• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.95-107
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• 2011

This study was to investigate use of functional foods and attitude on related education among adolescents. Subjects of this study were a total of 826 students in middle and high schools of Cheongju and Cheongwon area. Among the subjects, 44.8% had an experience in consuming functional foods. Among the subjects that experienced side effects possibly by the consumption of functional foods, 13.0% ignored the symptom and continued to consume the foods. Approximately one third of the subject(30.7%) obtained information on functional foods from their parents; however, few subjects(2.2%) obtained the information from the nutrition teachers or dietitians of their schools. Only 9.4% of the subjects underwent education related with functional foods, and 35.1% of the subjects demanded education on functional foods. The present study suggests that an effective education is needed for both students and their parents in order to prevent adolescents from the misuse of functional foods.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.604-613
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• 2014

This study was carried out to investigate consumption patterns of health functional foods (HFF) and analyze their related factors in male workers in order to provide basic data for appropriate understanding and optimal use of HFF. The subjects were 325 shipbuilding workers aged 20~50 in the Geoje area. About 84% of subjects reported that they were currently consuming or had experience of consuming HFF. The most commonly used type of HFF was vitamins (53.5%), followed by red ginseng (28.9%) and vegetable extract (15.4%). The major reasons for consuming and not-consuming HFF were 'to recovery from fatigue' (49.5%) and 'can not trust the effects' (39.4%), respectively. The intake period was 'less than 3 months' (35.5%), average monthly expense was 'less than 50,000 won' (49.1%), and purchase place was 'store of health functional foods' (32.2%) as the most common answers. The effects after consuming HFF were 'moderate' (51.3%) as the most common answer, and 16.1% of subjects experienced side effects, such as diarrhea, indigestion and nausea. Contributing factors for selecting and desire for future use of HFF were 'effectiveness' (52.2%) and 'when necessary' (67.8%) as the most common answers. Experience of using HFF was positively correlated with age (p<0.05), marital status (p<0.05), unbalanced diet (p<0.01), concern about health (p<0.05), and fear for disease (p<0.05). Purchase of HFF was positively correlated with fear of disease (p<0.01), whereas it was negatively correlated with frequency of exercise (p<0.05). The desire for future use of HFF was positively correlated with concern about health (p<0.05), fear of disease (p<0.01) and drinking (p<0.05). In conclusion, factors affecting consumption patterns of health functional foods (HFF) were age, marital status, unbalanced diet, concern about health, fear of disease and drinking.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.366-373
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• 2020

Due to environmental changes such as diet and fine dust, the public has a growing interest in health. With the growing interest in health, consumption of health functional foods to prevent diseases has increased, and the health functional food market is also growing. However, most health functional foods rely on imported raw materials, and the development of health functional foods using domestic raw materials is urgently needed. Therefore, in this paper, provides information on functional raw materials for health functional foods that have been recognized by using domestic agricultural products in Rural Development Administration, and insists that R&D should be more active in order to increase more domestic raw materials in the health functional food market in the future.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2010

We surveyed 837 students attending elementary schoolchildren in Korea for health functional foods (HFF) consumption and significant variables for their HFF consumption including demographic characteristics, parental health concern on offsprings, food eating frequency of subjects and beliefs on potential efficacy of HFF by subjects. The consumption prevalence of HFF was 45.9%, and among all types of HFF, nutritional supplements were taken most frequently, followed by apricot extract-fermented products > lactic acid bacteria containing products > EPA/DHA containing products > red ginseng products. HFF consumption was higher in subjects had parents of high education level (p < .05) and those from families with a high socioeconomic status (p < .01) in comparison to each corresponding group. Health concern on offsprings by parents (p < .001) and consumption ratio of HFF by family (p < .001) was higher in consumers than in nonconsumers of HFF. Total score of dietary assessment was higher in consumers than in nonconsumers of HFF (p < .01), and consumers had a more positive view concerning the potential efficacy of HFF than did nonconsumers (p < .001). Most consumers of HFF took HFF when they were healthy (42.5%), and they did not feel special effects through HFF consumption (47.7%). Most consumers of HFF got the information on HFF from family and relatives (24.8%), and most of them purchased HFF at pharmacy or oriental medicine clinics (53.9%). HFF consumers preferred multi-vitamins and Ca-supplements most among the vitamin mineral supplements belonged to HFF. Given the widespread consumption of HFF by elementary schoolchildren, the reasonable consumption of these products for the contribution to their overall health and well-being should be emphasized through nutrition education for them and their family.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.462-468
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• 2008

In this study, we assessed college students' consumption values with regard to a seaweed functional food, and compared differences between the respondents' purchasing intentions and their educational levels. A self-administered questionnaire was designed and distributed to college students in Daegu/Kyungbook province. A total of 288 questionnaires were collected, and the total response rate was 96.0%. The results demonstrated that purchasing intention influenced all five consumption values. The high purchasing intention (HPI) group evidenced greater functional value, social value, emotional value, conditional value, and epistemic value than was observed in the low purchasing intention (LPI) group. However, individuals' educational levels, as related to food, influenced only the functional value and epistemic value. These results demonstrate that college students' consumption value in terms of seaweed functional foods is affected by purchasing intentions and educational experience.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.309-320
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the consumption values of fast foods among American consumers and compare the consumption values according to the levels of health consciousness. Methods: An online survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted on 351 American consumers. Based on the median health consciousness score (3.83 out of 5 points), the subjects were classified into the low health-conscious group (Low group) and the high health-conscious group (High group). Factor analysis was used to extract factors for the five consumption values (functional, social, emotional, conditional, and epistemic values). The differences in the consumption values between the two groups were analyzed. Results: A total of 14 factors were extracted for the five consumption values and 9 factors among them (convenience, healthiness, and taste in functional values; health-conscious people, young, busy, obese people, low class, and budget restricted people in social values; guilt in emotional values; accidental situations in conditional values) showed significant differences between the two groups. The Low group had a higher perception of the factor of healthiness (P < 0.001) than the High group. The High group had a relatively higher perception of the factors of convenience (P < 0.001), taste (P < 0.001), and guilt (P < 0.001). In addition, the High group perceived the social values of fast foods more negatively. The High group consumed fast foods less frequently than the Low group and perceived their health status and healthiness of eating habits more positively. Conclusions: The results reveal that the health consciousness level significantly influences consumption value perceptions about fast foods in American consumers. Policymakers and marketers can develop effective strategies based on the results of this study.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 2021

Objectives: This study sought to assess the prevalence and duration of weight-control or health functional food use, associated weight-control behavior, perception, and knowledge among university students. Methods: The subjects were 442 university students in Cheonju, Korea, and data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Both χ2 and t-tests were conducted for categorical and mean comparisons. Results: An estimated 62.7% (female 69.0%, male 54.8%) had ever attempted weight-control. Among these, an estimated 59.2% of females and 38.9% of males had used weight-control or health functional foods with significant gender difference. The weight-control foods commonly used included chicken breast, protein powder, low-fat milk and soymilk, and meal replacement drinks, while garcinia cambogia extract and green tea extract were frequently used as health functional foods. One of 10 (10.3%) consumers of weight-control foods reported ≥ 7 months use, with less frequent long-term consumption of health functional foods (4.2%). The average degree of satisfaction was 3.24 ± 0.92 for weight-control foods and 2.72 ± 0.97 for health functional foods on a 5-point scale, meaning 'slightly satisfied' and 'slightly dissatisfied', respectively. Females or students with an experience of weight-control reported poorer perceptions of their health and body image as well as a higher need for weight control. Besides, both male and female subjects felt a high need for correct information regarding weight-control methods. Conclusions: Our results provide a better understanding of the characteristics associated with the use of weight-control or health functional foods among university students and will be useful in developing a nutrition education program by incorporating correct body image, knowledge, and practical yet desirable practices for weight control.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.202-207
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• 2019

The objective of this study was to analyze labeling improvements and evaluate willingness to pay for health functional foods with a focus on the caution for intake. For this study, we conducted a survey on health functional food intake behavior, confirmation and improvements of cautions for intake. We assessed the willingness to pay for improvement of the caution for intake. Consumers anticipate improved immune function, and fatigue improvement after consumption of health functional foods. They mainly checked the function components related to efficacy and effectiveness, ingredients and their contents, ingestion amount and method, expiry date and best mode of storage, product name, and cautions associated with ingestion of health functional foods. They has been difficulties in obtaining sufficient caution information for intake from the current labeling method. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the labeling of caution for intake. The analysis indicated that about 5.14% of the respondents were willing to pay more if new labeling was introduces. However, there is still controversy over their safety, which is damaging to the consumers. Therefore, by providing consumers with accurate and detailed information on cautions for intake, it can contribute to securing safety and improving the quality of health functional foods.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2022

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the experience and perception among adult women regarding weight control and the consumption of weight-control foods or health functional foods based on their body mass index (BMI). Methods: The subjects were 634 adult women from the Chungcheong province, Korea, and data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from July 2021 through September 2021. The subjects were divided into four groups based on their BMI status: underweight (< 18.5 kg/m², 7.6%), normal weight (18.5 ~ 22.9 kg/m², 53.3%), overweight (23 ~ 24.9 kg/m², 19.7%), and obese (≥ 25 kg/m², 19.4%). Results: Over the past 3 years, almost two-thirds (68.6%) of the adult women had tried weight control measures, despite the fact that a significant proportion of them were normal or underweight. More importantly, 57.6% of subjects reported the consumption of weight-control foods, with a lower proportion in the underweight (35.4%) group compared to the normal (56.2%), overweight (62.4%), and obese (65.0%) groups. The food items used for weight control were mostly salads, chicken breasts, low fat (soy) milk, slimming tea, protein shakes, low-calorie cereals, and energy/protein bars among others. In addition, one-third (31.1%) of the subjects reported the use of health functional foods containing ingredients for fat reduction. A significantly higher proportion of these was from the overweight (36.0%) and obese (38.2%) groups compared to the underweight (20.8%) and normal weight (28.1%) groups. Products containing Garcinia cambogia extract, green tea, or Cissus extract, were popular among users. Subjects who were obese had a poorer perception of their health and body. Most subjects felt the need for correct information regarding weight control, but this number was significantly more in the higher BMI groups. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the use of weight-control foods or health functional foods is popular among adult women, especially those who are obese. Thus, nutrition education courses covering facts about weight control and practice need to be developed and provided based on the BMI status of subjects.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.539-548
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• 2006

In recent years a concern of excessive intakes of vitamins and minerals from various sources is increasing, since there has been a marked increase in production and consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements and fortified foods. The purpose of this study was to assess the maximum exposure of vitamins and minerals from various sources including diet, fortified foods, and health functional foods among Koreans. As a result, the highest exposure group of most vitamins and minerals from diet was adults (30 - 49 years of age) according to 2001 Korean National Nutrition and Health Survey Report. Maximum dietary intakes of vitamin A, $B_1,\;B_2$, C, nicotinamide, calcium, phosphorus and iron were 0.5 - 7 times of the RDA for Koreans, 7th ed. Maximum intakes of vitamins and minerals from fortified foods by adults (20 - 59 years of age) were 8 - 760% of the Korean RDA. In addition, maximum exposure of vitamins and minerals from vitamin mineral health functional foods by middle aged people was 35 - 140% of the upper limits (UL: DRI for Koreans). As a consequence, maximum combined intakes of vitamin $B_6$, vitamin C, calcium, iron and zinc from the above sources including diet, fortified foods and vitamin mineral health functional foods were greater than the UL. These results would be applied for determining the safe upper limits of vitamin and mineral of health functional foods.