• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.272-283
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Most child and adolescent food literacy measurement tools focus on nutrition and food safety. However, the importance of aspects related to the food system such as food distribution and food waste and their effects on environmental sustainability is growing. We therefore developed and validated a two-dimensional tool for children (8-12 years old) and adolescents (13-18 years old) that can comprehensively measure food literacy. The association of food literacy with diet quality and self-reported health was assessed. SUBJECTS/METHODS: First, we developed a food literacy conceptual framework that contains food system and literacy dimensions through a literature review, focus group interviews, and expert review. After a face validity study, we conducted the main survey (n = 200) to validate the questionnaire. Construct validity and reliability were assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: As a result of the Delphi study, content validity was confirmed for the remaining 30 items after two items were excluded (content validity ratio = 0.86). Eleven items were excluded from the EFA results, while the CFA results indicated appropriate fit indices for the proposed model (comparative fit index = 0.904, root mean square error of approximation = 0.068). The final food literacy questionnaire consisted of 19 questions and comprised 5 factors: production, distribution, selection, preparation and cooking, and intake. Food literacy was positively associated with diet quality, as assessed by the Nutrition Quotient score, in both children and adolescents and with self-reported health in adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.363-373
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• 2019

Objectives: This study examined the effects of dietary education experience (home, school, and mass media) on food consumer information literacy. Methods: The study subjects were 454 adult consumers who answered a structured questionnaire. The questionnaires addressed the subjects' demographics, dietary education experience (home, school, and mass media), and food consumer information literacy. The data were analyzed through frequency analysis, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS Win 24.0. Results: First, the scores of mass media education experience were 3.41 ± 0.64, which was the highest, and 3.15 ± 0.74 for school education experience, which was the lowest. Second, the level of sub-literacies (task definition, information seeking strategy, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation) showed scores of 3.20 ± 0.72 ~ 3.47 ± 0.68, which were slightly higher than the median. The synthesis literacy was the highest, as opposed to the information seeking strategy literacy, which was the lowest. The location and access and synthesis literacy were higher in women. Third, a significant positive(+) relationship was observed between all sub-literacies and each of three dietary education experiences (home, school and mass media). According to multiple regression analysis, the major variables influencing the sub-literacies of food consumer information literacy were home education, mass media, and school education in that order. Conclusions: The dietary education experience was the highest through mass media. The factor that showed the highest food consumer information literacy was synthesis. The factors influencing the food consumer information literacy were dietary education experience through home, school, and mass media.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.300-312
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated knowledge of atopic dermatitis and food allergies, as well as health information literacy, among North Korean refugee mothers with preschool-age children and explored how these variables were related to participants' characteristics. Methods: A descriptive study design was used. Data from 130 North Korean refugee mothers were collected between January and March 2023. Results: The mean scores were 14.48 of 30 for atopic dermatitis knowledge; 2.77 of 10 for food allergy knowledge, and 56.95 of 80 for health information literacy. Significant differences were observed in knowledge of atopic dermatitis based on breastfeeding duration (F=4.12, p=.009), and in knowledge of food allergies based on mixed feeding (F=3.11, p=.049). Health information literacy showed significant relationships with education level (F=3.76, p=.026), occupation (F=3.99, p=.021), checking nutritional information (t=2.91, p=.004), mixed feeding (F=4.50, p=.014), and atopic dermatitis diagnosis (t=6.86, p=.001). Significant positive correlations were observed between atopic dermatitis knowledge, food allergy knowledge, and health information literacy. Conclusion: Personalized educational programs should be implemented to improve awareness of allergies and health information literacy among North Korean refugee mothers, which would help them find, evaluate, and understand health-related information. These programs should focus on providing nutrition and dietary education to promote healthy growth in children and prevent diseases.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.19 no.2 s.30
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• pp.147-158
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to closely examine the changes of food and drink waste amounts, and student's environmental literacy. By using creative methods, discretional activity classes, and programs to dispose of food and drink waste from students schoolmeals, and at the same time conduct and teach environmental education classes. To achieve this, students were given ten class lessons in creative discretional activities. Students were given flowerpots containing earthworms and were instructed to raise them, using food and drink waste from school meals. Four classes who were participating in project were examined for changes from March to July 2005. As a result the environmental education classes through creative discretional activities didn't have any significant influence on the students environmental literacy. However it did make a difference to the student's in-terms of their ecological knowledge. The project using earthworms to dispose of food and waste drink showed a decrease of 15% of the amount of waste food and drink from school meals. Moreover student's environmental literacy had been significantly influenced about environmental sensibility, value and causes. Through this study I found that the project using earthworms to dispose of waste food and drink, and creative discretional activities as a lesson decreased the amount of food and drink waste at the school, and the changes to students concerns and understanding about environmental sensibility, value and the various causes of waste food and drink.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.352-357
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Youth is the crucial stage between childhood and adulthood during which an individual acquires new behavior and practices including dietary habits, that may be influenced by his peers, social circle, nutrition knowledge level and other factors. The increase in awareness of young adults is of special importance from the perspective of health and prevention of obesity related chronic diseases. To measure the nutrition literacy level of university students using the Turkish version of Adolescent Nutrition Literacy Scale (ANLS). We evaluated their food habits using the Adolescent Food Habit Checklist (AFHC) tool and analysed it, if the eating habits were affected by nutrition literacy level. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on randomly selected 276 students studying in the Faculty of Health Sciences of Istanbul Aydin University, Turkey. Data was collected by means of ANLS and AFHC tools by face to face interview method. SPSS statistical sofware (IBM SPSS Statistics 19) was used to analyse the obtained data. RESULTS: Participants comprised of 47.1% males and 52.9% females with mean age of $20.0{\pm}1.60years$. Mean body mass index (BMI) was determined as $22.4{\pm}3.76$ ($23.6{\pm}3.63$ males $21.3{\pm}3.57$ females). Functional, interactive and critical nutritional literacy scores for male participants were $22.49{\pm}5.71$, $17.45{\pm}4.84$, and $28.28{\pm}7.13$ respectively (total $64.98{\pm}10.15$). For females the values were $24.66{\pm}5.13$, $20.17{\pm}4.28$, and $32.20{\pm}5.65$ (total $69.72{\pm}8.59$) respectively. For all the three sub-categories of nutrition literacy, the scores acquired by females were significantly higher than males (P < 0.001). In the AFHC tool, the mean score acquired by males were $9.26{\pm}4.18$ whereas for females it was $10.37{\pm}3.40$ significantly higher as compared to males (P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: The food habits of female participants were better than males; in accordance with their nutrition literacy status. It may be concluded that food habits are influenced by nutrition literacy and therefore stress much be given to increase the nutrition awareness among children youth as well as adults.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.258-269
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• 2023

This study was conducted to identify the nutrition literacy levels of Korean adults and the associated influencing factors. A total of 770 adults aged 19-64 years participated in online surveys and individual interviews conducted according to age groups from May to October 2021. The results of the evaluation of the nutrition literacy levels showed that the average correct answer rate among the participants was 78.7%. Nutrition literacy levels were found to be high in females, lower age groups, metropolis residents, those with high monthly incomes, and those with a bachelor's degree or higher. Multiple regression analysis showed that males, higher age groups, and rural area residents had a negative correlation with nutrition literacy compared with that of females, lower age groups, and metropolis residents. A more positive correlation was observed in those with higher monthly incomes and educational degrees. In the future, experts should monitor whether the nutritional information transmitted through various forms of media is correct or incorrect, and specific measures should be taken to enhance nutrition literacy to promote the health and nutrition management of Korean adults.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.77-92
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• 2021

Objectives: Food literacy (FL) can be an important concept that embodies the nutritional capabilities of individuals. The purpose of this study was to introduce the definition and core elements of FL from previous literature, to summarize measurement tools and intervention programs with FL, and to suggest the direction of future research and programs to integrate the concept of FL. Methods: The literature review was conducted through PubMed and Google Scholar databases by combining the search term 'food literacy' with 'definition', 'measurement', 'questionnaire', 'intervention', and 'program'. Among the 94 papers primarily reviewed 31 manuscripts that suited the purpose of the study were used for analyses. Results: There is no consensus on the definition of FL that encompasses the multidimensional aspects of the concept. The definitions of FL were slightly different depending on the authors, and the interpretation of the core elements also varied. Based on the review, we propose a framework of FL that is in line with the current discussion among international researchers. This focuses on the core elements adapted from health literacy, namely functional, interactive, and critical FL. Specifically, we suggest some detailed elements for interactive and critical FL, which were often the subject of divergent views among researchers in previous literature. We found that most of the tools in the reviewed literature provided information on validity and reliability and were developed for a specific target population. Also, most of the tools were focused on functional FL. Similarly, most of the interventions targeted functional FL. Conclusions: This study reviewed the definition and core elements of FL, available measurement tools, and intervention programs using validated tools. We propose the development of tools with sound reliability and validity that encompass the three core elements of FL for different age groups. This will help to understand whether improving food literacy can translate into better nutritional intake and health status among individuals and communities.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.41-59
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• 2023

This study aimed at analyzing the educational needs of home economics teachers for food literacy cultivation education in secondary school home economics. A total of 192 home economics teachers were surveyed about their perceptions of importance and performance of food literacy education content categories and elements, and their priorities were identified. Among the 38 content elements presented, home economics teachers recognized that the current performance level was significantly lower than that of the importance over 34 content elements. Based on the Borich educational needs assessment and the Locus for Focus Model, we identified five content elements with 'very high' educational needs ('food security/food sovereignty', 'reducing food-related waste', 'food waste management and recycling', 'food-related waste recycling', and 'country of origin information'), and four content elements with 'high' educational needs ('genetically modified food', 'ethical food consumption', 'food additives', and 'eco-friendly agricultural products'). These results indicate that dietary education in secondary school home economics should emphasize both the production and disposal of food. The findings of this study suggest implications for the needs for a new dietary education in secondary school home economics that allows students to learn all stages of food system. These results can also be used as a basis for dietary education for cultivating food literacy in secondary school home economics education.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2022

Background: This study compares and analyzes the degree of oral health information literacy by 25% for upper and lower grades to assess how differences in mothers' oral health information literacy affect infants' oral health behavior. Methods: The study surveyed 201 mothers with infants and children using a 36 question survey tool. Cross-analysis was conducted to determine the difference in oral health information literacy between the upper and the lower 25%. Results: Comparing 25% of the upper and lower grades of verbal oral health information literacy scores, the word with the most significant difference in the correct answer was resin. An item asking about the time to eat after fluoride varnish application showed the most significant difference in the correct answer on the functional oral health information literacy scale. Mothers' oral and functional oral health information literacy scores showed that verbal literacy was statistically significant for brushing guidance after children's meals, brushing guidance before children's bedtime, food intake restrictions before bedtime, and restrictions on consumption of cavity-inducing foods (p<0.05). Functional literacy was statistically significant in the post-brushing test of children and the correct brushing method map items (p<0.05). Conclusion: As a result of comparing and analyzing the upper and lower 25% of the mother's oral health information literacy, it was found that the mother's oral health information literacy affected the infant's oral health behavior. Therefore, systematic education is needed to raise literacy by grasping the level of oral health information literacy of mothers, and oral health education by level according to oral health information literacy should be developed.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.945-958
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Food literacy (FL) is a crucial skill for selecting sustainable and healthy food options, necessitating the identification of vulnerable groups in the community using valid measurement tools. Identifying weak domains in FL is essential for enhancing the overall FL. This study examined the FL levels of Seoul citizens based on their sociodemographic characteristics and assessed the relationship between FL, food intake, and weight status. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study utilized the data from the Seoul Food Survey, a cross-sectional study employing representative samples of Seoul citizens. Data collection occurred from September to October 2021, with 4,039 citizens aged 18 yrs and above participating in face-to-face surveys. Thirty-three FL items were assessed, comprising 14 items in the nutrition and safety (NS) domain, eight items in the cultural and relational (CR) domain, and 11 items in the socio-ecological (SE) domain. In addition, data on food intake sufficiency and obesity status were collected. The descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance, and logistic regression analysis were used for analysis. RESULTS: Men, students, young adults, older citizens, and people experiencing food insecurity had the lowest scores for all the FL domains. The highest quartile group of NS scores had a higher probability of consuming adequate servings of vegetables and fruits, with significant linear trends observed (P for trend < 0.05). In all three FL domains, the odds ratio for obesity was significantly lower in the groups with high FL scores (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A close relationship was observed between low FL, obesity, and food intake, even after controlling for other covariates. Vulnerable groups with low FL were also identified. Therefore, it is essential to develop programs to improve FL and the health and well-being of these groups.