• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2010

This study explored the conceptual framework of dieticians' intentions to recommend functional food and the mediating role of consumption frequency. A web-based survey was designed using a self-administered questionnaire. A sample of Korean dieticians (N=233) responded to the questionnaire that included response efficacy, risk perception, consumption frequency, and recommendation intention for functional foods. A structural equation model was constructed to analyze the data. We found that response efficacy was positively related to frequency of consumption of functional foods and to recommendation intention. Consumption frequency also positively influenced recommendation intention. Risk perception had no direct influence on recommendation intention; however, the relationship was mediated completely by consumption frequency. Dieticians' consumption frequency and response efficacy were the crucial factors in recommending functional foods. Dieticians may perceive risks arising from the use of functional foods in general, but the perceived risks do not affect ratings describing dieticians' intentions to recommend them. The results also indicated that when dieticians more frequently consume functional foods, the expression of an intention to recommend functional foods may be controlled by the salience of past behaviors rather than by attitudes.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.190-205
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the consumption of health functional foods according to age group. We surveyed 300 subjects with quota sampling aged 10 to 50 and over. The rate of consumption of health functional foods by users was substantial (52.7%). Consumers of health functional foods showed higher scores for interest in health (3.97 vs 3.49, P<0.001) and knowledge of health functional foods (3.79 vs 3.30, P<0.001) than non-consumers of health functional foods. Regarding consumers of health functional foods, the number (P<0.01) and types (P<0.05) of health functional foods, reasons for taking (P<0.05), motivations for buying (P<0.05), periods of taking (P<0.001), cost per month (P<0.01), observance of instruction (P<0.01), and effectiveness (P<0.01) were significantly different according to age group. For non-consumers of health functional foods, reasons for not-taking (P<0.01) and types of health functional foods to be planned (P<0.001) were different according to age group. For consumers and non-consumers, problems (P<0.01) andimprovements (P<0.001) for health functional foods showed significant differences according to age group. The majority of subjects (85.4%) answered that heath functional foods had no side-effects. Reported side effects were inappetence (6.6%), constipation (2.6%), and headache (2.0%). In conclusion, differentiated strategies and specialized education programs according to age group might be needed for promoting adequate consumption and preventing side-effects of health functional foods.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.503-514
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to explore the influencing factors of consumption behavior of healthy functional foods including vitamin/mineral products for overweight and obese Koreans. Overweight and obese Koreans were selected based on the body mass index(BMI) from the KNHANES that was collected in 2007. Probit estimation model was used to find the influencing factors such as age, gender, job, education, income, nutrition education, and cultural capital(parents' education) on consuming the healthy functional foods. Overweight consumers were found to consume vitamin/mineral products and healthy functional foods at 17.5% and 22.7%, respectively. Obese consumers were found to consume vitamin/mineral products and healthy functional foods at 18.2% and 22.8%, respectively. In addition, self decision was found to be a significant factor to consume both products in both groups. Nutritional education and job were significant factors to consume vitamin/mineral products in overweight consumers, while mother's education and job(service) were significant factors in obese consumers. Weight control for body shape, gender, age, and income were significant factors to consume healthy functional foods in overweight consumers, while nutrition label and perceived health status were significant for obese consumers. Therefore, providing consumer information on functional foods might be useful for consumers to consider the healthy functional foods as an available option to purchase. Various influencing factors between two groups might be concerned to develop different strategies for promoting the healthy functional foods consumption including vitamin/mineral products.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.782-789
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to know about the consumption patterns of functional foods and their associated factors for contributing to the promotion of healthiness on Gwangju residents. The results obtained are summarized as follows: in terms of age, 35.9% of men (n=78) and 52.3% of women (n=128) are found in the age range of $45{\sim}54$ which comprises the highest portion of age distribution. 49.5% of subjects had college education or more. In the occupation category, 33.3% of the men had business job positions, and 39.8% of women were in the unemployed (housewife) category. Stress relief was the most important factor to maintain good health. 76.2% of the subjects have experience in consuming functional foods. The main reason for taking functional foods was to maintain health. Information and reliability of effectiveness were considered when selecting functional foods. Purchasing functional foods was motivated by family members, relatives, and/or the subjects themselves. Functional foods were mainly purchased from pharmacies or health food stores. Regular exercise, drinking, periodical medical checkups, and eating score all are taken into consideration with the consumption of functional foods.77.9% of subjects recognized functions for functional foods purchased. 18.8% of subjects experienced side effects after intaking functional food. Therefore, functional foods should be managed by the government and nutrition education for consumers should be required to encourage them to choose functional foods more satisfactorily and safely.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.223-234
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to explain consumption experience of vitamin/mineral, aloe, calcium, red ginseng and glucosamine. It also explains influencing factors such as health related factors(importance of healthy eating, perceived role of food for health, health motivation), consumer attitude of healthy functional foods(reward from using healthy functional foods, confidence in functional foods) and individual characteristics(age, sex, education, income) on them. To do this, LIMDEP program was applied to estimate the logit model. The results of this study were as follows: 1) The levels of health motivation, reward and confidence from using healthy functional foods were found to be relatively low, while the levels of importance of healthy eating and the perceived role of food for health were found to be relatively high. It might imply that consumers would have some interest for health and food consumption. Also consumers expressed to have some experience for vitamin/mineral(50%), aloe(16%), calcium(23%), red ginseng(40%) and glucosamine(17%). 2) For influencing factors, age was found to be significantly influential to all of the products. If consumers were getting older, they were more likely to consume the products. In addition, reward from using healthy functional foods was found to significantly influence consumption experience of vitamin/mineral and calcium. If consumers perceived more reward from using vitamin/mineral and calcium, they were more likely to consume the products. For aloe, confidence in healthy functional foods was found to significantly influence consumption. Furthermore, sex was found to be a significant factor for consumption of vitamin/mineral.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.832-838
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to identify the status of health functional food consumption of working women. The 558 subjects of the study were aged between 10-60 years, and had previous experiences of consuming health functional foods. The majority of the subjects lived in Seoul, and some lived in the Gyeonggi Province. The most prevalent goals that the subjects hoped to achieve by consuming health functional foods were improvement of physical health status and reduction of exhaustion. Other goals included supplement of nutrition, and prevention or treatment of diseases. Those who were older or who possessed a high BMI spent more expenses on health functional foods, and showed a higher intake frequency as well as longer periods of consumption. Subjects placed in the older group showed a lower level of knowledge related to functional foods, which turned out to be statistically significant. Most of the respondents answered that their knowledge related to functional foods was picked up from listening to others. In conclusion, we were able to observe that groups with elder working women and high BMI show higher consumption and expense rates of health functional foods, as well as longer periods of consumption. However, they show a minimum level of knowledge related to functional foods. According to our results, these subjects should seek practical help in order to select functional foods that will aid their health, and learn the proper method of consumption. In order to reduce inaccurate consumption of health functional foods, it is imperative that more in-depth study is carried out in this field.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.465-479
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to explains consumers' medical discourse embedded in the consumption of oriental medicine and health functional foods. Despite the fact that both of oriental medicine and western medicine is legally accepted, people tend to recognize that accurate diagnosis is possible only in the latter. As the discourse that oriental medicine, compared with western medicine, has an auxiliary position is widely spreaded, the rivalry between herbal medicine and health functional foods come to be formed. And it led to a close correlation between the decrease of herbal medicine consumption and the growth of health supplement market. Herbal medicine is compared to red ginseng, one of the representative health supplement. Negative notion such as using an Asian herb from China and side effect of hepatotoxicity influences herbal medicine consumption. This study argues two conclusion. First, the correlation between the consumption of herbal medicine and that of health functional foods results from the discourse of scientific reconstruction, standardization, and commercialization all of which come from globalization discourse. Second, medical discourse embedded in these commodity, in the end, has impact on agricultural production.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.143-153
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• 2009

Objectives The purpose of this study is to get the basic information from patients how much they understood about their medication and also to know whether patients are making reasonable drug choice between Health Functional Foods and Herbal medicine. Methods 500 questionnaires were handed out to the parents of students in two elementary schools located in OO, Junlabukdo province. 421 questionnaires were completed to be evaluated. Results Among 421 subjects, 53.0% were female, and 47.0% were male. The percentages of the subjects consuming Health Functional Foods and herbal medicine were67.7% and 67.8%, respectively. Among those people who consumed Health Functional Food, 44.1% were using nutritional supplements, red ginseng or ginseng products (26.9%), chlorella products (11.5%), and plum extract products (7.7%). As for the reason to consume Health Functional Foods were varied, but 'in order to be healthy, although currently displaying no illness.'(43.0%) were the most responses among the given choices. On the other hand, the reason for consuming herbal medicine was 'In order to grow taller'(26.1%), 'In order to cure weak physical state frequently displaying common illnesses',(25.9%), and 'In order to cure diseases.'(23.3%). For the questions about effectiveness after consumption,the 69.9% subjects said that it seemed to be effected, and that % was slightly higher than that of subjects with consuming Health Functional Foods(64.4%). For question concerning preferences between Health Functional Foods and herbal medicine, 57.5% chose herbal medicine, and this percentage was higher than that of Health Functional Foods(42.5%).As for the reasons of additional consumption of the Health Functional Foods, subject answered as 'Easy to consume.'(41,6%), which was the most common among the subjects consuming Health Functional Foods. On other hand, the subjects of herbal medicine answered as that herbal medicine is 'more effective'(45.7%), and 'more trustworthy in preventing side-effects.'(40.3%). After consumption of the herbal medication, only 3.9% of the subjects consuming either Health Functional Foods or herbal medicine had side-effects. The most common side-effects were 'dermal reaction' which is normally caused by Health Functional Foods and 'indigestion' problems caused by herbal consumption. Conclusions According to the 421 subjects those involved in study, the percentages of consuming Health Functional Foods(67.7%) and herbal medicine(67.8%) were similar. The most commonly consumed products were a type of Health Functional Foods which were the nutrition-supplying products. Ginseng or red ginseng products were the next commonly used products. Health Functional Foods were commonly consumed for preventing illness and maintaining health rather than any other purpose. In contrary, herbal medicines were more commonly consumed for purposes such as for growth or treating certain type of disease. As a result of consumption, more than half of both subject replied as 'satisfied'. As for the side effects, dermal reaction was the most common problem for those with consuming Health Functional Foods, while indigestion was the most common side effect from the subjects with consuming herbal medicine.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.313-321
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• 2011

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) revised the Health Functional Food Act in 2008 and extended the form of health functional foods to general food types. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate consumers' perceptions of the expanded form of health functional food and to predict consumption patterns. For this study, 1,006 male and female adults aged 19 years and older were selected nationwide by multi-stage stratified random sampling and were surveyed in 1:1 interviews. The questionnaire survey was conducted by Korea Gallup. The subjects consisted of 497 (49.4%) males and 509 (50.6%) females. About 57.9% of the subjects recognized the KFDA's permission procedures for health functional foods. Regarding the health functional foods that the subjects had consumed, red ginseng products were the highest (45.3%), followed by nutritional supplements (34.9%), ginseng products (27.9%), lactobacillus-containing products (21.0%), aloe products (20.3%), and Japanese apricot extract products (18.4%). Opinions on expanding the form of health functional foods to general food types scored 4.7 points on a 7-point scale, showing positive responses. In terms of the effects of medicine-type health functional foods versus generic health functional foods, the highest response was 'same effects if the same ingredients are contained' at a rate of 34.7%. For intake frequency by food type, the response of 'daily consistent intake' was 31.7% for capsules, tablets, and pills, and 21.7% for extracts. For general food types, 'daily consistent intake' was 44.5% for rice and 22.8% for beverages, which were higher rates than those for medicine types. From the above results, consumers had positive opinions of the expansion of health functional foods to generic forms but are not expected to maintain accurate intake frequencies or amounts. Thus, continuous promotion and education are needed for proper intake of generic health functional foods.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.37-42
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• 2004

The relatively new concept of functional foods is supportive of sales of food products that deliver isolated 'nutrient' or 'food compound' substances, much as is done by dietary supplements. Whether such isolated substances have benefit must be investigated in each instance; such investigations can be complex. At the same time, simply prepared natural plant foods contain a myriad of substances that, in accord with the concept of food synergy, are beneficial for health. Whole grain foods are an example of such healthy fare, based on strong epidemiologic and experimental evidence. If the concept of functional foods is to be of use for the public health, it should support the consumption of healthy traditional foods as well as promoting 'novel' foods; in this sense, whole grain foods, which have great functionality, should be regarded as functional foods.