Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the changes and improvements in the Korean diet during the last thirty years (since independence in 1945), and to make recommendations for the improvement of their nutritional status, consequently contributing to the physical and mental welfare of the Korean people. The results and recommendations are as follows: 1. The total calorie and carbohydrate intake decreased by $8{\sim}12%$ in the 1970's, as compared with the 1940's and the 1950's. 2. The intake of calcium and vitamiu A increased $30{\sim}50%$ and $20{\sim}60%$ respectively in the 1960's and 1970's as compared with the 1940,s. But this intake level is still lower than the RDA values. 3. The vitamin C intake was somewhat higher in the mountainous and farming areas than in urban areas. 4. In the 1970's, the decrease of untriend intake due to seasonal variation was marked especially for protein, niacin, vitamin $B_1$, and vitamin C. 5. The consumption of protein foods (meats and legumes) increased in an amount of $15{\sim}36g$ per day. There was a marked increase in the intake of meat in farming areas and of milk in urban areas in the 1970's. This increased intake of animal proteins is a very desirable dietary change. 6. The cereal consumption was lowest in urban areal, but there was a general decrease in the intake of the cereal group in the entire area in the 1970's. For the farmers, the intake of cereal food decreased most, from 750 g to 576 g, but cereals still composed a high proportion of the entire diet. 7. Fruits and vegetables showed the highest intake for the urban people, as expected. For the whole area, this food group showed an increase of 8.7% in the 1970's, as compared with the 1960's. 8. The gradual ihcrease in the intake of the fats and oil group was a desirable dietary change. but the absolute amount was too low. 9. A 7% increase in height and a 9% incrrase in weight for growing children and adolescents was observed in the 1970's as compared with the 1940's, but several kinds of deficiency diseases, such as nutritional anemia and dental caries were still apparent in many areas. 10. To improve cur food life and to cope with food shortages faced in Korea, an efficient and nationwide nutrition education program should be implemented. This would maximize efficiency of intake from the limited food sources for a balanced diet. 11. As it is of utmost importance to provide growing children with a desirable physical, sccial mental, and especially nutritional environment, a well-planned and organized school feeding program should be practiced widely and efficiently. 12. Young mothers and pregnant women should be educated on the importance of their children's nutrition, especially for the critical fetal and infancy periods. 13. More thorough and continuous nutritional survey studies on the changes in dietary patterns for the entire nation should be pursued, evaluated and documented. This would Provide a good information guide for future nutritional study programs. 14. It is the nutritionistist's strong desire that national leaders, especially decision makers recognize the fact that improvement of the nutritional status of the People is one of the most economic and preventative ways of improving their physical and mental health. This is closely related to the economic development and strength of the nation.
(Research Institute of Home Science, College of Home Economics, Yonsei University)