• Human Ecology Research
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.613-622
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate infants' development, parenting characteristics, and the infants' daily routines by monthly family income, and examine variables related to infants' development. The 2010 data of the panel study on Koreans were used. The sample for this analysis was 1,802 children aged 21-23 months and their parents. The data were analyzed with ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis with SPSS version 18.0. The results were as follows: First, the development of infants differed by the family income. Infants' communication and problem solving skills in families with an income at the 25th percentile or below was lower than those above the 25th percentile. Second, parenting characteristics differed by family income. In the lower income group, the mother's parenting stress was highest, but the father's parenting time on weekends was lowest. Third, the most frequent activity of infants differed by family income. Playing with friends or caregivers was lowest, but watching TV and videos was highest in the lower income family group. Fourth, there was a relation among infants' development (communication and fine motor skills) and parenting characteristics (mother's parenting style, stress, and father's parenting time on weekends), and the infants' daily routines (playing with friends or caregivers). Fine motor development was affected by playing with a caregiver.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.236-252
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to assess the microbiological quality of home-delivered meals during production and delivery for children from low-income families. Production flows from a facility in Seoul that provides home-delivered meals were analyzed and the time-temperature of the food was measured. Microbiological assessment was performed for the production environment, personal hygiene, and food samples at each production and delivery step based on the process approach. It took 2 hours or longer from completion of production to meal delivery. An aerobic colony count (ACC) and coliform were not detected at knives, cutting boards, and dish towels. However, ACC (at pre-preparation, preparation, and packing areas) and coliform (at the preparation area) were detected on the hands and gloves of employees. Air-borne bacterial counts varied according to day and preparation area (ND~6 CFU/plate/15 min). Food temperatures, on the completion of production and meal delivery, fell into temperature danger zones. ACC and coliform counts of raw ingredients did not decrease after pre-preparation (washing and sanitizing) for menus involving food preparation with no cook step. ACC decreased after cooking step for menus of food preparation with cook step, but the ACC of the stir-fried and seasoned dried filefish fillet on the completion of cooking was too numerous to count due to improper heating. The ACC of seasoned young Chinese cabbages (a menu with complex food preparation) increased during delivery (from 2.5 log CFU/ml to 5.0 log CFU/ml). This qualitative assessment of foodborne pathogens revealed that B. cereus was detected in vegetable and meat product menus. These results suggest time-temperature control is necessary during production and delivery and management guidelines during production of home-delivered meals are provided for safe production.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.416-428
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• 2011

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of breakfast service on nutritional status, hematological status, and attentiveness of children in low-income families. The subjects were 19 boys and 13 girls between 7 and 11 years old. The subjects were divided into a control group and a breakfast service (BS) group, in which 12 boys and 5 girls received breakfast from February 1 to December 31, 2010. The results can be summarized as follows: intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin $B_2$, niacin, and vitamin C in the BS group were significantly higher than those in the control group. In the BS group, the intakes of calcium, folic acid, and vitamin C were lower than 75% of recommended intake levels. There were no significant differences in the total blood protein level and total cholesterol level between the BS group and control group. A blood albumin level was significantly higher in the BS group than in the control group. Systolic blood pressure was higher in the BS group than in the control group, whereas the diastolic blood pressure showed no significant difference between the groups. A dietary attitude score increased according to breakfast service and nutritional education. No significant differences were found in the capacity value and continuity value between the two groups, but the control value was significantly higher in the BS group than in the control group. Therefore, to sustain the effect of breakfast service and improve nutritional status for children skipping breakfast in low-income families, nutrition intervention services, as well as legal and financial support by the government should be provided.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.1310-1314
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• 2008

Purpose : This study aimed to assess the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in children from low-income families in Gunpo and to evaluate whether economic status affects the prevalence of obesity. Methods : Between October 2007 and March 2008, 341 children (167 girls and 174 boys; age, 6 to 13 years) were enrolled in this study. All these children came from families who earned minimum wages and who were supported by government. We measured height, weight, and blood pressure and performed laboratory examinations, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using weight and height. We compared the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in children from low-income families with the prevalence of these maladies found in other studies. Results : Prevalence of obesity ($BMI{\geq}95^{th}$) was 7.1%. Prevalence of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was 8.2% and 16.7%, respectively. In the obese group, prevalence of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was 25.0% and 45.8%, respectively. Obesity and hyperlipidemia were slightly more frequent in our study than those found in other reports, and the prevalence of hypertension in the obese group was very high compared with statistics from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (25% vs. 19.5%) and those from other reports. Conclusion : Low-income status was associated with an increased incidence of obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Hypertension showed an especially strong association with economic status, which seemed to correlate with genetic, environmental, and dietary effects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.54
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• pp.173-197
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• 2016

This study aims to examine developmental trajectories and predictor variables of problem behaviors and school adjustment trajectories among children from low-income families using latent growth modeling. The data was collected from the 2nd year to the 4th year (2012-2014) of a community child center child panel survey conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute. The major findings are as follows. First, as the grade went up, the problem behaviors of children from low-income families increased while school adjustment decreased. Second, multi-level domains, such as individual, school, and family variables influenced school adjustment trajectory, while only individual variables, such as depression, isolation, and motivation for achievement influenced problem behavior trajectory. Third, common protective factors between problem behaviors and school adjustment trajectories were motivation for achievement in and satisfaction of the community child center. Common risk factors between problem behaviors and school adjustment trajectories were isolation and aggression. Based on the results, the implications for child welfare practices were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.363-375
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the influence of children's and caregivers' perceptions of local neighborhood environments on children's physical activities (PAs) and screen-based activities (SBAs) among low-income families. Methods: Secondary data analysis was performed using the data of 171 low-income children attending community child care centers and of their caregivers. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis and logistic regression analysis were employed to analyze data. Results: PAs were insufficient and SBAs were excessive in the majority of children. Children and primary caregivers had moderately negative perceptions of their local neighborhood environments. However these perceptions were not found to affect children's PAs or SBAs significantly. Conclusion: Although perceptions of local neighborhoods were not found to significantly influence children's PAs or SBAs, efforts are needed to make community child care centers and neighborhoods safer and more activity-friendly.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.1039-1049
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• 2012

Purpose: From the holistic environmental perspective, individual and environmental influences on low-income children's questionable development were identified and examined as to differences in the influences according to the child's developmental stage of infancy (age 0-35 months) or early childhood (age 36-71 months). Methods: This study was a cross-sectional comparative design using negative binominal regression analysis to identify predictors of questionable development separately for each developmental stage. The sample was comprised of 952 children (357 in infancy and 495 in early childhood) from low-income families in South Korea. Predictors included individual factors: child's age and gender; proximal environmental influences: family factors (family health conditions, primary caregiver, child-caregiver relationship, depression in primary caregiver) and institution factors (daycare enrollment, days per week in daycare); and distal environmental influences: income/resources factors (family income, personal resources and social resources); and community factors (perceived child-rearing environment). The outcome variable was questionable development. Results: Significant contributors to questionable development in the infancy group were age, family health conditions, and personal resources; in the early childhood group, significant contributors were gender, family health conditions, grandparent as a primary caregiver, child-caregiver relationships, daycare enrollment, and personal resources. Conclusion: Factors influencing children's questionable development may vary by developmental stage. It is important to consider differences in individual and environmental influences when developing targeted interventions to ensure that children attain their optimal developmental goals at each developmental stage. Understanding this may lead nursing professionals to design more effective preventive interventions for low-income children.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.515-521
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diet of children under the government-funded meal support program. The 143 children (67 boys and 76 girls) participated in this study among $4^{th}-6^{th}$ elementary school students receiving free lunches during the summer vacation of 2007 and living in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea. The subjects consisted of four groups supported by Meal Box Delivery (n = 26), Institutional Foodservice (n = 53), Restaurant Foodservice (n = 27), or Food Delivery (n = 37). A three-day 24-hour dietary recall and a self-administered survey were conducted. In addition, the children's heights and weights were measured. The average energy intake of the children was 1,400 kcal per day, much lower than the Estimated Energy Requirements of the pertinent age groups. The results also showed inadequate intake of all examined nutrients; of particular concern was the extremely low intake of calcium. On average, the children consumed eight dishes and 25 food items per day. The children supported by Meal Box Delivery consumed more various dishes and food items than the other groups. The percentage of children preferring their current meal support method was the highest in those supported by Meal Box Delivery and the lowest in those supported by Food Delivery. We requested 15 children among the 143 children participating in the survey to draw the scene of their lunch time. The drawings of the children supported by Institutional Foodservice showed more positive scenes than the other groups, especially in terms of human aspects. In conclusion, the overall diet of children under the government-funded meal support program was nutritionally inadequate, although the magnitude of the problems tended to differ by the meal support method. The results could be utilized as basic data for policy and programs regarding the government-funded meal support program for children from low-income families.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.169-181
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of living cost reduction through social welfare services and programs and to suggest the further ways of saving living cost for low-income households. For the research purpose, low-income household type was divided into three representative groups such as senior household, household with school-aged children, and household with the disabled based on the literature review. Four case households which live in permanent rental apartment in Seoul were selected as research subjects. During March 14~April 10, 2010, each household was interviewed to examine the details of monthly income and expenditure structure and types of welfare services receiving. Although some differences exist among cases, there was a definite living cost reduction effect through welfare services and programs from 12% to 150%. Household with school-aged children required diversified education programs corresponding to the children's age. Meanwhile, households including senior and the disabled indicated the necessity of convenient transportation system.

• Child Studies in Asia-Pacific Contexts
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.33-47
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of picture book reading intervention activities on language development of low-income children. The subjects were 60 children in low-income families, aged 5, selected from 24 child care centers located in three cities nearby Seoul, South Korea. The experimental group had received intervention program for 8 weeks, two days a week, and three teachers conducted the intervention program for 30 to 40 minutes for each session. The intervention program was administered to the children with picture book reading activities in the first session, followed by providing more extensive activities in the second session. Afterwards, the study allowed the children to take one picture book to read at home. To evaluate the effect of the picture book reading intervention program, this study utilized instruments called the Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale and the Concepts about Print. Significant differences found between the two groups. The experimental group showed higher scores compared with the control group in the post-test of expressive language development. Also, children in the experimental group showed a significant increase in the concepts about print after the intervention program was administered. In conclusion, findings indicate several changes in positive outcomes after implementation of the picture book reading intervention program.