• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 2015

Objectives: The study aimed to examine whether healthy diet score was associated with stress and social support among 472 Chinese college students in Korea. Methods: The study participants were 472 (187 male, 285 female) Chinese college students in Gyeong-gi area. From April 2013 to Oct 2013, participants were asked to fill out questionnaires on healthy diet score (20 questions), stress (20 questions), and social support (20 questions). Each question was scored by a 5-point Likert scale (total scores of each questionnaire were ranged from 20 to 100). Questions on healthy diet were sub-categorized as 'Healthy food eating (HFE)', 'Healthy eating habits (HEH)', and 'Avoidance of unhealthy food (AUF)'. Reliability test was conducted with Cronbach's ${\alpha}lpha$ (${\alpha}=0.79$). Results: Healthy diet score was higher in participants who stayed longer in Korea, who spoke Korean language fluently, and who assessed his or her own health status as very good. Adjusted means of healthy diet scores were estimated after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, duration of staying, and Korean language fluency. According to tertile categories, participants with low tertile stress but high tertile social support showed the highest score of healthy diet ($72.59{\pm}1.45$), whereas participants with high tertile of stress but low tertile of social support had the lowest score of healthy diet ($59.22{\pm}1.54$). As for the three sub-categories of healthy diet score, the score of HFE increased as the score of social support increased. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that social support system is beneficial to alleviate stress and to improve healthy diet score.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.511-516
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine contribution of meal frequency, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods towards diet quality of adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was conducted among 373 adolescents aged from 13 to 16 years old. Diet quality of the respondents was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index for Malaysians. Meal frequency, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods were assessed through the Eating Behaviours Questionnaire (EBQ), self-efficacy for healthy eating scale, and availability of healthy foods scale, respectively. RESULTS: The majority of the respondents (80.7%) were at risk of poor diet quality. Males ($mean=34.2{\pm}8.2%$) had poorer diet quality than females ($mean=39.9{\pm}9.0%$) (t = -5.941, P < 0.05). Malay respondents ($mean=36.9{\pm}8.7%$) had poorer diet quality than Indian respondents ($mean=41.3{\pm}10.0%$) (F = 2.762, P < 0.05). Age (r = 0.123, P < 0.05), self-efficacy for healthy eating (r = 0.129, P < 0.05), and availability of healthy foods (r = 0.159, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the diet quality of the respondents. However, meal frequency was not correlated with the diet quality of the respondents. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that being a male, being a Malay, low self-efficacy for healthy eating, and low availability of healthy foods contributed significantly towards poor diet quality among respondents. CONCLUSIONS: In short, sex, ethnicity, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods were associated with diet quality among adolescents. Health practitioners should take into consideration of differences in sex and ethnicity during implementation of nutrition-related intervention programs. Self-efficacy for healthy eating and availability of healthy foods should be included as important components in improving diet quality of adolescents.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.832-840
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between diet quality and food cost and identify the effects of food cost on healthy diet among Korean adult. Among the subjects of 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey 1,641 men and 1,765 women aged from 30 to 49 years were selected and their information of dietary intakes, socio-demo-graphic information, and anthropometric data were analyzed. For the analysis, subjects were classified to quartile based on their daily food cost. Food guidelines provided by Korean Nutrition Society was regarded as a model of healthy diet. Subjects in the lowest quartile of food cost consumed inadequate amount of food from all food categories of the guidelines. Many subjects in the highest quartile not only satisfied the recommended amount of the Food Guide but also seemed to overeat high energy density foods. Even in the highest quartile, about 90% of subjects did not satisfied recommended amount of dairy products. According to the calculated cost of healthy diet, the average cost did not seem to be more expensive than the current mean food cost of the subjects, and most cost-sensitive food intake was observed in the meat fish beans eggs category. The implications of study results were: 1) all the high cost diets did not indicate the high quality of diet, 2) most practical matter of healthy diet in low income group seemed whether they could afford the expense of meat and fish, 3) nutrition education was required to most subjects for healthy diet.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1115-1125
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• 2010

This study investigated how Korean food is perceived within a healthy diet and what kinds of eating habits Korean people have. A Focus Group Interview (FGI) was conducted with participants who were experts on diet. Data were categorized into five groups using content analysis. categories were as follows: 1) Korean food and health assessment, 2) opinion on Koreans' current eating habits, 3) characteristics of Korean food, 4) comparison of Korean food in the past and present, 5) a plan for healthy diet. Results showed that a healthy diet should not only include a lot of vegetables, simple and unprocessed food as well as less spicy food, but that it should also be well-balanced nutritionally.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2012

Objective: This study was an attempt to identify associations between health behavior, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, healthy diet, and physical activity, and psychosocial factors. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted among 1,500 participants aged between 30 and 69 years, selected from a population-based database in October 2009 through multiple-stratified random sampling. Information was collected about the participants' smoking and drinking habits, dietary behavior, level of physical activity, stress, coping strategies, impulsiveness, personality, social support, sense of coherence, self-efficacy, health communication, and sociodemographics. Results: Agreeableness, as a personality trait, was negatively associated with smoking and a healthy diet, while extraversion was positively associated with drinking. The tendency to consume a healthy diet decreased in individuals with perceived higher stress, whereas it increased in individuals who had access to greater social support. Self-efficacy was found to be a strong predictor of all health behaviors. Provider-patient communication and physical environment were important factors in promoting positive healthy behavior, such as consumption of a healthy diet and taking regular exercise. Conclusions: Psychosocial factors influence individuals' smoking and drinking habits, dietary intake, and exercise patterns.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4713-4717
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• 2012

Objectives: This systematic review of cohort studies aimed to identify any association between specific dietary patterns and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Dietary patterns involve complex interactions of food and nutrients summarizing the total diet or key aspects of the diet for a population under study. Methods and materials: This review involves 6 cohort studies of dietary patterns and their association with colorectal cancer. An exploratory or a posteriori approach and a hypothesis-oriented or a priori approach were employed to identify dietary patterns. Results: The dietary pattern identified to be protective against CRC was healthy, prudent, fruits and vegetables, fat reduced/diet foods, vegetables/fish/poultry, fruit/wholegrain/dairy, healthy eating index 2005, alternate healthy eating index, Mediterranean score and recommended food score. An elevated risk of CRC was associated with Western diet, pork processed meat, potatoes, traditional meat eating, and refined grain pattern. Conclusion: The Western dietary pattern which mainly consists of red and processed meat and refined grains is associated with an elevated risk of development of CRC. Protective factors against CRC include a healthy or prudent diet, consisting of vegetables, fruits, fish and poultry.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.406-417
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• 2022

Purpose: The incidence of chronic diseases is increasing and the age of onset is decreasing in South Korea. Healthy eating habits to prevent chronic diseases are established in adolescence. This study verified the identified factors and dynamics that affect diet self-assessment for sustainable adolescent health and the prevention of chronic diseases. Methods: Data were collected from 492 middle and high school students in South Korea from June to July 2018, and the participants answered a questionnaire on dietary safety management competency for sustainable health. Results: The healthy dietary self-assessment scores of overweight/obese adolescents and adolescents who perceived their health as normal were significantly lower than those of other groups. Factor analysis verified the validity of the items that comprised each study area before a multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the factors affecting healthy dietary self-assessment. Sweet and salty diets, anxiety, food and nutrition knowledge, weight management knowledge, stress management, exercise, basic eating habits, and healthy eating habits significantly affected healthy dietary assessment among adolescents. A higher perception of one's health indicated a higher healthy dietary self-assessment, dietary safety knowledge, and health management practice scores (p < 0.01). Factors like healthy dietary self-assessment, food and nutrition knowledge, and weight management knowledge appear to have a significant correlation with other identified factors, except overeating. The adolescents' awareness, knowledge, and dietary safety practices influenced healthy dietary self-assessment, which can prevent chronic diseases and achieve sustainable health. Conclusion: This study illustrated how the adolescents' awareness, knowledge, and practices of dietary safety influenced their healthy diet self-assessment. The results indicate that diet-based health management competency education relative to the adolescents' self-perception and weight levels should be implemented.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.157-165
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness and practices for diet according to the lifestyles of college students in Youngnam region. The data were collected by self-administered questionnaires during May 2007. One hundred-ninety samples were analyzed by SPSS Windows. Frequencies, Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis, cluster analysis, one-way analysis of variance, Duncan's multiple range test and chi-square test were conducted. The results were as follows. Lifestyles were categorized into four factors by factor analysis: popularity-seeking type, body-management-seeking type, convenience-seeking type and healthy-seeking type. In addition, the respondents belonged to one of four groups by cluster analysis: body-management-seeking group, popularity-seeking group, convenience-seeking group, and healthy-seeking group. There were significant differences in perception about individual body images, concern of diet, awareness of diet necessity and knowledge and practices for diet among the four groups. That is, the body-management-seeking group showed the highest levels of concern of diet, awareness of diet necessity and the practice of fasting therapy. Additionally, the healthy-seeking group showed the highest level of practice of exercise therapy.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.332-343
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• 2016

Objectives: Study purpose was to investigate perception on diet, diet problems and related factors among young adult women using focus group interviews (FGI) based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Methods: Eight groups of FGI were conducted with 47 female undergraduate or graduate students. Guide for FGI included questions regarding perception on optimal diet, diet problems and cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors of SCT. FGI were video, audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed by themes and sub-themes. Results: Subjects showed irregular eating habits (skipping breakfast, irregular meal time) and selection of unhealthy foods as the main diet problems. Regarding cognitive factors related to optimal diet, subjects mentioned positive outcome expectations (e.g., health promotion, skin health, improvement in eating habits, etc.) and negative outcome expectations (e.g., annoying, hungry, expensive, taste). Factors that promoted optimal diet were mainly received from information from mobile or internet and access to menu or recipes. Factors that prevented optimal diet included influence from friends, lack of time and cooking skills. Behavioral factors for optimal diet included behavioral capability regarding snacks, healthy eating and smart food selection. Subjects mentioned mass media (mobile, internet, TV) as the influential physical environment, and significant others (parents, friends, grandparents) as the influential social environment in optimal diet. For education topics, subjects wanted to learn about healthy meals, basic nutrition, disease and nutrition, and weight control. They wanted to learn those aspects by using mobile or internet, lectures (cooking classes), campaign and events. Conclusions: Study results might be used for planning education regarding optimal diet for young adult women. Education programs need to focus on increasing positive outcome expectations (e.g., health) and behavioral capability for healthy eating and food selection, reducing negative outcome expectations (e.g., cost, taste) and barriers, making supportive environments for optimal diet, and incorporating topics and methods found in this study.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.655-671
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: While plate waste has been widely investigated in hospitals, there have been minimal studies specific to the texture-modified diet (TMD). This study aims to determine the percentage of plate waste among patients prescribed with TMD and its contributory factors. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a single-centre study conducted in the university hospital on three types of TMD (blended diet, mixed porridge, minced diet) during lunch and dinner meals. Weighing method and visual estimation method assisted by digital photograph were adopted in this study. Face to face interview was carried out to investigate on 1) the food/food service quality factors in terms of patients' satisfaction level towards sensorial quality of food and food services provided and 2) the clinical/external factors including appetite, the provision of oral nutrition support, time taking the diet, the need for feeding assistance and the length of hospital stay. RESULTS: The mean percentage of overall plate waste of 95 patients receiving TMD was high (47.5%). Blended diet was identified as the most wasted diet (65%) followed by minced diet (56%) and mixed porridge (35%). Satisfaction level among patients was moderate. Patients on TMD in general had higher satisfaction level on the aspect of food service as compared to food quality. Substantial association between sensorial qualities of food and plate waste were varied according to individual TMD type. A multiple linear regression showed that only the satisfaction level toward the aspects of appearance and variety of foods were the predictors of TMD plate waste (R² = 0.254, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A significant relationship between the percentage of plate waste and the overall satisfaction level of patients receiving TMD suggests that vigorous strategies are needed to reduce the food waste of TMD which will lead to a better nutritional status and clinical outcomes among the patients.