This study was conducted to analyze relationships between depression indices, mini nutritional assessment scores, and nutritional quotients among 80 elderly in Yangpyeong-gun and to identify factors that help prevent depression and malnutrition. Nutrition assessment scores were low in the high-risk group (PHQ-9 score 10), and nutritional quotient scores were lower in the high-risk group than in the normal group (PHQ-9 score 4). Interestingly, the consumption frequencies of fruits, eggs, and nuts were low in the high-risk group, and subjective health awareness, dental condition, and sleep were poorer. The total PHQ-9 score was correlated with malnutrition, body mass index, calf circumference, weight change, independent daily living, reduced meal amount, water intake, and the need for help when eating. Analysis of correlations between items of the PHQ-9 and nutritional status evaluation indices showed that a self-perceived feeling of depression, low energy, difficulty controlling sleep or appetite, negative thoughts (e.g., failure, disappointment), and difficulty concentrating were negatively correlated with total nutritional status scores. These results show that attention is required when food or water intake decreases and that deviation from normal sleep and appetite cycles flags the need to prepare guidelines to prevent depression.

In this study, 294 housewives in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do, were surveyed to evaluate the differences in the recognition and use of nutrition labeling according to age and to present data for nutrition education. The younger the age, the more aware the consumer was of the information on the nutrition label. Housewives who were younger than 60 years were more likely to check the nutrition labels. The lower the age, the higher the reliance on the nutritional labeling content of the food, and the higher the recognition level of nutritional labeling. It was found that the lower the age, the easier it was for the consumer to understand the nutritional labeling. Among housewives in their 30s and younger, 89.5 percent said they believed checking nutrition labels would help their health. In the younger age group knowledge and information on nutrition labeling was acquired from the internet, and in the older age group, knowledge was acquired from television, radio, and newspapers. Research conducted on housewives in other regions in the future could provide more detailed information suitable for the population of each region. This would serve as data for nutrition education on the recognition and use of nutrition labeling for a healthy diet.

This study was a qualitative investigation into the food security and food variety among the rural elderly. For the qualitative data collection, nineteen elderly people who lived in Yangpyeong-gun were interviewed individually. Food security and variety was evaluated based on accessibility and affordability. The participants seemed to have difficulty preparing their own meals and eating with their families or others. The frequency of vegetable intake was found to be high, as vegetables were available through cultivation. However, in terms of diversity, the intake of meat and milk, which are sources of protein and calcium, was found to be significantly low. This has to do with very poor physical accessibility. A lack of nutrition education was identified as the biggest reason for not following dietary therapy despite having a pre-existing disease condition. Therefore, for the elderly in Yangpyeong-gun, it is suggested that a basic nutrition policy for food supply that can increase their actual intake is more essential than education on cooking and nutrients. Moreover, periodic nutrition education or a regular counseling system for dietary therapy through local public health centers may help improve the health of the elderly.

Institutional foodservice is a type of meal provided to workers in industry and affects the health and psychological wellbeing of workers and productivity. Thus, research on customer satisfaction with institutional foodservice is important. In addition to food industry and food culture developments, the requirements of institutional foodservice customers are diversifying due to COVID-19. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify factors that affect customer satisfaction with institutional foodservice using a user-based approach. In this study, the quality of institutional foodservice was defined using customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and by using in-depth interview and open coding (a qualitative research method), we derived qualities of institutional foodservice from the user’s perspective and compared these with those of previous studies. This study is meaningful as the quality of institutional foodservice was analyzed using a user-based approach, in-depth interview, and open coding and compares results with those of previous studies.

This study was a qualitative investigation into hemodialysis patients' dietary practices. The purpose of this study was to explore the obstacles and requirements to maintain a recommended diet therapy in hemodialysis patients. Five patients undergoing hemodialysis in the renal chamber of the general hospital were interviewed individually. The interviews were based on an interview guide and analyzed by Giorgi’s method of analysis. As a result of this study, five elemental factors and 12 subelemental factors were derived. Derived elements were “difficulty in dietary guidelines”, “recognizing necessity of diet therapy”, “awareness of importance of diet”, “difficulty practicing diet therapy”, and “looking for ways to practice diet therapy”. Patients not only felt difficulties in practicing dietary guidelines but also recognized the need and importance of diet therapy. Patients seemed to have difficulty practicing meal therapy and eating with their families or others. They were also stressed by the limited selection of dietary components and rapid dietary changes before and after dialysis. However, patients showed a willingness to implement dietary management to improve their quality of life and to practice dietary therapy. In order to improve the practice of dietary management in hemodialysis patients, nutritional education should be focused on long-term dietary habits through continuous education and monitoring, not just one-off education. Moreover, patients should be educated that adherence to dietary control may be less burdensome on their families.

This study focused the recognition and preference of Korean traditional food of elementary school students, in order to make effective educational materials about Korean traditional foods for the elementary school students. According to the responses of 356 elementary school students participating in this research, they understood the concept of traditional Korean food and recognized positively, but did not have much interest. However, the more they liked Korean food, the higher their interest in Korean traditional foods and the higher utilization rates of Korean traditional foods. Most elementary school students enjoyed Korean traditional food occasionally, especially soup, jjigae, tang and jeongol. Elementary school students suggested that complicated recipes should be improved for the succession of Korean traditional foods and that the class for cooking traditional foods in schools should be expanded.

This study analyzed consumers’ recognition and demand for probiotic products and dietary and living habits according to their probiotics ingestion experience to provide information on the development of probiotic products and marketing strategies in the health functional food-related industry. A total of 280 consumers living in Seoul, Incheon and Kyeonggi-do area were enrolled in this study. The consumers expected mostly intestinal health (80.4%) after ingesting probiotics. The appropriate price level for purchasing probiotics was between 20,000-50,000 won (58.2%), preferring a price range of 50,000 won or less (77.1%). There was a significant difference in the dietary habits depending on the experience of probiotics ingestion, but there was no difference in the living habit. Consumers took Vitamin C, red Ginseng and Ginseng the most instead of probiotics as health functional foods. Based on the results, a marketing strategy could be established to meet the consumer’s needs, such as focusing on the effects of probiotics, building up various price policies and the development of new products mixing with other commonly consumed health supplements.

The purposes of this study were to determine health consciousness and eating habits of dining business owners from Seongnam city. To figure out their health levels, this study focused on quality of sleep, current state of health, health care, smoking, drinking, regular exercise, working hours, dietary behavior pattern, dietary habits, and food intakes patterns. Out of 200 subjects, 104 (52.0%) were males and 96 (48.0%) were females. Their average age was 46.60. For education level, a majority of males graduated from college, whereas a majority of females graduated from high school. Average combined ratios of overweight and obese were 62.5% for males and 25% for females. A majority worked less than 3 years in the dining business area, but 37% of subjects worked more than 10 years. Average health level was favorable, but 38.9% of subjects had hypertension. Males' percentages for smoking and drinking were higher than those of females. Regular physical activity was high, but regular exercise rate was low. Males' average eating speed was faster than that of females and had low scores for desirable eating habits. The study shows that local business owners need to take care of their health.

The purpose of this study is to obtain basic materials to complement the 'time series table serving' by analyzing external color elements. We selected traditional Korean restaurants in two five-star hotels and two famous traditional Korean style restaurants and analyzed their colors and the coloration of the Korean table settings. The results are as follows. By using strong luminosity contrast, restaurant A made its customer focus on the food and used red as the principal point (highlighted) color. Desserts, which have small dimensions, were served in 'Buncheong' ware with 'bakji' method, which has strong contrast; this broke the color balance. The use of small patterned dishes with 'johwa' method would achieve color harmony. Restaurant B used a stronger color for the tables than the foods, making the point color inconspicuous. Lowering the brightness and saturation of the table color would be beneficial. In restaurant C, thick green napkins provided the point color, making the atmosphere of the restaurant dull and dark and interfering with the overall bright atmosphere of the restaurant. Using lower saturation, high luminosity, and yellowish colors would bring harmony to the overall atmosphere. In restaurant D, the point colors were divided into three groups; their diversification during the entire course of the meal made the flow of the meal more natural. However, the use of the violet color, which gives a cold feeling, in the middle of the meal courses broke the overall flow of warm color in the meal. Considering the already-present contrast between red and green, it would be better not to use the violet chrysanthemum in the course of the meal. As mentioned above, there are several issues in terms of the color arrangement, the usage of table pads, and the natural flow of colors. Those issues indicate the necessity for an overall plan for the banquet table set-up in terms of color.

The purpose of this study is to analyze external elements of 'time series table serving' and to discover any problems in the table setting. We selected two traditional Korean restaurants in five-star hotels and two representative traditional Korean style restaurants and analyzed the tableware arrangement of their table settings. The results are as follows. In restaurant A, the arrangement of different styles of tableware made from a variety of materials seemed relatively natural. However, the dessert plates were 'Buncheong' ware made with 'Bakji' method; in this case, the pattern was larger than the size of the fruits served and made the food inconspicuous. Rather than using plates made with a 'bakji' method, using plates with small patterns in the 'johwa' method would complement the food. In restaurant B, the space between the tableware, spoon and chopsticks was narrow, and the spoon and chopsticks sets would not fit on the table pads when large dishes or multiple dishes were served. In this case, changing the dishes to smaller sized dishes, considering the size of the table pad, or not using the pad at all would solve the issue. In restaurant C, too many small dishes were laid on the table, making it look disorderly. We believe that recovering tableware that is no longer in use, laying dishes and cutlery inside of the table pads or not using the table pad would be better. In restaurant D, the same style and color of dishes were provided 9 times. The lack of variety could be tedious to customers. The forms and colors of dishes should be changed in accordance with the order of the meal served. However, when using tableware created by different methods such as 'Buncheong' ware or white porcelain, the same pattern should be chosen in order to elevate the dignity of the table menu through uniformity. These issues in tableware arrangement indicate that external forms of banquet table setup should be studied so that the culture of Korean traditional cuisine can be enriched.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the snack and beverage intake patterns of students by body mass index groups (BMI 〈18.5, 18.5-23, 23-30, ≥30). Questionnaires were completed by 1381 high school students in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do, the area of Korea's capital region. There were no significant differences in skipping meals for overweight (BMI 23-30 and ≥30) or under-nourished (BMI 〈18.5) students. Girls skipped dinner more frequently than boys. Boys and girls both preferred meat and disliked fish regardless of BMI. Girls with BMI 23-30 disliked vegetables. Boys and girls would rather have crackers, candies, and chocolates than potatoes as snacks regardless of BMI. Obese boys (BMI ≥30) preferred flour-based food, fast food, and other food as snacks. Girls liked fruits more than boys. Snacks were eaten 2-3 times per week, when students were hungry or bored. There were no significant differences in the frequency or reasons (habitual, stressed) for snack consumption by BMI. Girls liked juice more than boys did, and boys preferred soda water more than girls did. Both the under-nourished (BMI 〈18.5) boy and girl groups had more juice than the overweight (BMI 23-30 and ≥30) groups. Obese (BMI ≥30) boys did not more drink soda water than other BMI groups. The under-nourished (BMI 〈18.5) boy group had more soda water than the normal (BMI 18.5-23) and overweight (BMI 23-30) groups. Girls in the overweight (BMI 23-30) group had 2 more cups of soda water a day than the normal group (BMI 18.5-23). Therefore, skipping meals and beverage intake patterns might influence BMI.

The origin of Korean traditional food's spicy taste dates back to the first telling of the Dangun myth-a story of a tiger and bear who tried to reincarnate themselves in human form by eating garlic and wormwood. For a long time, Koreans have eaten spicy vegetables such as green onion, garlic, ginger, mustard, leeks, corni, cinnamon bark, and Chinese peppers (Zanthoxylum schinfolium) and Zanthoxylum bungeanum. In prehistoric times, spicy vegetables were probably used to eliminate the smell of meat. In the agricultural age, they were used to supplement meals with fresh taste. They were also used as a substitute for salt (salt was very precious and expensive) as well as side dishes for the poor. Spicy vegetables have also been used as a substitute for main dish like medicinal gruel and used to increase the spiciness of soup, and they are usually used as a side dish and with condiments in namul (cooked vegetable dishes), sangchae (salad), ssam (wrapped in greens and garnished with red-pepper paste or other condiments) and Kimchi. In addition, chili pepper was introduced to the Korean Peninsula in the middle of the Joseon Dynasty (mid-15th, 16th century). The soil and climate of the Korean Peninsula are suitable to growing chili pepper, and chili pepper has excellent adaptability and productivity. Accordingly, it is processed to red pepper powder and has become a major part of traditional Korean food along with Chinese pepper. Since the Joseon Dynasty, many kinds of Kimchi made with red pepper powder have been developed, and most Koreans enjoy them these days. The main characteristics of Korean food are spiciness and honest-to-goodness taste.

This study was performed with Korean adults to investigate Makgeolli drinking behavior, preference, and perception about Makgeolli and health, as well as Makgeolli complaints and prices. A survey questionnaire was formulated to obtain information on demographic variables, drinking habits, and perceptions about Makgeolli's function, price, and complaints. The questionnaire was distributed to 468 adults living in the capital area. The results are as follows. Makgeolli (16.1%) was third preferred, following Soju (45.1%) and beer (30.7%), and no significant differences were observed by gender and income, but the preference for Makgeolli increased with increasing age (p<0.001). According to the survey, the largest reason both genders drank Makgeolli was that it tastes good. Men preferred Makgeolli for its health effects and cheap price, while women preferred it for the atmosphere while drinking it. Also, older people and those with higher incomes preferred drinking Makgeolli for its health effect rather than its good taste (p<0.001 for each). No significant difference was observed by gender for the question "Do you think that Makgeolli has a health-promoting effect?" Overall, 51% of the subjects gave positive answers and only 5.9% gave negative answers. Significantly, older people and those with a higher income had a higher rate of answering positively to this question. Belching (45.1%) and headache (29.9%) were the most common symptoms among the side effects of drinking Makgeolli. No significant difference was observed by gender or income, but older people had a higher rate of belching and fewer headaches than younger people (p<0.001). Women had a significantly higher rate of perceiving that Makgeolli was cheap than men. Age and income differences did not influence price perception. To the question "What is the ideal price for high quality Makgeolli", 32.1% answered that the present rate (1,000 won) was ideal, and 59.4% answered that a price between 1,000 and 2,000 won was ideal. These results indicate that the high preference for Makgeolli is due to its good taste and health effects. However, belching and headache caused by drinking Makgeolli were the most common complaints and, thus, must be solved. Some opinions indicated that Makgeolli must eliminate its low-quality image, but, according to this survey, most subjects answered that the ideal price of higher-quality Makgeolli should be increased slightly, which would cause price resistance.

Radish kimchi is a typical side-dish in Korean traditional food and is a way of keeping vegetables for a extended period using fermentation. This study examined the classification, usage, eating history, variety, and recipes of Korean radish kimchi through ancient and modern era literature. The Korean radish kimchi were categorized into six groups: kkakttugi, seokbakji (or nabakkimchi), dongchimi, jjanji, jangachi, and jangkwa. According to the record, the eating history of radish kimchi comes from before the age of the Three Kingdom period. Radish was preserved in salt, vinegar, soybean paste or lees of fermented liquor in the early times. This pickled radish was not supposed to be watery. Radish kimchi was divided into watery kimchi (dongchimi) during the period of United Silla and the Koryo Dynasty. Kimchi was mixed with Chinese cabbage to make seokbakji or nabakkimchi. Up to the early Chosun Dynasty, the key ingredient of kimchi was radish. After the middle of the Chosun Dynasty, kimchi was mixed with red pepper powder, salted fish, soybean sauce, and various ingredients. There were many kinds of radish kimchi during the late Chosun Dynasty. In the 11 Korean recipe books published within the past 100 years, there are nine kinds of kkakttugi, three kinds of seokbakji, four kinds of dongchimi, three kinds of jjanji, nine kinds of jangachi, and five kinds of jangkwa. Kkakttugi (cubed, sliced or julienne radish) was pickled with salt, red pepper powder, garlic, green onion, oyster, sugar, salted fish, and more. Seokbakji and nabakkimchi were not as salty, so they could not be preserved as long. Dongchimi (watery radish kimchi without red pepper powder) was made of radish, water, salt, 18 side ingredients, 13 condiments, and seven garnishes. Jjanji was pickled to be very salty and was eaten during summer. Jangachi can be used as a regular side dish and is made of radish or dried radish slices pickled or seasoned with salt, soy sauce, vinegar, soybean paste, lees of fermented liquor, and spices. Jangkwa is used as a stir-fry method and has been segregated from jangachi relatively recently.