• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2009

Onto the world-fastest ageing of society, the world-lowest fertility rate prompted a development of various policies and programs for a betterment of the population in Korea. Since the vulnerability of young children of low socio-economic class to malnutrition was clearly shown at the in-depth analysis of the 2001 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, an effort to devise supplemental nutrition care program for pregnant/breastfeeding women, infants and preschool children was initiated. The program was designed to offer nutrition education tailored to fit the needs of the participants and special supplementary foods, using USDA WIC program as a benchmark. Based on the dietary intake of those age groups, target nutrients were selected and their major food sources were searched through nutrient content of foods and dietary pattern analysis. As a result, we developed 6 kinds of food packages using combinations of 11 different food items. The amount of each item in a food package was determined to supplement the intake deficit in target nutrients. Nutrition education in $NutriPlus^+$ aims to improve the nutrition knowledge, attitude, and dietary behaviors of the participants, and is provided through group lessons, individual counseling sessions and home visits. Breastfeeding is promoted with top priority in education for the health of both mother and baby. The eligibility guidelines were set for residency, household income, age, pregnancy/breastfeeding and nutritional risk such as anemia, stunting, underweight, and/or inadequate nutrient intake. Income eligibility was defined as household income less than 200 percent of the Korean poverty guidelines. A pilot study to examine the feasibility of program implementation was run in 3 public health centers in 2005 and expanded to 15 and 20 in the following 2 years. The result of 3-year pilot study will be reported separately along with the ultimate nationwide implementation of the $NutriPlus^+$ in 2008.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.303-329
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• 2017

This study aimed to explore the trajectories of computer game use of school age children and to identify the related predictors. The data for this study used Korean Children and Youth Panel data covering from the second year to the sixth year of elementary school. A total of 1,959 participants were analyzed. Latent class growth model was employed to explore the trajectories of computer game use and multinomial logistic regression was conducted to identify the significant predictors. Main results indicated that three types of trajectories were identified: low game using group, high initial using-fluctuating group, and high increasing game using group. Each group was found to be associated deferentially with sex, aggression, attention deficit, main caregiver's education, siblings, parent absence after-school, neglecting, family income, family trip, school grades, and peer relationship. Based on these findings, this study emphasized the importance of predictive intervention for the game user among early school age children and suggested useful practical strategies.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.610-619
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• 2008

In order to investigate if the employment of housewives may affect the nutritional status of their family members, an analysis was made for the data of 2001 Korea National Health and Nutrition survey. Housewives aged 20 or over were divided into two groups of the working (W, 44.3%) and the non-working (NW, 55.7%), and household income levels were divided into 4 groups of low, middle, high, and high above according to the minimum cost of living in the year of 2001. Nutrient intakes were assessed by using dietary recommended intakes for Koreans of 2005. Working housewives showed similar levels to those of non-working housewives in most nutrients intakes except energy and vitamin C. However their families excluding housewives of W, than those of NW, took less protein, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C when assessed as % of recommended intakes and took more sodium. Such differences were very strong in children and adolescents, and in the middle income households. More % of the families of W than those of NW consumed nutrients below the estimated average requirements. Percents of hypertension classified by both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher in adult family members of W than in those of NW. This tendency seemed to be more significant in the family members aged 30 to 49. Both obesity and under-weight rates of school children ($7{\sim}12\;yrs$) in W were higher than those in NW. The above resuIts suggested that employment of housewives could have negative influences on the nutritional status of their family members, especially of their children and in the middle income class.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.79-99
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• 2010

This study inquired into the life and experiences of two elder sisters who have different individual and familial risk factors and their younger brothers from the mixed-age preschool class through ethnographic research method using participant observation. The results showed that an elder sister from low-income multi-children family played her role very actively through caring for, learning and playing with younger brother during almost of the play situations. On the other hand, the other elder sister who has experience of depression, showed strong possessiveness and neglect of younger brother. As for psychological aspects of sibling relationship, the elder sisters were suffering psychological stresses resulted from excessive role expectation in family or from self-recognition on elder sister role, respectively.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.341-352
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• 2008

The number of school lunch-supported children who belong to low-income families has been rapidly increased in Korea. This study was aimed at evaluation of nutritional status of school lunch-supported elementary school children. One hundred school lunch-supported children and 119 non-supported children of fourth to sixth year class in 3 elementary schools in Gyeongbuk rural area were selected, and surveys were conducted twice, i.e., once during school term and once during summer vacation in 2006. Food consumption survey during school term was carried out through an interview by dieticians at school-lunch time using a 24-hour recall method, and the survey during summer vacation conducted by recording food intakes for three days by children. Nutrient intakes were calculated using CAN-Pro 3.0 program. School lunch-supported children showed higher rate of skipping breakfast and rather irregular meal time as compared to non-supported students. Eating alone was more frequent in school lunch-supported children than in nonsupported children. The average nutrient intakes and nutrient adequacy ratios were lower in supported children than in non-supported children. During term, percentages of nutrient intakes provided by school-lunch were higher in supported children than in non-supported children. Intakes of energy nutrients were within acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges, but proportion of carbohydrate intake increased during vacation. Analysis of patterns of food intakes based on major food groups (dairy, meat, grain, fruit, vegetable) indicated that meals during term were more balanced as compared to meals during vacation. In conclusion, food behaviors and nutrient intakes of school lunchsupported children were inferior to those of non-supported children during term and during summer vacation. They were provided with more nutrient intakes from school lunch during term as compared to non-supported children. Therefore, it is necessary not only to keep meal support program during vacation but also to provide a proper nutrition education as a part of school lunch program to improve nutritional status and food behaviors of school lunch-supported children.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.312-319
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• 2023

Background: Parental attention is crucial for preventing childhood oral diseases. Mothers play a significant role in maintaining their families' oral health, and their educational level influences their children's oral health behaviors. This study investigates the impact of mothers' educational levels on adult oral health behaviors using data from a national survey. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional analysis of secondary data. The data used were obtained from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated to identify participant characteristics. Next, t-tests and one-way analysis of variance were conducted to examine the effects of the explanatory variables on the distribution of the dependent variable. Finally, logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influence of the explanatory variable on the dependent variable, using "no education" as the reference value, and calculate the odds ratios. Results: Children of mothers with a college education or higher had a 1.13 times higher likelihood of receiving oral examinations than those whose mothers had no education. Children whose mothers graduated from college or higher had a 2.23 times higher probability of receiving preventative dental treatment than those whose mothers had no education. Children whose mothers graduated from college or higher had a 1.92 times higher probability of receiving scaling than those whose mothers had no education. Children whose mothers graduated from high school had a 1.35 times higher probability of receiving scaling than those whose mothers had no education. Conclusion: Developing oral health programs is important for low-educated and low-income parents to change theirs and their children's oral health behaviors/attitudes. This will help reduce oral health disparities among adults raised by parents of higher and lower socioeconomic statuses. Therefore, a comprehensive approach is essential for adults to maintain good oral health, regardless of variations in their parental educational levels during childhood.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.462-470
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• 2015

This study examined for which socio-economic difference effects on brain function and Problem behavior syndrome in children. About a children with no disorders, diseases or cognitive dysfunction-30 were from LIC children and another 30, from MC ones, the study was conducted by measuring and analyzing the data using brain function analysis and K-CBCL from January to April, 2013. The results of the study are as follows. First, it was found that the ratio of LIC's theta(${\Theta}$) and SMR waves and that of delta(${\delta}$), high beta(${\beta}h$), alpha(${\alpha}$) and low beta(${\beta}l$) waves showed significantly higher values than MC children. Second, concerning the symptoms of child behavioral problems, LIC showed significantly higher values than MC children in symptoms of the body, depression and anxiety, social immaturity, thinking problems, attention problems, aggression, internalization, externalization, overall behavioral problems, and emotional instability. MC children showed significantly higher values than LIC chidren in symptoms of social, academic-performance, total social skills. In conclusion, the significant difference of the brain functions and the symptoms of child behavioral problems between LIC and MC children showed that the socio-ecnomic difference has an influence on the same functions and symptoms above.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.262-270
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• 2014

Considering that few studies had paid attention to the living characteristics and social environment surrounding amblyopes, the present study surveyed the parents of children aged 3 to 12 and diagnosed-with amblyopia to analyse the time when the children were first diagnosed-with amblyopia, the characteristics of their living environment and the socio-environmental factorsand to delve into correlations. For the purpose of this study, 104 parents of patients in 4 hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon consented to participate in the survey from September 2 to November 23: 2013. As for the time when the children were first diagnosed with amblyopia: the age of 4 accounted for the highest percentage(28.8%). The older the parents were: the later the children were diagnosed with amblyopia (p<.01). The higher the education of parents, the earlier the diagnosis of amblyopia(p<.05). The present findings-will be conducive to decreasing the number of patients who have no choice but to live-with low vision for life by missing some timely visual acuity tests and ophthalmological examination and particularly to developing a social safety net that can realize national medical welfare for the low-income families and the socially disadvantaged class.With the help of information technology.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.36
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• pp.101-132
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• 2011

Using data collected from Korean mothers (N＝429) with preschool children (aged 3 to 5 years) in 12 day care centers in Seoul, this study aims to empirically demonstrate the different pathways acute and chronic stress affect parenting efficacy of mothers according to the income group to which they belong. Analytic results show mothers in the low-income group show higher levels of depressive symptoms than mothers in the middle-income group, and the former also show more frequent and higher levels of acute and chronic stress than the latter. The mediation model results show that acute stress and chronic stress did not directly affect parenting efficacy, but rather indirectly affect parenting efficacy through maternal depressive symptoms. Acute stress and chronic stress are both significant factors affecting depressive symptoms with chronic stress exerting greater influence. When the total effect was analyzed, chronic stress has a greater effect on parenting efficacy than acute stress. The effect of chronic stress on maternal depressive symptoms is greater on low-income mothers than middle-income mothers, while the effect of acute stress on maternal depressive symptoms and the effect of those symptoms on parenting efficacy are greater on middle class families than low-income families. In order to maximize effective parenting in high-risk situations, the psychological welfare of mothers needs to be protected from the environmental difficulties they face. Based on the results, policies to support women and parents at the national and social levels are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.567-581
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• 2013

This study aimed to investigate fruit and vegetable consumption status of school children and adolescents and factors influencing their consumption from focus-group interviews with school nutrition teacher(s) and nutritionists. Most of all the evaluated fruit and vegetable intake levels of school children and adolescents was very low. They mentioned the intake of fruit and vegetable was similar between children and adolescents and boys tended to have less vegetable intake than girls. There was substantial difference in the serving frequencies of fruit between schools due to budgets. Fruit was consumed more than vegetables and fruit without seeds or peeled fruit was more preferred by children and adolescents. Factors affecting fruit and vegetable intake of children and adolescents were analysed by personal, family and school. Personal factors were gender, child development level, the lack of knowledge or perception on vegetables, westernized diet pattern and the preference of spicy foods. Family factors were the perception of parents, family meal environment, and income disparity. The factors related to schools were the principal, class teacher, friends, nutrition teacher, cooking and serving methods, cooking personals, budget and so on.