• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.620-629
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to assess dietary habits and seasonal variation and diversity of food intakes of elderly women living alone as compared to those of elderly women living with family in a rural area. Forty nine elderly women living alone and forty one elderly women living with family who reside in Goryeong-gun, Gyeongbuk, were interviewed using questionnaires in summer 2005, and their food intakes were assessed secondly in winter and thirdly in spring 2006. The average ages were 74.7 years for elderly living alone and 72.8 years for elderly living with family. Tooth status and bone fracture experience were similar between the groups. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disease was 61.2% and that of circulatory disease was 32.7% of the subjects. Average of total score of mental depression of the subjects was 5.94 out of 12 points, and it was not significantly different between the two groups. Skipping meals was more frequent and mealtime was more irregular in the elderly women living alone as compared with the elderly women living with family. Consumption of dietary supplements was also less in the elderly women living alone. Food intakes by the elderly women living alone tended to be lower than those by the elderly women living with family. Dietary diversity score was significantly lower with the elderly women living alone as compared with the elderly women living with family only in summer (p < 0.01). Percentages of the subjects who have taken meat group and vegetable group were significantly lower in the elderly living alone compared with the elderly living with family during summer. Therefore, it is necessary to develop food assistance or supporting program suited for the season within a community for elderly women living alone.

• Mood & Emotion
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.169-177
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• 2018

Objectives : Despite the lack of domestic research, eating alone has been reported to be related to depression. We investigated correlation between eating alone, and depression, among women age 65 and older. Methods : Among women registered in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, 1,119 elderly in 2014, and 1,189 in 2016, were analyzed. Eating alone and the degree of depression were assessed, using a questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 respectively. The relationship between eating alone and depression, was analyzed using multilevel logistic regression. Results : In 2014 data, eating alone had significant effect on depression, as the explanatory power is increased to 30.4% in a 'three meals eating alone a day' group (${\beta}=0.128$, p<0.05), when the eating alone parameter is added to demographic factors and health characteristics. In 2016, exploitation of 'the frequency of eating alone' variable led to increment of explanatory power to 22.3%, that was not statistically significant. Conclusion : The result of this study suggests that eating alone among women age 65 and older, was a risk factor of depression in 2014, and is becoming a new life pattern as a social and cultural phenomenon in 2016.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.280-289
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• 2012

The objective of this research was to explore the influences of 'having a meal with someone' on individuals' eating pattern. Eating is not a simple matter of energy intake but also serves to anchor daily routines being cultivated by people and society. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional eating behavior survey of university students (N = 893, 380 men, 513 women) aged 20 to 24 years. Results were analyzed and presented as frequencies, means and ${\chi}^2$-test with SPSS 14.0. Differences in dietary habits by commensality and solo-eating were observed; Students who ate alone, spent 15 min for a meal and ate convenience food items when they didn't feel hungry. Compared to students who ate alone, those who ate together with someone spent 30 min for a meal and ate more amount of food. Eighty percent of respondents ate more various menus in commensality than solo-eating. They felt lonely when they ate alone and preferred to eat together. In conclusion, university students start to decide and select their own meals by themselves after junior and high school food services which are fixed with regard to menu and the amount. Dietary habits of Koreans rapidly changed concomitant with social changes over the past half century. Governments and health experts recognize that unbalanced meals cause lifestyle-related diseases, in particular obesity. Our research findings will contribute to more comprehensive efficient nutrition education programs in order to prevent obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases in early stages of adulthood.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.615-627
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to examine the eating habits and nutrient intake of industrial workers who work day and night shifts. In the area of percentage of skipped meals, the day shift workers responded that they usually skipped breakfast and the night shift workers often skipped lunch and dinner. The day shift workers answered that they skipped meals because of lack of time. The night shift workers cited poor appetite as their main reason for skipping meals. The intake of calories, Vitamin $B_2$ and calcium of the industrial workers who worked day and night shift was lower than the Korean RDA. The intake of iron of the male night shift workers was lower than the Korean RDA The intake of calories, protein, calcium, iron, Vitamin $B_2$and niacin, vitamin C of the female night shift workers was lower than the Korean RDA. In the area of nutrient intake, the night shift workers both male and female got lower scales than the day shift workers. The nutrient intake of the female night shift workers was the worst. Because they cook for themselves and live alone, their nutrient intake and eating habits were bad. The night shift workers were worse than the day shift workers and the female night shift workers were the worst. Considering the above results, night shift workers should correct their poor eating habits, their nutrient intake and have a well-balanced diet.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2017

Home meal replacements (HMR) are kinds of convenient foods as cooked or semi-cooked foods, which are produced outside of home, to eat directly or after simple cooking in substitution for traditional home meals. Recently the market size for HMR is expanding rapidly around the world due to the changes of global consumer trends, growth of single-person household, increase in economic participation of women, aging population, and so on. The Europe takes over 52.4% of the global market share for HMR in global HMR market, and North America, Asia-Pacific, and Africa-Middle East are following. The most popular HMR products in US and Europe are frozen foods, whereas the market share of chilled products in Asia including Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam are much higher than that in US and Europe. Currently, the trends in HMR is focus on the expansion of the list of products that replace for meals with simple cooking, but it is expected that nutrition-enforced HMR product for aged persons or patients who live alone are requested for the further growth of the HMR market.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.91-103
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• 1992

The objective of school lunch program is make a student to understand the basic knowledge on the diet through improved food patterns. Diet is an important factor in the development of dental caries. Generally, snack foods contain much sugar and cause dental caries to children. The diet education in the school lunch program should involve the control of snack food intake. In this study, the anlysis of influence of school lunch program on the cariogenic snack food intake of school children was carried out. The questionarie was given to 1,441 sixth-grade children of 5 school lunch group and 1,443 sixth-grade children of 5 non-school lunch group in Pusan on the intake of snack foods and toothbrushing after meals. Its were as follows : 1. No differences were observed snack food intake per day between school lunch group and non-school lunch group. 2. The snack food intake frequency at home in school lunch group was more frequent than that of non-school lunch group. However, in school, the result was reverse. 3. No difference was observed the frequency between school lunch group on the intake of cariogenic, foods, detergent foods, protective foods, cariogenic foods alone and cariogenic and detergent foods between meals. 4. The frequency of toothbrushing per day and the ratio of toothbrushing after meals in school lunch group was a little higher than that of non-school lunch group. 5. No difference was observed on the ratio of toothbrushing after snack food intake between school lunch group and non-school lunch group. 6. The influence of school lunch program on the cariogenic food intake in school children was little significant for its goodness. 7. The improvement of education on snack food take and toothbrushing after meals to shool children was recommended.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2018

Objectives: With the increasing number of single households and so-called Honbab-jok, those who eat alone, people tend to enjoy convenient and simple meals, such as single dish meals. This study was performed to provide data on the energy and nutrient content, and nutritional adequacy of single-dish meal. Methods: From the literature reviews, 61 types of single-dish meals were selected, and divided into 4 groups (steamed rice, noodle, porridge, and sandwich burger), and a further 11 sub-groups (bibimbab, fried rice, topped rice, rolled rice/ warm noodle, cold noodle, seasoned noodle, dukgook/ porridge/, and sandwich, burger). In addition, 382 junior high school students from Gyeonggi, Sejong, Jeonbuk, and Chungnam areas were recruited for the survey. The survey questionnaires were composed of the characteristics, preference, and intake frequency of single-dish meals. The representative energy content (arithmetic mean) of single-dish meals were calculated, and compared with the energy contents of preference and intake frequency-weighted values adjusted. The representative nutrient contents, energy contribution ratio, and INQ (index of nutritional quality) of a single-dish meal were calculated for a nutritional adequacy evaluation. Results: The study subjects considered a single-dish meal as tasty, simple and fast to prepare, inexpensive, nutritious, and no low calorie food. The preference scores of all but 1 sub-group of singledish meals were ${\geq}5.00$ (5.00~5.97), and 1 sub-group (porridge) was 4.67 on a 7-point scale. The intake frequency of 11 sub-groups were 0.31~1.71/week, porridge was the lowest at 0.31 and warm noodles was the highest at 1.71. Fried rice, rolled rice, and warm noodle' intake frequency were ${\geq}1/week$. The representative energy of steamed rice, noodle, sandwich burger were 443, 429, and 428 kcal, respectively, and that of porridge was 264 kcal. Less than 5% differences in the representative energy of 4 groups were observed when adjusted for the preference or intake frequency-weighted values. The energy contribution ratio of macro-nutrients calculations showed that porridge was a high carbohydrate and low fat food, whereas sandwich burger were high fat and low carbohydrate foods. The INQ of calcium and vitamin C were less than 1.0 in all 4 food groups, but the INQ of protein and thiamin were > 1.0 in all 4 single-dish food groups. Conclusions: The representative energy in the 4 groups of single-dish meal was 264~450 kcal, which is a rather low calorie meal, and the energy contribution ratio of macro-nutrients were inadequate. The protein and thiamin levels were sufficient but the calcium and vitamin C levels were insufficient in all 4 groups of a single-dish meal judged by the INQ. The additional intake of fruits and milk dairy products between meals with a single-dish meal, supply of calcium and vitamin C may increase, which will result in an improved nutritional balance.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2005

In order to investigate the differences in nutrient intakes and eating habits between people living alone and people living together with family or others by age group, dietary survey data of the subjects aged 20 years or older from 2001 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey were analyzed. Living status of the subjects was defined as 'single' when the subjects' household member was one person. Age, gender, income, education were adjusted during the comparative analysis. The subjects living alone had diets with lower score of nutritional adequacy ratio and lower quality, and drank more alcoholic beverages when compared with the subjects living together. Females were more greatly affected in dietary intakes by living alone situation than males. Of the four age groups, a group with ages from 30 to 39 years showed less nutrient intake patterns in persons living alone than in persons living together, but the rest three groups with ages from 20 to 29, from 50 to 64, and 65 or older did not show any significant differences. Eating habits of the subjects living alone, such as skipping meals, kinds of snacks, dining-out, were worse as a whole than the other. In conclusion, single living particularly of females or of 30 to 39 years of age group had negative influences on dietary intakes and behavior. There may be statistical errors if socioeconomic and demographic factors such as age, gender, income, and education are not controlled in the population study investigating the effect of living alone on dietary intakes. Further studies will be needed to know the age-specific reasons for the worse nutrient intakes of single living persons.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.101-107
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• 2020

This convergence study investigated the differences in obesity, depression, and quality of life of unmarried adults who ate alone. Secondary data from the 7^th National Health-Nutrition Survey in Korea was analyzed using the SPSS 24.0 program. We utilized data from 344 unmarried adults who received three meals per day. Our results showed that the rate of eating-alone was higher in the group with participants who were over 30-year-old, belonged to single-person households, and had low incomes. The group which ate alone had high depression scores and low quality of life scores. When developing a health promotion program, it is necessary to manage depression and quality of life of persons who eat alone and belong to single-person households.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.531-542
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• 2018

This study was conducted to compare solo eating perceptions and dietary behaviors in the Seoul and Gyonggi-do regions according to gender. The study focused on the dietary perceptions, solo eating, eating together, dietary habits, food intake patterns and 38 keywords pertaining to solo eating. Of 411 subjects, 207 (50.4%) were males and 204 (49.6%) were females. The biggest problem that respondents perceived in their dietary life was irregular eating. Women prepared meals more often than men (p<0.001) and ate more instant and frozen food than men (p<0.05). Both males and females missed breakfast most, and the amount of the population eating breakfast alone ranked second highest. Women had lunch alone more often than men, while men ate dinner alone more often than women (p<0.01). All respondents spent 5~15 min when eating alone. Women avoided excessive smoking and drinking more than men (p<0.001). Men related key words regarding solo eating with negative emotions such as 'lonely', 'boring', and 'feel sorry when I see someone eating alone in a restaurant' more than women. Conversely, women related more positive key words with eating alone such as 'free', 'joy', and 'my own time'. Dietary lives of Koreans have rapidly changed along with social changes. Our research findings will contribute to increased comprehensive menu development and HMR development in the foodservice industry.