• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2009

African Americans in the United States suffer from many health disparities such as obesity, diabetes or hypertension. Lifestyle factors including diet and physical activity play an important role in prevention of these health conditions. The purpose of this research project was to assess beliefs, barriers and self-efficacy of eating a healthy diet and self efficacy of shopping for foods such as whole grains or foods designated as low fat or low sodium. Additionally, the objective was to assess beliefs about healthfulness, appropriate consumption, and protective aspect of specific foods including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The assessment was done using a survey instrument developed for this study. Data collection took place at two church locations. Data were obtained from 57 African Americans, mean age 50 years old (SD 12.70) completed the survey. The majority of respondents (58.1%) were females and most (75%) had at least some college education. Generally, benefits of eating healthy foods received considerably higher scores compared to barriers of eating healthy. A belief that healthy foods would help to take care of one's body received the highest mean score while a belief that healthy foods are too expensive had the highest score from all barriers. The results showed high self-efficacy of eating and purchasing healthy foods, high awareness of knowledge regarding foods associated with disease prevention but low awareness of recommendations for fruits and vegetables. The high scores for benefits, self-efficacy and knowledge regarding eating healthy foods did not translate into the perception of intake of such foods. Most participants believed that they do not eat enough of healthy foods. Interventions design to help African Americans make dietary changes should be culturally relevant and should involved working on a community level utilizing messages that are familiar and relevant to African Americans.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.233-241
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• 2013

There are limited data on healthy dietary patterns protective against metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) development. We identified dietary patterns among middle-aged and older adults and investigated the associations with the incidence of MetSyn. A population-based prospective cohort study included 5,251 male and female Koreans aged 40-69 years. At baseline, all individuals were free of MetSyn, other major metabolic diseases, and known cardiovascular disease or cancer. Cases of MetSyn were ascertained over a 6-year of follow-up. Dietary patterns and their factor scores were generated by factor analysis using the data of a food frequency questionnaire. We performed pooled logistic regression analysis to estimate multivariable-adjusted relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for associations between factor scores and MetSyn risk. Two dietary patterns were identified; (1) a healthy dietary pattern, which included a variety of foods such as fish, seafood, vegetables, seaweed, protein foods, fruits, dairy products, and grains; and (2) an unhealthy dietary pattern, which included a limited number of food items. After controlling for confounding factors, factor scores for the healthy dietary pattern were inversely associated with MetSyn risk (P-value for trend < 0.05) while those for the unhealthy dietary pattern had no association. Individuals in the top quintile of the healthy diet scores showed a multivariable-adjusted RR [95% CI] of 0.76 [0.60-0.97] for MetSyn risk compared with those in the bottom quintile. The beneficial effects were derived from inverse associations with abdominal obesity, low HDL-cholesterol levels, and high fasting glucose levels. Our findings suggest that a variety of healthy food choices is recommended to prevent MetSyn.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.439-452
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• 2008

This study was conducted to identify major dietary patterns of generally healthy Korean middle-aged women and to examine associations of the dietary patterns with socio-demographic, psychological, and physical characteristics. Data were drawn from the 2001 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), which is an ongoing national surveillance system. Healthy female subjects aged 40-64 years and provided the health interview examination and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data were included. We conducted factor analysis based on daily mean intake frequency of 26 food groups and identified 3 major dietary patterns, healthy, convenient, and alcohol-animal. The healthy pattern was characterized by higher intakes of fish, seafood, poultry, mushroom, seaweed, vegetable, tomato, potato, and fruit, the convenient pattern by processed meat and fish, ramen, noodle and rice cake, sweet snack, egg, bread, and fast food, and the alcohol-animal pattern by alcohol, poultry, meat, and fish. The healthy pattern was significantly related with higher socio-economic status, more stable family structure, healthier mentality, and sounder status of anthropometric and biochemical variables. Those with higher factor scores for the convenience pattern were found to be younger and having higher socio-economic status, higher subjective levels of health, and lower subjective levels of worry on health. Several physical characteristics significantly improved as the levels of the convenience pattern increased. The alcohol-animal pattern was significantly associated with several socio-demographic characteristics including a low education level, a young age, a small family size, and blue-collar jobs. Public health policy makers can utilize the study findings to select prior target populations with higher needs and to tailor dietary behavioral messages to lower chronic disease risks among Korean middle-aged women.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.226-233
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the current status and to suggest future directions for health management of teenagers who use healthy school tuck shops to improve teenagers' eating habits while reducing and preventing obesity. Methods: A total of 29 students (16 middle school students and 13 high school students) took part in the interview for this study, and the interview was conducted for each school's focus group by using qualitative research methodology. Results: The current status of using healthy school tuck shops and suggested future directions were divided into two categories. Personal barriers such as discrepancies between personal perceptions and behaviors and lack of food choice suitable to individual tastes can be solved by rebuilding the operating system to provide intuitive promotion of behavior and customized products through improvements in existing products and new product development. A lack of consistent management from low utilization convenience and difficulty in maintaining a constant purchase price can be handled by establishing a solution to restricted physical access for products, as well as seeking profit by improving distribution costs via continuous cooperation between the school and community. Conclusions: Continuous funding and a system that reflects the needs and preferences of healthy school tuck shop users should be applied for sustainable operation of healthy school tuck shops to improve teenagers' eating habits.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2002

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.507-518
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• 2013

This study aims to investigate the usage of school tuck-shops by students and the desire for healthy tuck-shop according to the frequency of snack. From April 4 to April 13, 2012, a survey was conducted on 348 2nd grade high school students from six high schools in Daejeon Metropolitan City. The snack frequency in school tuck-shops was divided into 3 groups: 2 times a week or less(lower snack group), 3~4 times a week(middle snack group), 5 times a week and above(upper snack group). Out of total subjects, lower snack group was 41.4%, middle snack group 21.8% and upper snack group 36.8%. The upper snack group showed more in male students and more in the students with monthly pocket money more than 50,000 won and more expense per snack. The main reason for taking snacks was hunger at approximate 70% of total subjects, however, no difference was found in reasons by frequency of snack. About 90% of total subjects wanted healthy tuck-shop in school, but upper snack group showed less percentage and less care for healthy snacks. This result suggests that under the circumstance that most of high school students take snacks for relieving themselves from hunger at schools, it is desired to run healthy school tuck-shops in Daejeon Metropolitan, dealing with healthy snacks of balanced nutrition at resonable prices and to implement nutrition education programs especially for high frequent snack takers.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.551-558
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• 2012

The purpose of this research was to investigate how university students' nutrition beliefs influence their health behavioral intention. This study used an online survey engine (Qulatrics.com) to collect data from college students. Out of 253 questionnaires collected, 251 questionnaires (99.2%) were used for the statistical analysis. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) revealed that six dimensions, "Nutrition Confidence," "Susceptibility," "Severity," "Barrier," "Benefit," "Behavioral Intention to Eat Healthy Food," and "Behavioral Intention to do Physical Activity," had construct validity; Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliabilities were tested for item reliability. The results validate that objective nutrition knowledge was a good predictor of college students' nutrition confidence. The results also clearly showed that two direct measures were significant predictors of behavioral intentions as hypothesized. Perceived benefit of eating healthy food and perceived barrier for eat healthy food to had significant effects on Behavioral Intentions and was a valid measurement to use to determine Behavioral Intentions. These findings can enhance the extant literature on the universal applicability of the model and serve as useful references for further investigations of the validity of the model within other health care or foodservice settings and for other health behavioral categories.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.515-524
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• 2009

This study was a preliminary investigation of healthy breads in the domestic bakery industry and examined conditions for consumer purchases. The analyzed data will be used for future product improvements within for the domestic bakery market. The key results were as follows: First, the subjects' choosing of healthy breads was 'Usually' (34.1%) and women were more knowledgeable about healthy breads than men. About 31.2% of the subjects responded 'Do not know well', but 98% had clear purchase intentions and showed positive acclaims for healthy breads. Second, the ranking of selection factors that subjects considered when buying healthy breads was 'curiosity>taste>safety>health>price>diet>employee representation> brand'. Women (3.89) had more sensitive reactions than men (3.47) to the 'Diet' variable, and there were statistical differences in 'Health', 'Taste', and 'Employee explanation' (p<0.05, p<0.001). Finally, highly educated considered brand more (3.87).

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.849-857
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate 5th grade elementary school girls' effort to recognize and use nutritional labels on processed foods and restaurant meals to encourage dietary behavior. The subjects (n=976) were divided into three groups (effort group, n=711; normal group, n=193; and no-effort group, n=72) depending on level of effort for the healthy dietary behavior such as eating balanced meals, eating three meals regularly, and eating meals slowly. In the effort group, the frequency of food intake for breads, ramen, noodles and fast foods was significantly lower, while frequency of food intake for fruits and vegetables and salad was significantly higher than in the other two groups. In the effort group, the ratio of the respondents that perception of nutrition labeling on processed foods and restaurant meals was 80.5% and 31.4% and the ratio of girls who checked the nutrition labeling at their point of purchase was 71.1% and 24.7%, respectively. Reasons given for not reading nutrition labeling for restaurant meals were 'not interested' for 34.6% of the effort group, and 52.2% of the no-effort group. Therefore, it is necessary to create an educational program on healthy dietary behavior, including how to read nutrition labeling and establishment of proper body image perception for elementary school girls.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.497-511
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• 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a school-centered healthy eating environment for children in elementary care classrooms and prevent incorrect eating habits and obesity through the development and application of standardized healthy eating habit-forming educational materials. Methods: Ten schools in eight districts of Gyeonggi-do and 400 students from 19 care classes were selected. Based on the developed educational materials, the program was applied to students once in two weeks. 'Notices for Parents' forms were also sent to the students' home to educate their parents. Pre and post-surveys were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the education. The pre-education, education, and aftercare were conducted from September 28 to September 31, 2016, from October 3 to November 30, 2016, and from December 5 to December 9, 2016, respectively. Results: The healthy eating program for elementary care classes was designed to develop a school-centered healthy eating environment and provide standardized educational material for healthy eating habits. Twelve educational topics were developed: , , , , , , , , , , , and . Moreover, the materials were produced in four forms: for students, for after school caring teachers, for external specialists, and for parents. The effectiveness evaluation was conducted to confirm the application of the program. The average eating habits score was 3.3 ± 0.6, with no significant difference between before and after application. The score of overall satisfaction of the education was 3.9 ± 0.9. The most satisfying content was 'Did you get to know how to eat evenly?'. Significant increases were observed in two contents for parents regarding their children's knowledge changes after the education: 'Five nutrients needed for growing children' and 'Knowing sugar foods and sugar-containing foods'. On the other hand, their educational satisfaction was 3.6 ± 0.6, which was lower than the children's satisfaction. This might be because their education was conducted only through the 'Notices for Parents' form. Conclusions: In the long term, the healthy eating habit-formation education for lower elementary school children is expected to be beneficial. To prevent obesity and establish healthy eating habits of children, it is important to develop healthy eating education programs centered on elementary school aftercare classes, including the development of educational materials and an application system through connection with the home and community.