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The purpose of this study was to compare convenience food purchasing behaviors and food habits. The study, which asked surveyed 131 female college students in Daejeon, in 2011, on how they used nutrition labels. The subjects were divided into two groups, in terms of the way they checked examined nutrition labels: a "Check" group(n=62, 47.3%) and a "No check" group(n=69, 52.7%). Reasons given for not reading nutrition labelings were "a habit of buying" for 72.2%, and "too small or rude" for 19.1%. The "Check" group reported higher interest in nutrition(p<0.001) and hygiene(p<0.01) than the "No check" group. Those who used the labels had higher cereal(p<0.01) and vegetable(p<0.01) consumption and a lower intake of fast foods(p<0.05). But however, most of the subjects(65.6%) chose by taste, at the time they purchased the convenience foods. The subjects considered "expiry date"(n=87, 66.4%) to be more important information on food labels than "nutrient composition"(n=11, 8.4%). The number of products whose nutrition labels were checked by over 50% was five out of 12. In conclusion, our study suggests that proper use of nutrition labeling may improve food choices and enable healthy dietary practices. Further efforts are needed to provide the public with nutrition education programs on how to read nutrition labeling. Modifying nutrition labels to make them easier for the public to understand should also be considered.
