• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.548-558
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to compare eating habits and food attitudes between depressed and normal adults. The subjects were selected (n = 6217) from those who participated in the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV). The subjects were divided into the depressed (DG, n = 841) and normal groups (NG, n = 3969). DG was those who have depression now or who have experienced depressing feelings more than two weeks or per year. The general characteristics, anthropometric measurement, eating habits, the dietary guideline recognition and practices were compared by using chi-square test and t-test. Also the partial correlations were analyzed by SAS (Statistical analysis system, version 9.1) program. There was a significantly higher rate of DG among the female (74.32%), with low education (44.6%) and low-income (32.0%) subjects (p < 0.001). DG showed significantly lower snacking and dining out. There was significantly higher rate of DG who responded "none" in frequency of snack (27.10%) and dining out (29.50%) (p < 0.001). Also DG showed significantly lower rate of the subjects who ate with the family than NG. Also, DG showed significantly lower dietary guideline recognition level and practice than NG. Correlation between depression symptom and various factors showed that positive correlation with low snack intake and dining out frequencies. However, correlation was relatively weak. In conclusion, eating habits and recognition levels and practice of dietary guidelines of DG were significantly different from NG. DG showed significantly lower frequencies of snack, dining out, and eating with family.