Nutrition labeling can provide information in order for people to select products suitable for their own health, and sodium content labeling for processed foods is important since sodium is one of the main causes of cardiac diseases. This study had carried out to propose the desirable sodium content labeling by conducting surveys on the awareness of sodium content in processed foods, understanding of sodium content labeling, and requirements for new sodium comparative claims. The survey period was from 12th of September, 2016 through the 24th, during which a self-administered questionnaire survey was given to 1,003 persons through demographic quota sampling by age and region. As a result of the survey, 66.0% of respondents assuring nutrition labeling answered they check sodium content labeling, whereas 83.2% were aware of excessive intake of sodium having a negative effect on health. Exactly 49.9% of respondents answered that the current system for nutrition labeling on processed foods does not help one to understand the content of sodium, whereas 72.9% answered they wanted to compare sodium contents with those of other products when buying or taking processed foods. As 92.5% cited the importance of sodium comparative claims made by processed foods, preparation of a new system for food labeling should be considered by which consumers can easily compare sodium contents with those of other similar products.

In the present study, we conducted in-depth interviews with school dieticians and nutrition teachers to determine the local foods they were aware of and their experiences with local foods. We also aimed to obtain more detailed measures for local food vitalization and suggestions for improvements. In-depth interviews were performed with 8 school dieticians and nutrition teachers, who stated that local food vitalization was needed for school food services, because it could be a foundation for securing safefood products, student healthi mprovements, environmental protection, and the establishment of a general consumption market. However, they were aware of a higher number of disadvantages than advantages in school situations and indicated the deterioration of the quality of food products as the biggest disadvantage. The most-suggested measurement items for local food vitalization in schools included improvement of the food distribution system, expansion of education, information sharing, prevention of monopolies, improvement of food-product quality, and mass production. In addition, it was suggested that school dieticians and nutrition teachers should invest efforts in the development of excellent recipes and varied diets utilizing local foods. Therefore, system supplementation is urgently required in order for school food service officials, and consumers, to efficiently introduce and vitalize local foods. It is also necessary to foster an environment that encourages trust-based relationships with producers to maximize the effect of system supplementation. This would be the foundation for improving the health of students, improving food-service quality, nutrition management, and vitalization of the regional economy in the future, and will positively affect students’ food consumption patterns even after they become adults.

The purpose of this study was to investigate improvement of food habits and eating behavior in children with obesity andprecocious puberty by nutritional education monitoring. The results are as follows. Average height and weight of subjectsexceeded Korean height and weight standards for children as outlined by The Korea Pediatric Society. Using nutritioneducation monitoring, meals became more regular, overeating significantly decreased, and eating speed decreased. Further,frequencies of eating-out and night-eating significantly decreased. The most preferred menu item when eating-out wasKorean food, and the most preferred menu item for night-eating was fruits, fast food, & processed food. Meat & fish andvegetable intakes all significantly increased. Fruit and milk intakes also significantly increased while bread, snack, and icecream intakes decreased. Further, fast food & instant food intakes decreased. However, water intake was not significantlyaffected. The favorite food of children was meat & fish, followed by fast food & processed food. This study may provideinformation on dietary behavior of children with obesity and precocious puberty and suggests that nutrition education orcounseling can improve food habits and eating behavior.

Recently, the desire for low body weight, which is an abnormal weight construct along with obesity, has become an evident and serious problem in teenagers. In Korea, the desire for low weight is not perceived as an important problem, but it is rapidly expanding relative to the physical changes and developmental issues teenagers experience. The social atmosphere presented through mass media is the key influencer for the increasing low weight occurrence in teenagers. Because thoughts about beauty have changed among people, and since there is apparent blind interest in slim body shape and appearance, already low-weight individuals are attempting to lose weight along with obese persons. Thus, we consider it necessary to guide teenagers toward having correct perceptions with regard to weight and their own body shape, and that a healthy and appropriate weight is beautiful. Therefore, for this study, we investigated body perception, abnormal weight, attitude toward weight control, and factors related to eating behavior among teenage girls, who are considered the at risk group for overt body weight control behavior. Based on this, we have attempted to set in motion a systematic and active nutrition education program that will allow us to increase body satisfaction by educating on nutritional issues related to development, and ultimately, implant healthy body shape perceptions.

If we may practice the nutrition education planned on the basis which carefully grasped the inappropriate behavioral determinants of middle-school students, it might be an effective method achieving the change in perception and behavior improving the distorted perception about the ideal body shape, so we are to suggest the 8 week program of body shape perception improvement for successful nutrition education as follows. The body shape perception improvement program is a step-by-step group consulting program. At the introduction stage, we let them understand the meaning of true beauty and body change of teenage period and forming of sexual identity. At the stage of perception conversion, we let them have the opportunity to observe the status of body perception of the teenager and self-observation. At the stage of correction, we let them criticize the distorted body image in the society with mass media at the same time with the self-reflection. At the stage of maintenance and evaluation, we suggested the behavior guidance while preparing it. Setting this as the basis, we applied the contents such as the evaluations through cultural sharing events making somethings while directly participating. As the target groups to practice education were middle school students, we considered the learning level and behavioral features of the middle school students, and composed the programs including the methods such as role play, watching real things, media production, discussions and experiences. If the program of body shape perception improvement developed at this study could be utilized at the field of schools, the teenagers can change their ways of thought naturally avoiding the view about unified appearance rightly perceiving negative self-image that the teenagers can have and if the group consulting can be practiced regularly at each school, many students may experience the change in perception, so it might solicit the improvement of health of the families and local societies as well as that of the individual student.