BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study examines life stress, dietary attitudes, and snacking frequency for college students living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The purpose of this study is to assist college students feeling stressed by offering desirable dietary attitudes and choices of the appropriate snacks by providing educational materials that offer appropriate nutrition education and nutritional information. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted on a total of 600 college students aged 19-29-year-olds living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province (234 male students and 366 female students). Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 28.0 program. RESULTS: Life stress among college students did not differ significantly between the genders. Male students were more stressed about lover (P < 0.01), while female students were more stressed about value problems (P < 0.01) and future problems (P < 0.05). Dietary attitude ratings were 3.1 for both male and female students with no significant difference. The overall snacking frequency was 4.1 times/day-4.2 times/day for male students and 4.0 times/day for female students-thus, there was no significant difference. Male students consumed 'beverage' (P < 0.01) more frequently than female students. Life stress and snacking were positively correlated for 'biscuit/cookie,' 'chip,' 'cereal,' 'juice/smoothie,' 'cafe americano,' 'cafe latte,' 'tea,' 'jelly,' 'chocolate,' 'rice cake,' 'milk,' 'flavored milk,' and 'ice cream' among male students. Among female students, life stress and snacking were positively correlated with 'cereal,' 'caramel,' and 'soymilk,' and negatively correlated for 'biscuit/cookie' and 'carbonated drink.' CONCLUSIONS: College students should manage their stress by identifying its causes and learning how to deal with stressful situations. Additionally, providing them with proper nutrition education based on the correct nutritional information is essential for promoting good food attitudes and snacking behaviors.

ObjectiveThe study investigated and compared postpartum diet and behaviors, nutrition education, and psychological health status among Korean and Chinese postpartum women (0–6 months after delivery).MethodsA total of 221 Korean mothers in Gyeonggi-do (South Korea) and 221 mothers in Jinhua (China) participated in the survey between November and December 2018, and the results were statistically analyzed using the SPSS Statistics 25.0 software.ResultsMany postpartum behaviors, such as postpartum diet pattern and care duration differed between Korean and Chinese mothers. The former showed a stronger desire for nutrition education compared with the latter (p < 0.001). Korean mothers' life and meal satisfaction, and contentment with their husband's support were all ~0.5 points higher compared with Chinese mothers, particularly regarding spousal support (p < 0.001). Postpartum depression stresses positively correlated with postpartum infant care stress and negatively correlated with life satisfaction. In addition, primipara mothers were more in need of infant care support and guidance concerning appropriate baby-feeding techniques compared with multipara mothers.ConclusionTraditional culture was a crucial factor that influenced the perceptions of postpartum women in South Korea and China. Culturally tailored nutrition education and exercise programs may benefit Korean and Chinese women after childbirth.

This study analyzed the health consciousness of Chinese students in South Korea. We further identified the purchase motives, selection attributes, and consumption patterns of convenience foods based on the levels of health consciousness. An online survey was conducted with 296 Chinese students. Based on the average health consciousness score, the students were classified into the low health-conscious group (Low group) and the high health-conscious group (High group). Compared to the High group, the Low group comprised more men (p=0.002) who were younger (p＜0.001) and less proficient in the Korean language (p＜0.001). Using factor analysis, three factors were identified for convenience food purchase motive (taste, quality, and convenience), and five factors were identified for convenience food selection attributes (quality, trend, economical, convenience, and information). The Low group scored higher in taste (p=0.031) and lower in quality (p=0.037) when considering convenience food purchase motives. Regarding the selection attributes, the Low group scored lower in quality (p＜0.001) and higher in trend (p＜0.001) as compared to the High group. The frequency of consumption of convenience food in the Low group was determined to be higher (p＜0.001). These results indicate that Chinese students who are less interested in health are more likely to consume a higher amount of convenience food, and they consider taste or trend more important than quality when purchasing convenience food. Therefore, education programs on healthy eating habits are required for Chinese students to help them select healthier convenience food options. The development of food labels to support healthy food choices for foreign students with low Korean language skills should also be considered. This study also indicates the necessity to develop differentiated convenience foods for Chinese students.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:This study analyzed the quality of lunches provided in senior leisure service (SLS) facilities and compared institutional foodservice (IF) and non-institutional foodservice (non-IF).SUBJECTS/METHODS:Data of 390 adults aged 65 years or older who ate lunches in SLS facilities were analyzed using the information from the 2013-2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The participants were classified into IF (n = 129) and non-IF (n = 261) groups according to meal type provided. The intake of major food groups, energy and nutrients, and nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) were analyzed. The diversity of meals was evaluated by food group patterns, dietary diversity score (DDS) and dietary variety score (DVS). Energy intake was adjusted in model 1, while energy and sex were adjusted in model 2. All confounding variables were adjusted in model 3.RESULTS:The intake of seafoods (P < 0.001 in models 1, 2, and 3), seaweeds (P < 0.01 in models 1 and 2), and dairy products (P < 0.05 in models 1, 2, and 3) was significantly higher in the IF group. No significant difference existed in energy intake; however, the intake of all nutrients except carbohydrate and vitamin C was significantly higher in the IF group. NAR of all nutrients, excluding vitamin C, was higher in the IF group, and MAR was also higher in the IF group (P < 0.001 in models 1, 2, and 3). The IF group had significantly higher DDS and DVS than the non-IF group (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:The lunches provided in SLS facilities were better in terms of quantity and quality when provided through IF than through non-IF. More systematic foodservice programs should be implemented in SLS facilities, especially in facilities wherein users prepare their own meals.

Purpose: This study examined the eating-out patterns of Korean infants and school-aged children and compared diet quality. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2016–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The subjects were 306 children aged 3 to 11 years old that ate dinner at restaurants. Percentage energy intakes of 24 food groups were calculated, and cluster analysis was used to identify eating-out patterns. Diet quality was assessed by calculating percentage energy and nutrient intakes using one-third of the 2015 Dietary Reference Intakes for Korean (KDRIs), nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR), mean adequacy ratio (MAR), and index of nutritional quality (INQ). Results: Cluster analysis identified 2 eating-out patterns, that is, a ‘rice-centered’ (53%) and a ‘mixed diet’ (47%) pattern. For those with the mixed diet pattern, ratios of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to total calories were 48:20:31, whereas for the rice-centered pattern, ratios were 62:15:21 (p < 0.001). Intakes of energy and most nutrients in the mixed diet pattern were excessive, but the intakes of the most nutrients in the rice-centered pattern were much lower than their KDRIs. MARs were higher for the mixed diet pattern than the rice-centered pattern (0.74 vs. 0.66) (p < 0.001), and INQs for vitamin C (p = 0.007) and calcium (p = 0.018) were lower for the rice-centered pattern, whereas INQ for iron (p = 0.003) was lower for the mixed diet pattern. Conclusion: The quality of meals for infants and school-aged children depended on eating-out patterns, but the rice-centered and mixed diet patterns both failed to provide an appropriately balanced meal pattern. The results of this study suggest that healthy menus need to be developed for children in restaurants.

This study was aimed at determining the food involvement level of young Korean adults and at analyzing their healthy dietary and eating-out behavior according to their food involvement levels. An online survey was conducted with 278 adults in their 20s and 30s living in the Seoul and Gyeonggi area. The questionnaire comprised of questions about food involvement, Nutrition Quotient (NQ), eating-out behavior, and general information. The participants were classified into high(4.2 points, n=140) and low-involvement (3.3 points, n=138) groups based on the mean value of their food involvement score (3.7 points). The ratio of women (p<0.001) and the educational level (p=0.022) were higher in the high-involvement group than in the low-involvement group. The total NQ score was higher in the high-involvement group (46.9) than in the low-involvement group (44.8) (p=0.014). The high-involvement group scored higher in “nutrition balance” (35.5) and “dietary behavior” (50.8) than the low-involvement group (32.0 and 43.3, respectively) (p=0.003 and p=0.001, respectively). The high-involvement group tended to eat out more frequently (p=0.059) and “social networking service (SNS), internet advertisements, and internet searching” was the most frequent method to get information about eating out, whereas “friends, family, and acquaintances” was the most frequent method in the low-involvement group. The high-involvement group ate out “to eat delicious food” (p<0.001), “to taste new and diverse foods” (p<0.001), or “to have a good time with people” (p<0.001). However, the low-involvement group ate out “because they cannot eat at home” (p<0.001), “just to be fed” (p=0.005), or “to save time and effort preparing food” (p=0.004). As the healthy dietary and eating-out behaviors were different according to the food involvement level, it is necessary to develop customized nutrition education programs and menus that consider food involvement tendencies.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study was performed to investigate the degree of perceived stress by sex in middle-aged people, and to provide basic data for appropriate nutrition education and interventional measures for middle-aged subjects through comparative analysis of association between stress and dietary habits, emotional eating behavior, and insomnia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted in 670 middle-aged subjects (320 men and 350 women) aged 40-64 years, resided in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 25.0 program. RESULTS: Perceived stress in middle-aged subjects was not different by sex. Stress was higher in men with low dietary habits level compared to other groups (P < 0.001), and was higher in women with low and moderate dietary habits level compared to women with high dietary habits level (P < 0.05). Stress in men was higher in the group with emotional eaters (P < 0.05), and the same result was shown in women (P < 0.001). Stress was higher in both men and women with poor sleep quality (P < 0.001). Stress score was positively correlated with emotional dietary behavior and insomnia (P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with dietary habits (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It is considered that proper nutrition education and interventional measures according to sex are needed for stress control and proper dietary behavior and lifestyle in middle-aged people population, along with projects and policies at the national level.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The study was performed to investigate health-related lifestyle, dietary habits, and depression according to exercise frequency to understand complex factors that affect effective health management. Thus, exercise frequency, health-related lifestyle, dietary habits, and depression were evaluated in college students in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. SUBJECTS/METHODS A survey was conducted on college students, aged 1929, in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas from May 13 to May 31, 2020. A total of 594 questionnaires were collected and 566 (269 from males, 297 from females) were statistically analyzed, except 28 with incomplete responses. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS The sex distribution of the 3 groups according to exercise frequency was significantly different; the ratio of males in over 3 times/week group was significantly higher than those in 12 times/week group and no-exercise group (P < 0.001). The height (P < 0.001), weight (P < 0.001), and body mass index (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in over 3 times/week group compared to no-exercise group. The ratio of subjects who answered good or very good for subjective health condition was significantly high in the order of over 3 times/week group (59.1%), 12 times/week group (34.5%), and no-exercise group (25.0%) (P < 0.001). The ratio for meal regularity was high as 56.6% in over 3 times/week group and the ratio for irregular meals was significantly higher in no-exercise group (67.2%) and 12 times/week group (54.9%) (P < 0.001). Among questions on dietary habits, Eat meat, fish, egg or beans (P < 0.01) and Eat fruit (P < 0.01) were significantly higher in over 3 times/week group compared to no-exercise group. Drink more than 2 liters of water (P < 0.001) was 0.70 in over 3 times/week group, which was significantly higher than 0.54 in 12 times/week group and 0.38 in no-exercise group. Moderate depression and severe depression that need treatments were significantly lower in over 3 times/week group (18.7%) compared to 12 times/week group (26.0%) and no-exercise group (29.7%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is considered that combined intervention for exercise habits, proper dietary habits, and depression management is needed for effective health management.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:This study investigated gender and age differences in nutrient intake and dietary quality of people eating alone.SUBJECTS/METHODS:From Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2016 data, 2,305 adults aged 20 years and older that ate meals alone were included in this study. Their energy and nutrients intakes, as well as their nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR), mean adequacy ratio (MAR), and index of nutritional quality (INQ) were analyzed. Food group consumption pattern, dietary variety score (DVS), dietary diversity score (DDS) were also analyzed. All data were compared among gender and age groups.RESULTS:Men consumed more energy and nutrients than women, except for vitamin C, and the NARs showed similar gender differences. The INQs of 4 nutrients (calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and riboflavin) were lower than 1.0 in men, whereas only the calcium INQ was lower than 1.0 in women. Men had a lower DDS (3.6) than women (3.9) (P < 0.001) and had more 'undesirable' food group consumption patterns than women (P < 0.001). The intakes of calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C were relatively low in the young-aged group (INQs less than 1.0). In the old-aged group, the MAR level was relatively low, and the INQs of calcium, riboflavin, and niacin were below 1.0. The old-aged group consumed more menu items, but their DVS was the lowest.CONCLUSIONS:Compared to women, the dietary quality and food diversity among men were poorer. There were poorer quality and diversity patterns in the young-aged group compared to those of the older groups. An overall low intake of nutrients and the low nutrient density of meals were the main dietary problems among the old-aged group who eat alone. Therefore, men, particularly young- and old-aged, need to be prioritized in nutritional policies directed toward those who eat alone.

The study examined the perceived health status, dietary habits, and health-related lifestyle habits of mid-dle-aged men and women in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The survey was conducted on 670 individuals (320 men and, 350 women), aged 40 ∼ 64 years, in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The online and written data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 25.0 program. Although there was a significant difference in the perceived health status (P ＜ 0.01), there were no significant differences in the subjective stress and the current disease status according to sex. For dietary habits, the scores for fruit intake (P ＜ 0.05), meat and fish intake (P ＜ 0.05), milk and dairy products intake (P ＜ 0.01), and seaweed intake (P ＜ 0.05) were higher in women than men. The scores for three-meal eating (P ＜ 0.05) and water intake (P ＜ 0.01) were higher in men than women. For the health-related habits, alcohol-drinking frequency, daily alcohol consumption, smoking experi-ence, and daily smoking were higher in men than women (P ＜ 0.001). In contrast, caffeinated beverage intake, exercise frequency, and daily smart-phone, computer, and TV using time were similar in both sexes. The meal-eating time was faster in men than women (P ＜ 0.01). For dietary behavior changes, only appetite showed a significant gender difference (P ＜ 0.05). This study provides essential information on the perceived health status, dietary habits, and health-related lifestyle habits in middle-aged men and women. Nevertheless, further research and a practical nutrition program will be needed to solve undesirable dietary habits and im-prove the health and lifestyle of middle-aged adults according to sex.

The study was performed to examine the health interest, dietary habits, and depression in male and female college students in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do area. The survey was conducted on 566 (269 males, 297 females) college students, aged 19∼29 years. The online and written data were analyzed by using the SPSS WIN 21.0 program. Body weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were higher in male students than in female students. In the category of health interest, the average score and the score for ‘I arrange the menu for weight control’ was significantly higher in female students than in male students, whereas the score for ‘I tend to exercise everyday’ was significantly higher in male students than in female students. For nutritional supplements, the intake of sports drinks, protein beverages and powders, vitamin A, vitamin B complex and calcium supplements showed significant differences according to sex. An analysis of dietary habits showed that the frequency of intake of seaweed, greasy food, processed food, and water was significantly higher in male students than in female students, while the frequency of intake of fruits, sweet food, and dairy products was higher in female students than in male students. The score for depression was significantly higher in female students compared to male students. Dietary habits were divided into appropriate dietary habits and inappropriate dietary habits. Health interest showed a significant positive correlation with BMI and appropriate dietary habits in both male and female students. In female students, inappropriate dietary habits were positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with health interests. This study thus provides information on health interests, dietary habits and depression in college students according to sex and suggests further research to improve dietary habits in male and female college students with higher levels of depression.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is caused by a variety of factors such as a heredity, environment and food. This study was conducted with 100 children (aged 2 to 5 years, AD) who had been diagnosed with AD at the Samsung Medical Center and 100 children(aged 2 to 5 years, normal group, NO) who had not been diagnosed with AD from September 2012 to June 2013. Infants eating behavior, oral skills, tool using skills, food neophobia, caregivers’ eating behavior and feeding practice were investigated by questionnaire. Father’s age (p<0.001), mother’s age (p<0.01), infants’ appetite (p<0.01), deep sleep (p<0.05) and frequency of bowel movements (p<0.05) were showed significant differences between AD and NO. As for compared eating behavior, rhythmicity (p<0.05) and attention span (p<0.01) of AD were higher than those of NO, however, pickiness (p<0.01) of AD was lower than that of NO. Food neophobia was positively correlated with pickiness (p<0.01), whereas it was negatively correlated with appetite (p<0.01), rhythmicity (p<0.01), approach-withdrawal (p<0.01) and attention span (p<0.01). In caregivers’ feeding practices, restriction of AD was higher than that of NO (p<0.05), however, pressure of AD was lower than that of NO (p<0.01). This study provided basic data for preparing dietary guidelines, nutrition education and counseling for infants with AD. It is necessary to make professional control of the nutritional aspect for AD infants and continuous study performed for factors influencing AD infants.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to examine disparities in food and nutrient intakes based on family types identified among 1,856 participants who were the Korean elderly people in the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) excluding those who were currently practicing the diet therapy. SUBJECTS/METHODS We separated the subjects into two groups: living alone (LA, n = 638) and living with a spouse (LS, n = 1,218). We also examined the disparities of dietary quantity and quality of those two groups using complex sampling design general linear regression analyses (CS GLM). RESULTS In the LA group, there was a higher percentage of females and average age in LA group was higher than the participants in the LS group. Household income and education level were significantly lower in LA compared to those of LS. The frequencies of skipping meals were higher in LA. LA's food and nutrient intakes showed lower consumption of vegetables, fruits, seaweeds, and of most nutrients. Even after adjusting for the confounding factors, the consumption of vegetables, seaweeds, carbohydrates, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin C showed lower in LA than LS. Moreover, LA's nutrient intake ratios compared to the KDRIs were lower which turned out to be similar to their nutrient intakes. CONCLUSIONS These results show that dietary behavior and food intake of the elderly are associated with family types. Frequently skipping meals and less dietary variety are more common with elderly persons who were living alone. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate the supplementary food programs and nutrition education programs for the elderly living alone.