Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the level of concern and the level of knowledge of endocrine disruptors, and the level of dietary behaviors to decrease exposure to endocrine disruptors, to determine the factors affecting the level of knowledge and behaviors, and to assess the causal relationship between them. The data were collected from 579 adults in Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan and Gwangju provinces. Frequencies, t tests, analysis of variance, Cronbach's alpha, Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis, multiple regression analyses, and path analysis were carried out by SPSS for Win V.18.0. The results of this study were as follows: The level of concern about endocrine disruptors was higher than the medium level. The respondents were most concerned about a container of cup ramen among products related to foods. The levels of both knowledge and behaviors in order to decrease exposure to endocrine disruptors in dietary life were not high. The factors affecting the level of knowledge of endocrine disruptors were educational level, attendance in education for endocrine disruptors, and concern about endocrine disruptors. On the other hand, sex, age, concern about endocrine disruptors, and the level of knowledge of endocrine disruptors affected the level of behaviors to decrease exposure toward endocrine disruptors. The results of the path analysis showed that educational level and education of endocrine disruptors had an indirect influence on the level of behaviors in order to decrease exposure to endocrine disruptors in dietary life. The concern about endocrine disruptors had both a direct and an indirect effect on the level of behaviors to decrease exposure to endocrine disruptors in dietary life. In addition, sex, age and the level of knowledge of endocrine disruptors directly affected the level of behaviors to decrease exposure to endocrine disruptors in dietary life.
