• Culinary science and hospitality research
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.16-22
• /
• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate that the nutrition labeling use is associated with demographic and psychosocial factors according to each nutrition information on the nutrition labeling in Korean adults. The study subjects (N=1,140) were individuals who were aged 20 years and more and answered on the question of nutrition label use and who participated in the Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES) in 2010.As age older, there was more interest in information such as sugar, protein, fat, cholesterol than calories. In contrast, as age younger, there was more interest intrans-fat, sodium as well as calories. As higher education level, there were more aware of trans-fat, sodium and calories. From the result that the most interested nutrition items were significantly different by democratic factors, we could understand interested nutrient information on the nutrition labels could change according to individual specific education. Therefore, this can also provide basic data for systematic education program by nutrition label use.

• Proceedings of the KSCN Conference
• /
• 1999.05a
• /
• pp.96-96
• /
• 1999

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.417-425
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of nutrition label use and its association with demographic, weight control related factors, and diet among female adults in the Seoul area. Also, the study subjects' comprehension of nutrition labels was examined using objective measures. 279 females, between ages of 20 and 49, participated in this study. 66% of the participants reported to always or often use nutrition labels when purchasing foods. Nutrition label use was significantly higher among participants who were interested in losing weight and have more knowledge on nutrition, but significantly lower among subjects who were underweight (p < 0.05). Label users had higher fruit consumption and lower intake of fatty foods and snacks (p < 0.01). Only 20% of participants answered correctly regarding questions about the total amount of calories and fats contained in the entire food package tested, and only 15% answered correctly on questions about understanding of the % daily value. Comprehension of nutrition labels were significantly lower among participants who were less educated, underweight, and married (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our study suggests that proper use of nutrition labels may improve food choices and enable healthy dietary practices. Further efforts are needed to provide public a nutrition education program on how to read nutrition labels. Modifications of nutrition labels to make it easier to understand by the public should also be considered.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
• /
• v.22 no.8
• /
• pp.172-181
• /
• 2016

This study evaluated the satisfaction and healthy eating index of nutrition-plus program providing nutritional supplements to pregnancy, lactating women, infant and children. This program was carried out at Public Healthcare Center, Seodaemun-gu in Seoul from February 2014 to June 2014. The subject selected among applicants for low income family financing of the government included 159 subjects. There was no statistically significant difference for degree of satisfaction with supplementary food by age, but the degree tends to get higher at lower age. Degree of satisfaction with supplementary food by the duration for participation was shown higher as the duration gets longer. For questions of 'Do you check nutrition label?' and 'Do you preserve food as described at food label?' in healthy eating index evaluation, the scores appeared higher at younger age group as they check the nutrition label more. Also as the duration for participation gets longer, the scores appeared higher which can be interpreted as effect of nutrition education from Nutrition-Plus. Frequency of having breakfast gets lower at higher age of subjects. And it gets higher as the duration for participation gets longer even though that there's no difference between '3 to 4 months' and '5 to 8 months' of the duration of participation. For evaluation of food security in recent 1 year, 86.8% of subjects responded 'Food sufficiency' and 'Enough but not always the kinds of food we want', and there is no difference by age and the duration of participation. As a result of this research, it is shown that the subjects of nutrition support project are relatively satisfied with the support. And healthy eating index gets improved as the duration of participation gets longer which can be considered as effect of nutrition education. It seems to be necessary to keep nutrition education as well as food support so to perform food life education on appropriate purchase and consumption of food.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.519-533
• /
• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate the nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and dietary habits of girl's high school students in Kunsan, and to investigate their recognition of food-nutrition labeling. The results are summarized as follows. General nutrition knowledge is relatively low, with an average of 0.57. It was shown that high school female students skipped breakfast rather than lunch or dinner, with a skipping rate of 28.9% for breakfast, 0.7% for lunch, and 8.6% for dinner. Regarding snacks, 35.5% of all the surveyed students had 1 snack per day, with 31.9% having them between lunch and dinner. The most popular snacks include biscuits (22.3%), noodles (18.3%) and bakery (13.3%). The most popular response was that students 'sometimes checked' the food label of processed domestic and imported processed food. The level of satisfaction with food labels is moderate, with an average of 2.96, out of 5. The most satisfactory title about food labels was 'helpful for food selection' with 3.19. On the other hand, the least satisfactory title was 'understands the label' with 2.78. Regarding the identification of the nutrition labeling, the highest response was 'sometimes watched, sometimes not' with 40.5%. Products which were most often checked were milk/milk products (3.44), snacks/bread (3.33), and soft drinks (3.07). Among nutrition labeling items, total calories was the most important, followed by fat, carbohydrate, cholesterol and calcium. The question regarding the knowledge of nutrition labeling rated an average of 0.58 (out of 1). There was a significant positive correlation between the degree of the nutrition label verification and the dietary attitude score, along with the nutrition labeling knowledge and the nutrition knowledge score of the subjects. On the other hand, the degree of the nutrition label verification and the knowledge on nutrition labeling had a significant negative correlation. Hence, it is of the opinion that education on properly reading nutrient information is necessary to enable adolescents to apply that in real life. Furthermore, labeling nutritional information on processed fred through a more comprehensive method is deemed necessary as a supporting measure.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.220-230
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumer preferred formats of nutrition labels: the type of nutritional information provided on the labels. A survey was conducted on 222 housewives between the age of 20 and 65 in Daejeon city in 1998, using an interview questionnaire showing illustrated nutritional label formats. Among twelve nutrients and caloric values listed on the nutrition labels, the housewives ranked their interest in the items in the following order of calorie (58.56%), calcium (56.76%), cholesterol (54.05%), protein (39.19%) and vitamin C (36.04%). The majority of the subjects (69.37%) checked labels when they bought milk or dairy products, whereas only 8.11% looked at labels when they bought Ramyon or noodles. Most of the subjects (90.99%) preferred products with labels with nutritional information as compared with products without labels. this was especially so true of the younger individuals and of pc-ople who checked food labels more frequently. The subjects preferred labeling which described the nutrient content per Package (55.41%), sewing size (32.88%) and food weight of 1009 (11.71%) as a standard nit. Generally, they prefer-red a simplified list to a detailed list of the number of nutrients, a figure graph to bar graph in nutrition claim, vertical bar graph to horizontal bar graph showing the nutritional content of foods and a web-type graphic format to a radiation-format when describing the item's percentage of the Korean RDA's nutrient content. The subjects who checked labels frequently especially preferred detailed list, while housewives with job or with unhealthy family members preferred a simplified list and graphic, rather than a numerical display. From this result, it is suggested that providing consumers with more nutrients information in a more easily understood graphic format would encourage the consumers to check nutritional labels. Therefore this should be considered when developing the regulations far nutrition labeling or when educating the Public about nutrition. (Korean J Community Nutrition 8(2) : 220∼230, 2003)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.41 no.8
• /
• pp.839-850
• /
• 2008

This study describes the demographic and diet-related psychosocial correlates of nutrition label use, and examines the relationship between label use and diet. Self-reported dada from a population-based cross-sectional survey of 2073 Korean women aged 20 to 60 years were collected to identify demographic and health-related characteristics, belief on diet-disease relationship, awareness on importance of healthy eating practice and diet quality associated with label use. Label users, who are in the stage of action and maintenance (31.6%), were more likely to have belief on nutrient-disease relationship (in sodium, cholesterol, sugar and trans fat) and were more likely to have higher awareness of the importance of healthy eating practice compared with label nonusers, who are in the stage of precontemplation, contemplation and preparation. Label users were more likely to have higher dietary quality compared with label nonusers [odds ratio (OR) = 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.66, 2.44](P < 0.001). Also, label use appeared to be associated with the consumption of diets that were higher vegetables and fruits, and lower in cholesterol. The findings of this study suggests that reading nutrition labels on food packages may improve food choices and enable healthful dietary practices.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.164-173
• /
• 2008

The objectives of this study were to determine the preferences and consideration factors for selecting processed foods, in middle school students as well as their perceptions on food and nutrition labeling student. Middle school students in the Seoul area were surveyed from October to November, 2006. The results are summarized as follows: the preferred processed foods included 'drinks' (3.85), 'noodles' (3.81), 'biscuits and bread' (3.80), 'milk and dairy products' (3.71), and 'meat and meat products' (3.60). The most important consideration factors in selecting processed foods were 'expiration date' (4.45), 'taste' (4.34), and 'price' (4.08). The two main reasons for eating processed foods were 'delicious' (43.1%) and 'convenient' (33.9%). Food labels were identified 'sometimes' (34.5%), 'rarely' (31.2%), and 'almost never' (18.6%). The primary reason for examining a food label was 'to confirm the expiration date' (52.6%). The main reason for not reviewing a food's label was 'habitual purchase' (57.8%). Nutrition labels were identified 'rarely' (33.4%), 'almost never' (24.7%), and 'sometimes' (23.5%). The reasons for examining nutrition labels included 'to confirm a high proportion of nutritive substances' (26.5%), 'boredom' (24.2%), 'for weight control' (23.5%), and 'to improve health' (18.1%). The main reason for not examining a food's nutrition label was 'not interested' (56.5%).

• Nutritional Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.55-62
• /
• 2001

Consumers'frequent use of micronutrient supplements has caused concerns o possible overdoses and prompted the view that the appropriate provision of nutrition information on such supplements is needed. In this study the nutrition information on vitamin-mineral supplements in Korea was evaluated based on the labels on the supplements. Consumers'use, reliance on and demand for nutrition information were examined by self-administered questionnaire. Subjects were 1,203 middle-aged housewives. Under examination were 141 multinutrient products (86.6%) and single nutrient products (13.4%). Various names and units were used for the same nutrient and the labels were not informative to consumers. The mode of nutrients contents in the supplements were several fold of RDA though not in the range of toxicity. %RDA value was seldom shown on the label. Currently these supplements are classified as general drugs in Korea so they are not subject to regulations on nutrition labeling. Half of the subjects read the nutrient content list but two-thirds of them did not understand the information. Numerous health claims related to diseases were listed on the label and more than half of the subjects read them and one-third believed those health claims. These results indicate the need for an appropriate format for nutrition information on vitamin-mineral supplements.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.533-543
• /
• 2009

The objective of this study was to compare the differences of opinion, purchasing behavior, and recognition of food labeling and nutrition labeling of frozen processed food between employees and non-employees in the frozen food industry. The results of this survey study showed that the group working in the frozen food industry had a positive opinion of frozen processed food compared to the non-employee group who was not working in the food industry. The main reason for the positive opinion of frozen processed food was because it was convenient and easy to prepare while the main concern with consuming frozen processed food was that it was bad for one's health. The most popular menu was western style. Sixty one percent of employees in the frozen food industry preferred the microwave-cooking method, while only 37.9% of non-employees preferred the microwave-cooking method followed by cooking in boiling water (27.6%). There was a significant (p<0.001) difference in the preference of cooking method between these two groups. Most of the respondents considered 'taste' as the most important factor and 32.9% of the respondents selected 'sanitation/health' as the most serious concern for the consumption of frozen processed food. Both groups checked the food & nutrition label to verify the expiration date and the presence of food additives. The non-employee group recognized the need for nutritional information on total calorie, carbohydrate, protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, minerals, vitamins, sodium, and fiber on the nutrition label of frozen processed food.