to aid in the design of potential health promotion strategies on university campuses.
