This study examined Korean employees’ meal structure characterized by mealtime, meal places, and companions. The data from 19,692 time diaries, recorded by 9,846 employees aged 19-64 years for two days in the 2014 Korean Time Use Survey, were analyzed for working days and non-working days. Approximately two-thirds of Korean employees ate meals three times a day on both working and non-working days. The breakfast and lunch-times on working days were distributed within two hours, but the dinner time on working days and all three meals on non-working days were dispersed across a three-hour range. Male employees spent three minutes on meal preparation on working days, whereas females spent 30 minutes. On working days, 88% of breakfasts and 67% of dinners were eaten at home. For lunches, 46% were eaten at restaurants, and 42% were at workplaces. The breakfast on working days showed the highest percentage of eating alone (40%) and the dinner on non-working days appeared highest in the percentage of eating with families (69%). The characteristics of Korean employees’ meal structure appeared different on working days and non-working days. Such characteristics should be considered in the process of planning nutrition policies and programs for employees.

This study examined the historical changes of and dietitians’ needs for the Life Cycle-based Dietary Guidelines for Koreans. Content analysis of relevant documents, a survey of 307 dietitians, and in-depth interviews with eight dietitians were conducted. The dietary guidelines published between 2003 and 2004 included one set of common guidelines and several sets of dietary action guides corresponding to six target groups: pregnant and lactating women, infants and toddlers, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. The guidelines were revised between 2008 and 2011 and consisted of six sets of guidelines for the target groups without common guidelines. The dietitians considered five or six as appropriate numbers of guidelines for each group. Needs for separate guidelines for women of child-bearing age and male workers were reported. The dietitians preferred one set of common guidelines with specific action guides for each target group and wanted easier and more specific messages to be included in the new guidelines. It is suggested that the Life Cycle-based Dietary Guidelines for Koreans should be revised to reflect such dietitians’ needs.