KOREASCHOLAR

Fortified foods are consumed widely in modem society according to increased concern on health oriented foods. This study investigated the patterns of vitamin-and/or mineral-fortified food use among 677 teenage students(13-18 years of age) in Chungnam province and Daejeon city in Korea using questionnaire. More than 63.7% of total subjects consumed more than one package of fortified foods belonged to more than three categories of five categories including sweets/biscuits, ramyons, beverages, milk and dairy products, and breads as a frequency of more than 1-2 times/week during previous three months prior to present survey. Consumption of fortified foods was higher in middle school students than in high school students(p<0.05), and in females than in females(p<0.001). Users of fortified foods took the snacks more often(p<0.001), and they tended to believe more positively that fortification can be helpful in health maintenance than did non-users. Users preferred vitamin C and Ca(calcium) as a fortified nutrient. Major fortified nutrients in fortified foods taken by users were various; vitamin B-complex and Ca from sweets/biscuits, Ca from ramyons, vitamin C and Ca from beverages, Ca and iron from milk and dairy products and breads. These results suggest that fortified foods are used commonly and are influenced by several factors among teenagers. Types of fortified nutrient, in fortified foods taken by subjects, are various and fortification is performed unspecifically. As a consequence both nutrition education and government regulation on fortified foods should be enforced to maximize the benefits and minimize the hazard of their use.

• 양자경 | Yang, Ja-Kyung
• 김선효 | Kim, Sun-Hyo