• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.411-419
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed factors affecting consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits in Korean adolescents. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits, general characteristics, meal, health, and other variables were analyzed for a total of 147,047 adolescents who participated in the KYRBWS (Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey) conducted in 2006 and 2011 by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: Consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits more than once a day significantly decreased in 2011 compared to 2006 based on Chi-square test conducted for every factor employed in the study. Analysis of factors showed that consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits were reduced in both study years as subjective income decreased, whereas intake frequencies increased with mother's education level and reduction of adolescent stress level. CONCLUSIONS: In general, consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits decreased in 2011 compared to those in 2006. Thus, future research needs to improve dietary guidelines for nutrition education in order for students to recognize the importance of food consumption and necessity of increasing daily serving sizes of vegetables and fruits for their balanced consumption.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.225-234
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• 2007

This study was performed to investigate the preference and perception on fruits especially, focusing on apples and pears served in elementary school lunch programs. The subjects of this study were 1,106 students (504 female and 595 male students)from seven elementary schools in Seoul. The survey was conducted by using self-administered questionnaire from July 10 to July 20, 2006. Based on the frequency analysis results, 45% of respondents ate fruits every day and 42% had fruits 2-3 times per week. Approximately, 53% of respondents indicated their usual time to eat fruits was after dinner and secondly 27% had fruits between lunch and dinner. Majority of respondents chose a watermelon as the most preferred fruits and the first chosen among nine fruits (apple, pear, madarin, strawberry, cherry tomato, watermelon, grape, melon, and peach). Cherry tomato was found as the least preferred fruits by 30% of students, however cherry tomato was most frequently offered fruits in elementary school lunch menu. About 50% students were satisfied with the served fruits in their school lunch program. In addition, most students said that they would have fruits more frequently in their lunch menu. However, one fifth of students addressed that they were not satisfied with the fruits in school lunch program because of kinds of fruits, freshness of fruits, taste of fruits, and quantity of fruits. Almost 71% of students preferred apples. Seventy three percents of students preferred eating apples without peel and 78% of students ate apples as slices of apples. In addition, 61% of students indicated their preference of apple salads. Many students responded they did not eat apples and pears frequently since they do not have a chance to eat them. The implications to increase the chance to eat fruits and promote elementary children's fruits consumption were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.468-478
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• 2014

Objectives: Intake of fruits and vegetables has protective effects against stroke attack. This study intended to examine the status of consuming fruits and vegetables and to find out which factors may influence the frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables in individuals with a history of stroke. Methods: The data of 208 subjects from 5th (2010, 2011) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) who reported a stroke diagnosis was used for analysis. To identify major factors influencing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, a classification-tree analysis was carried out. Results: Among those who reported a stroke diagnosis, the frequencies of consumption of fruits and vegetables were influenced by their age, place of residence (urban or rural), economic status, educational level, occupation, number of family members, frequency of eating out, and having meals (breakfast or lunch) with family members. Two factors from fruits and three factors from vegetables were generated by exploratory factor analyses. Urban residents ate fruits and vegetables more frequently in all factors than rural residents. Eating frequencies of 'seasonal fruits (orange, apple, strawberry, melon, pear and watermelon)', 'easily-accessible fruits (persimmon, tangerine, grape, peach, banana)', and 'Western-style vegetables (cabbage, mushroom, carrot, tomato, spinach)' were influenced by the socioeconomic status. Eating frequencies of 'Korean-style vegetables (bean sprout, radish leaves, pumpkin/squash, sea weed)', 'preserved vegetables (Korean cabbage, radish, laver, cucumber)' were influenced by having breakfast with family members. Conclusions: The results of this study suggested that by eating more fruits and vegetables, more preventive effects against secondary stroke attack are expected in stroke patients who live in the rural areas and who do not eat breakfast with family members. In addition, more outreach and education programs are needed for them.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.120-120
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• 2001

It is generally thought that continuous oxidative damage to DNA is a major contributor to the risk of cancer development. Epidemiological studies suggest that fruits and vegetables might reduce the risk of cancer through their antioxidant properties. This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of fruits and fruit juice consumption against the oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes of healthy subjects. (omitted)

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.309-322
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of Korean preschool children. Methods: Subjects for the study were recruited using the convenience sampling method. A total of 162 mothers with preschool children aged 3 to 5 years participated in the study using a self-reported questionnaire and provided data regarding the frequency and quantum of the children's sugar-sweetened beverage consumption days in a week and the factors associated with such consumption. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the factors associated with the sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of preschool children. Results: Among the children-specific factors, age (β=.13, p=.015) was positively associated, while fruits/vegetable consumption (β=-.22, p<.001) was negatively associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of the preschool children. Among the mother-specific factors, fruits/vegetable consumption of mothers was negatively associated (β=-.16, p=.006), while the sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of the mothers was positively associated with the sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of the preschool children (β=.27, p<.001). In addition, the maternal restrictive feeding style was negatively associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of preschool children (β=-.23, p<.001). Conclusion: Based on these results, interventions targeted at children, parents, and the family environment should be developed to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in early childhood.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.235-247
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruits in Mexico remains a challenge. Promoting sustainable food production systems through schools may be an effective way to educate young people about food and nutrition issues. A study of nutritional education in adolescents, based on the school garden, is necessary in order to evaluate its effects on the consumption of fruits and vegetables among middle- and upper-income segments of the population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention, accompanied by a school garden as an educational teaching tool, to improve vegetable and fruit consumption by Mexican teenagers attending a private middle/high school. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Teenagers between 12 and 18 years of age (n = 126) attending a private middle/high school in Queretaro, Mexico participated in a 3-arm, controlled, comparative impact study using a vegetable and fruit consumption frequency questionnaire, food consumption diaries, a psychosocial factor assessment questionnaire of vegetable and fruit consumption, and structured interviews. The participants were randomized into 3 experimental groups: 1) food education + school garden (FE + SG), 2) FE only, and 3) control group (CG). RESULTS: The FE + SG and FE groups significantly increased the frequency and daily intake of vegetables and fruits compared to the CG. The FE + SG group showed greater understanding of, reflection upon, and analysis of the information they received about vegetable and fruit consumption, as well as a greater willingness to include these in their daily diet. CONCLUSIONS: FE accompanied by a SG as a teaching tool is more effective at promoting vegetable and fruit consumption than either education alone or control in teenagers in middle-upper income segments of the population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.659-667
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• 2014

Fruits are good sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals, which are known to reduce serum lipids, oxidative damage, and blood pressure as well as improve blood glucose control. The purpose of this study was to estimate nutrient quality indices of fruits by carrying out a critical analysis of pre-existing methods according to their nutritional compositions. Four methods were used to assess the nutrient indices of 26 fruits, which are frequently consumed by Koreans based on the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009). Naturally nutrient rich score (NNR), nutrient rich food (NRF), nutrient adequacy score (NAS), and nutrient density score (NDS) were used to calculate nutrient quality indices. The Korean Nutrition Society Food Composition database of fruits based on 100 g edible portions was used. The algorithm of each method included the mean percentage of daily values (Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, 2010) for particular nutrients based on consumption of 1,900 kcal/day. The relative score indicated that strawberries, kumquat, and lemon had high nutrient quality indices. In addition, mango, lemon, persimmon, strawberry, apricot, and tangerine fruits are rich in antioxidant nutrients such as ${\beta}$-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium. However, scores of nutrient quality indices did not imply that higher scores of particular fruits are superior. We suggest moderate seasonable consumption a variety of fruits. Our results can be used as a reference for consumers when they choose fruits.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.635-644
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• 2016

Birds play a main role in the formation and change of forest structures as they are seed-dispersal agents. This study aims to identify birds consuming fruits and seeds of the tree and their associated fruits and seeds on Jeju Island in the context on the forest restoration in Korea. We conducted field surveys twice a month from 2013 to 2015 at nine study sites located across Jeju Island and collected available photographic and observation records. A total of 50 species of birds consuming fruits and seeds of the tree were identified and birds belonging to Bombycillidae, Pycnonotidae, Zosteropidae, Sturnidae and Fringillidae were confirmed as major birds consuming fruits and seeds of the tree. Gulping was the dominant type of feeding as well as crushing, but relationship between the size of a bird and the number of fruit and seed species used by the bird was not significant. We also documented that 118 fruit and seed species were consumed by birds and that shrubby fruits and seeds were more consumed by birds than those of other plant types. The relative consumption rate of fruits and seeds ranged from 0.02 to 0.44, but five species were the most important fruits and seeds for birds. Our finding suggest that avian frugivorous gulpers will benefit the seed dispersal, especially of five fruiting plants, providing useful baseline data for forest restoration and urban park design.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3343-3352
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• 2014

Chemoprevention is an attempt to use nontoxic natural and synthetic substances or their mixtures to intervene the relatively early stages of carcinogenesis, before invasive characteristics are manifested. The consumption of fruits is well known to reduce the risk of human cancers. Although most fruits are available only on a seasonal basis, recent advances in food processing technologies have made it possible to extend the shelf life of fruits and fruit-products. Fruits can be preserved by applying different drying processes to reduce the moisture content. Different varieties of dried fruits are now sold in supermarkets, thereby making them readily accessible to consumers. Since oxidative stress and chronic inflammation play important roles in cancer development, dried fruits with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties hold promise for cancer chemoprevention. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive activities of dried fruits are largely attributed to their polyphenols and vitamins. Dried fruits contain adequate amounts of bioactive principles, such as anthocyanins, acetogenins, catechins, coumarins, phenolic acids, terpenes, xanthones, and others. Since numerous health beneficial phytochemicals in fruits are conserved even after processing, regular intake of dried fruits can help prevent cancer. This review addresses the chemopreventive potential of representative dried fruits and their active constituents.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.554-562
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine differences in nutrient intake and food consumption by the presence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Study subjects in this cross-sectional study were recruited from four outpatient clinics in and near the Seoul metropolitan area of South Korea between 2006 and 2012. A total of 668 subjects (413 men and 255 women) aged ${\geq}30y$ were included in the final data analyses. For each subject, daily nutrient intake and food consumption were calculated using three days of dietary intake data obtained from a combination of 24-hour recalls and dietary records. To evaluate food consumption, mean number of servings consumed per day and percentages of recommended number of servings for six food groups were calculated. Metabolic syndrome was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The general linear model was performed to examine differences in nutrient intake and food consumption by sex and the presence of metabolic syndrome after adjustment for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: Nutrient intake did not differ by the presence of metabolic syndrome in both men and women. Men with metabolic syndrome had lower consumption and percentage of the recommendation for fruits compared with those without metabolic syndrome (1.6 vs. 1.1 servings/day, P-value = 0.001; 63.5 vs. 49.5%, P-value = 0.013). Women with metabolic syndrome showed lower consumption and percentage of the recommendation for dairy foods than those without metabolic syndrome (0.8 vs. 0.5 servings/day, P-value = 0.001; 78.6 vs. 48.9%, P-value = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Low intakes of fruits and dairy foods might be associated with the risk of having metabolic syndrome among Korean adults. Dietary advice on increasing consumption of these foods is needed to prevent and attenuate the risk of metabolic syndrome.