• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.723-732
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of diet related factors, such as diet behaviors, food intake, and nutrient intakes, on self-rated health (SRH). Also, in order to determine fitness of classification for SRH reflecting diet related factors, this study surveyed older adults in Gyeongnam province. A total of 101 responses were collected using the interview survey method. The self- rated health of rural older adults was poor as reported by 49.5%. The level of self-rated health was found to be related to the frequencies of coffee and snack, use of sugar and vegetable in diet, the amount of total food intake, and cholesterol intake. The result of discriminant analysis, which was conducted to assess the adequacy of SRH classification and to determine the class of observation, showed frequency of coffee and use of vegetable in diet among 47 variables as predictive variables for explaining SRH. The fitness of self-rated health function was high to 47.7%. Therefore, diet-related factors were ascertained to be important variables to predict SRH.

• 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.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.360-370
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• 2009

Genetic factors clearly play a role in carcinogenesis, but migrant studies provide unequivocal evidence that environmental factors are critical in defining cancer risk. Therefore, one may expect that the lower availability of substrate for biochemical reactions leads to more genetic changes in enzyme function; for example, most studies have indicated the variant MTHFR genotype 677TT is related to biomarkers, such as homocysteine concentrations or global DNA methylation particularly in a low folate diet. The modification of a phenotype related to a genotype, particularly by dietary habits, could support the notion that some of inconsistencies in findings from molecular epidemiologic studies could be due to differences in the populations studied and unaccounted underlying characteristics mediating the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and the actual phenotypes. Given the evidence that diet can modify cancer risk, gene-diet interactions in cancer etiology would be anticipated. However, much of the evidence in this area comes from observational epidemiology, which limits the causal inference. Thus, the investigation of these interactions is essential to gain a full understanding of the impact of genetic variation on health outcomes. This report reviews current approaches to gene-diet interactions in epidemiological studies. Characteristics of gene and dietary factors are divided into four categories: one carbon metabolism-related gene polymorphisms and dietary factors including folate, vitamin B group and methionines; oxidative stress-related gene polymorphisms and antioxidant nutrients including vegetable and fruit intake; carcinogen-metabolizing gene polymorphisms and meat intake including heterocyclic amins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; and other gene-diet interactive effect on cancer.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.755-764
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in Koreans, and eating habits, including diet quality, are among the etiologies of these diseases. Recently, various studies on regional health disparities have been conducted. However, there are limited studies on their relationship with nutritional factors. This study aimed to identify the magnitude of regional disparities in diet quality and prevalence of CVD in Korean adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study included 17,646 participants aged ≥ 20 years from the 7^th (2013-2016) Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified into four groups based on their residential areas: City 1, City 2, City 3, and non-city. Demographic characteristics, health-related factors, body mass index (BMI), metabolic syndrome index, diet quality, and CVD prevalence were evaluated. RESULTS: In terms of demographic characteristics, age (P < 0.001), marital status (P < 0.001), educational level (P < 0.001), and income (P < 0.001) were lower in the non-city category. Health-related factors such as monthly drinking rate (P < 0.01) and mental stress (P < 0.05) were the highest in City 1 and lowest in the non-city group. Conversely, the current smoking rate (P < 0.05), BMI (P < 0.05), and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.001) were the highest in the non-city group (P < 0.05). The non-city group also had the highest prevalence of CVDs (35.6%). This group had the lowest diet quality index (68.36 ± 0.22, P < 0.01), caused by low intake of fruit and calcium, a lack of sodium moderation, and an overall imbalance in the macronutrient and fatty acid ratio. When the diet quality index was increased by 1, the odds ratio for the prevalence of CVDs was reduced by 0.991 (P < 0.001), but this was not the case in all regions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides useful information and data in identifying and resolving the regional health disparities related to CVD prevalence and implementation of public health nutrition systems.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.17-31
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• 2015

Objectives: This paper aims to identify the health related behaviors patterns and its associated factors among marriage immigrant women in Korea, and discusses their application to health promotion strategies. Methods: The study participants were 7,591 immigrant wives in Gyeonggi province who participated in health examinations conducted by the Korea Association of Health Promotion in 2011-2013. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires on sociodemographics, psychological characteristics, health status and health care factors, and health related behaviors. Results: A 3-latent-class model of health behaviors was identified related to 'lack of physical activity', 'abnormal diet', and 'not experienced medical check-up': 'high risk class', 'middle risk class', and 'low risk class'. Most of the participants belong to 'middle risk class'. Country of origin, age, length of stay, number of children, work status, health insurance status, and unmet health care needs were associated with problematic health behaviors in middle risk health behavior class. Conclusions: Health promotion and intervention programs for marriage immigrant women and their family members need to consider the health behavior patterns of physical inactivity, abnormal diet and no medical check-up and develop multiple behavior intervention with pre-existing program modification.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2006

Disparities in health and disease between various population subgroups, such as racial and ethnic groups, are a major focus of public health research but also pose considerable challenges. Diet is a key contributor to disparities in many chronic diseases and conditions. Therefore, in order to understand and address racial and ethnic health disparities, it is important to characterize the dietary patterns of the populations of interest. African Americans are at higher risk for many diet-related chronic disease conditions, such as obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many cancers relative to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. In this report, I describe the diet-related chronic disease profiles of African Americans, characterize their dietary patterns and food preferences, identify demographic, psychosocial, environmental, and cultural factors that may affect their dietary choices, and propose strategies for improving the dietary and health profiles of African Americans.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2011

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and diet and to identify sociodemographic factors related with health behaviors among Asian immigrant women in Korea by ethnicity. Methods: A cross-sectional study using structured questionnaires was conducted in 396 immigrant women from China, Vietnam, and the Philippines to Korea through international marriage. The associations between health behaviors and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: The prevalence of current smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and abnormal diet were 4.2%, 7.6%, 49.3%, and 31.9%, respectively. The prevalence of current smoking (7.6%) and physical inactivity (56.7%) was highest in Chinese immigrant women. However, the prevalence of current smoking (2.7%) and alcohol consumption (3.8%) were lowest in Vietnamese immigrant women. Immigrant women who had been living in Korea for a long time since immigration (${\geq}$ 5 years) had a higher prevalence of alcohol consumption compared to those of who had been living in Korea for a short time since immigration (< 5 years) (OR=2.95, 95% CI=1.74-5.01). Conclusion: Health promotion programs for immigrant women should be differentiated based on health behaviors and their related factors by ethnicity.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2002

This study was designed to assess diet and health-related factors of older adults in Korea. Subjects females were 2,660 adults aged 50 and over living in Korea. Males were 847 persons and were 1813 persons. The mean weight and height for males and females were 63.8 $\pm$ 0.3kg / 164.0 $\pm$ 0.2cm and 57.0 $\pm$ 0.2kg /150.6 $\pm$ 0.1cm respectively. BMI (body mass index), body fat, and percent fat were significantly greater in females than in males. The muscle mass and body water were significantly greater in males than in females. Twenty-one percent of total subjects lived alone and 26% with spouse only. Most of the subject's self-reported income was in middle level (65%) or low level (24%). Proportion of subjects who answered 'very poor' or 'poor' on perceived health status was higher in older group. The 50-64 years old group was facing more stress than 65yr and over group. Among male subjects,38.4% were current-smokers and 22.0% were ex-smokers. But only 6.5% of female subjects were current-smokers. Males turned out to have better dietary habits-meal frequency per day, mealtime regularity, regular meal size and balanced eating-than females (p < 0.001). This study revealed that the diet and health-related factors affect nutritional status and chronic diseases of the elderly. For better management and evaluation of health status of the elderly, more effective nutritional assessment tools should be developed.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.413-426
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• 2017

The study subjects were 302 adult males and females aged more than 20 years living in the metropolitan area of South Korea. This study was conducted to obtain baseline data to establish proper development and marketing strategies by examining the effects of food-related lifestyles on the importance of diet, purchasing behavior towards diet lunch boxes, and their selected attributes such as menu, packaging, and services. With respect to food-related lifestyle, a cluster analysis was performed by using five factors such as convenience factor, health factor, safety factor, taste factor, and economy factor obtained from factor analysis to derive the economy type, the taste and economy type, the convenience type, the safety type, and the health type. As a result, the respondents regarded 'food hygiene (4.59)', 'freshness (4.47)', 'taste (4.28)', and 'nutrient balance (4.19)' as the selected attributes of diet lunch box menus. Moreover, the importance of diet lunch box menus (${\beta}=0.179$) was increased with increasing safety orientation. 'Shelf life label (4.42)' was the most important selected attribute of diet lunch boxes, followed by 'ingredient label (4.19)', 'nutrition facts label (4.16)', and 'indication of origin (4.15)'. In particular, the importance of packaging for diet lunch boxes (${\beta}=0.203$) was increased with increasing safety orientation. With respect to the selected attributes of services in purchasing diet lunch boxes, 'provision of personalized menus (4.07)' was the most important, and the importance of services for diet lunch box (${\beta}=0.160$) was increased with increasing taste and economy orientation. Based on the above results, the respondents gave importance to the selected attributes related to food safety and health such as hygiene and, freshness. In addition, they also placed emphasis on hygiene and safe factors such as shelf life, ingredients, and nutrition facts labels. Therefore, it is considered necessary to develop diet lunch boxes by taking these factors into account. Furthermore, in services for diet lunch boxes, it is considered necessary to establish a service system capable of providing consumers with specialized menu or nutrition counseling according to the food-related lifestyle for their proper health management. Particularly, because consumers place emphasis on both food hygiene and safety, and health, it is considered necessary to thoroughly manage hygiene, safety, and nutrition in menu or packaging so that it is possible to enhance customer satisfaction by considering these selected attributes in greater detail.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.89-100
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was carried out to measure knowledge, attitude, and practice and related factors of low-salt diet among university students. Methods: Data from a convenience sample of 251 nursing and engineering students of two universities in south-western part of Korea were collected during March 16~20, 2015 using a self-reporting questionaire and urine test. The instruments developed by Lee and Song(1999) were used to measure knowledge and practice, and Ahn(2013) for attitude toward low-salt diet. A spot urine salt stick($SaltSinal^{(R)}$) was also used to evaluate practice of low-salt diet. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0, and t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and Scheffe test were used. The study was IRB approved. Results: Knowledge, attitude, and practice of low-salt diet was low and spot urine salt level was high among university students. Knowledge and attitude were higher and spot urine salt level was lower among nursing students. Knowledge and attitude were related to gender and drinking. Living arrangement, monthly allowance, smoking, frequency of eating-out, frequency of breakfast were shown not to be related to knowledge and attitude. None of the variable investigated were significantly related to practice of low-salt diet. However, spot urine salt was related with gender, living arrangement, and smoking. Conclusions: A rigorous health education is necessary in order to lower dietary salt among university students. Considering frequent eating-out among university students, it is also very important to lower salt amount in foods sold on- and off-campus.