This study was conducted to compare differences in dietary habits and snack consumption behaviors according to level of job stress among 20- to 30-year-old office workers. Subjects were 205 office workers working in companies located in Seoul and the metropolitan area. Self-administered questionnaires written by the subjects were statistically analyzed by the SPSS 20.0 program. Subjects were classified into a high-risk job stress group (n=102, High-RSG) or low-risk job stress group (n=103, Low-RSG) by level of job stress. For dietary habits, the duration of meal time before suffering from job stress in High-RSG was significantly faster compared to Low-RSG. Appetite after suffering from job stress in High-RSG was significantly higher compared to Low-RSG. For snack consumption behaviors, the reason for snack intake was ‘job stress’ for 42.2% in High-RSG and ‘hunger’ for 31.1% in Low-RSG (p<0.05). Energy intake in the form of chocolates, castellacakesmuffins, and flavored milk during working hours was significantly higher in High-RSG compared to Low-RSG (p<0.05). Therefore, this study suggests that dietary guidelines to ameliorate job stress should be developed in order to manage and improve dietary habits caused by suffering from job stress among young office workers at companies.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the consumption behaviors for purchase of Home Meal Replacement (HMR) products and importance and satisfaction on selective attributes of HMR in middle-aged adults by gender. The subjects were 919 middle-aged adults (400 males and 519 females; 40 to 64 years) residing in Seoul and its metropolitan area, who have HMR purchasing experience. The survey was conducted from January to August 2018. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0 program. Consumption frequency of HMR products in male and female subjects was 1-2 times a month by 42.3% and 40.8% and 4-6 times a month by 26.8% and 19.8%, respectively (p<0.05). Reasons for purchasing HMR in male and female subjects were shown significantly different from saving time by 44.8% and 50.5% and easy cooking by 25.8% and 16.6%, respectively (p<0.01). HMR products with high preference and satisfaction for the subjects included Gimbap, precooked dried rice, and frozen food. According to the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), selective attributes of HMR with high importance and low satisfaction in the second quadrant were food additives, origin, nutrient content, and price, for both male and female subjects; additionally, hygiene was a factor included only by female subjects. Therefore, these results suggest that it is needed to consider to produce HMR products with improved qualities using reliable food materials and ingredients and to maintain competitive pricing for the expansion of HMR products consumption of middle-aged adults.

In this study we compared the cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening: MMSE-DS) and nutrient intake of elderly women with dementia in a long-term care facility (EW-LCF) and a day-time care facility (EWDCF). This survey was conducted from July 2015 to May 2017 on 73 elderly women with dementia (47 women in LCF and 26 women in DCF) in the city of Incheon. The data obtained from interviews with the subjects and caregivers were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0. The total score of the MMSE-DS and intakes of most nutrients in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). The nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) of protein, vitamin A, C, B6, B12, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, calcium and phosphorus in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). However, the indexes of nutritional quality (INQ) of vitamin C, B6, thiamine, niacin, calcium, magnesium, and iron in the EW-LCF were significantly higher compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). As a result, the subjects showed an unbalanced and insufficient nutrition intake status regardless of the type of care facility. Most nutrient intakes of the EW-LCF with lower cognitive function were very significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.001). Therefore, it is necessary to assess the cognitive function and nutritional status regularly at care facilities for the elderly women suffering with dementia and to provide specialized individual nutritional management.

This study examined the effects of ‘Dietary education for children’s health UP’ (DECHUP) on the changes in knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) of nutrition and food safety in 5th grade elementary school students in Incheon. The DECHUP program was conducted from May to October 2018 and consisted of education and activities focusing on the children’s levels of understanding. Data were collected before, immediately after, and 6 weeks after DECHUP using the same method. All data were analyzed using SPSS ver 20.0. The level of knowledge and attitudes of the subjects to nutrition and food safety was significantly higher after than before DECHUP, but the attitude of boys did not show any significant difference after 6 weeks. Although there were no significant differences in the behavior for nutrition in the practice of the subjects, there were significant positive changes in the behavior of food safety. The higher the satisfaction of DECHUP, the more positive the change in knowledge, and the more positive the attitude and practice behaviors. Therefore, DECHUP has positive effects on the KAP of the subjects, and it will be helpful for elementary school students to form desirable eating habits if it can be carried out periodically and continuously.

Elderly with dementia in geriatric hospitals (EDGH) are highly dependent on hospital meals. This study evaluated the foodservices satisfaction and food preference of the EDGH. The survey was conducted on 104 elderly with dementia (21 males and 83 females) in 4 geriatric hospitals in Seoul and Incheon in November, 2016. Data were collected from interviews using a questionnaire that consisted of 6 questions for foodservice satisfaction and 24 questions (10 categories) for food preference. The data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 20.0. The satisfaction with taste, saltiness, texture, and variety in foodservices was good, but the satisfaction with the amount was not, and the reason for leaving food was its large serving size. The subjects preferred soft boiled rice, noodles, porridges, meats, fish, seafood, vegetables, and fruits. Among them, they preferred more janchiguksu, red bean porridge, beef, croaker, oyster, spinach, and banana. Regarding the cooking methods, they preferred soup, grill, and boiling, but not frying. The also preferred Chinese cabbage kimchi, but they did not prefer hard kkakdugi. They did not prefer milk because of diarrhea, but they preferred yogurt. Therefore, to provide a satisfying meal for EDGH, it is necessary to develop a friendly diet considering their food preferences.

This study was conducted to investigate the nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, dietary behaviors, smartphone usagerelated dietary habits, and health-related lifestyles of higher grade students in elementary school according to risk level of smartphone overdependence. Subjects were 286 fifth and sixth grade students of elementary school in the Siheung and Ansan areas. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS v. 20.0. Based on scores of S-scale (smartphone overdependence scale for adolescents), subjects who used smartphone were classified into an overdependence group (ODG, n=52) and a normal group (NG, n=234). The ODG showed a significantly longer usage time than NG on both weekdays and weekends (p<0.001). There were no significant differences in total scores of nutrition knowledge between the ODG and NG. Average total scores of dietary attitude and dietary behavior in the ODG were significantly lower than in the NG (p<0.001). There were higher risks of ODG for skipping meals (OR=8.3, 95% CI=4.027-17.099), changing eating speed (OR=4.4, 95% CI=2.209-8.822), and changing meal amount due to smartphone usage (OR=2.9 95% CI=1.233-6.623). Therefore, education programs are needed to ensure proper dietary behaviors and habits among smartphone overdependent elementary school students.

This study investigated the nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and food intake frequency according to hospitalization after breast cancer surgery and experience of breast cancer among female adults residing in the Bucheon area. Subjects were 52 female breast cancer survivors 27 in the hospitalization group (HG) and 25 in the non-hospitalization group (non-HG)] and 52 controls. Data included the results of self-administered questionnaires, as well as anthropometric data and blood biochemical values of breast cancer survivors collected from electronic medical records. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 program. Nutrition knowledge and dietary habits revealed no significant differences between HG and non-HG, but intake frequency of root and tuber crops and kimchi was significantly higher in the HG group than the non-HG group (p<0.05). According to experience of breast cancer, total scores of nutrition knowledge among survivors (8.2) were significantly higher than those of the control group (6.3) (p<0.001). Fish and shellfish and fruit intake frequencies were significantly higher in the survivors group, whereas intake frequency of fast food, convenience food, and alcohol was significantly lower compared to the control group. Overall, these findings indicate it is necessary to develop and spread nutrition education guidelines to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of breast cancer.

The purpose of this study was to investigate perception of the Food Allergy Labeling System (FALS) of school foodservice in female middle school students. The subjects were 148 female middle school students in the Incheon metropolitan area. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Only 20.9% of subjects had experience of food allergy education. There was no significant difference in food allergy knowledge by grade. The scores of perception of food allergy labeling by school foodservice were significantly higher in lower grade students (p<0.001). In all grades, highest scores were observed for ‘food allergy labeling is necessary’, whereas the lowest scores were for ‘I check the food allergy labeling’. The percentages of subjects who wanted to participate in food allergy education were significantly different (p<0.01); 73.8% in 1st grade, 50.0% in 2nd grade, and 35.7% in 3rd grade. For desired education contents to enhance perception of FALS, 57.5% of subjects answered ‘emergency management’ and 23.0% said ‘information of food allergy causing food’. Therefore, it is necessary to increase food allergy education and educate female middle school students according to grade in order to enhance perception of FALS.

This study was performed to investigate the nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and dietary behaviors among high school students by gender. The subjects were 275 students (127 male, 148 female) in Incheon metropolitan area. Selfadministered questionnaires consisted of general characteristics and anthropometric data, nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and dietary behaviors. The average score of nutrition knowledge was significantly higher in female subjects (9.4) compared to male subjects (8.2) (p<0.01). Male subjects had a higher score for dietary attitudes than female subjects (p<0.001). Frequency of meals was significantly higher in male subjects compared to female subjects (p<0.05). Duration of meal time in male subjects was significantly higher (‘5-10 minutes’) compared to female subjects (p<0.001). Unbalanced diet was significantly higher in female subjects (66.3%) compared to male subjects (48.9%) (p<0.01). Male subjects showed significantly higher consumption frequency of ‘dairy’ (p<0.001) and ‘beans’ (p<0.001) compared to female subjects. For snack consumption, male subjects showed higher consumption frequency of ‘nuts’ (p<0.001), ‘soda’ (p<0.05), ‘fast foods’ (p<0.001), and ‘ramyeon’ (p<0.01), but lower consumption frequency of ‘biscuits and bakery’ (p<0.01) compared to female subjects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a systemic nutrition education program for high school students by gender.