• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.173-186
• /
• 1996

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumers' utilization and satisfaction of the current food labeling system, their awareness of the nutrition labeling and its necessity, and their acceptance of the future enforcement of nutrition labeling. Questionnaires were distributed to 500 adult female consumers in Northern area of Kyonggi-do. Out of 402 questionnaires collected 358(89.1%) were analyzed using SAS computer program. The findings of this study were as follow: First, in the aspects of consumers' utilization and satisfaction of the current food labeling system, although they payed much attention to the food labels when they purchased food goods, the degree of their satisfaction in food labels was low. Among items in food labels they payed more attention to the expiration date, the date of production, and the name of manufacturer. However, the current food labeling system does not offer sufficient and reliable informations to consumers. Second, in the awareness of nutrition labeling and its necessity, majority of consumers appeared not to have seen the nutrition labeling in food products either domestic or imported. However, 93% of respondents answered that nutrition labeling is necessary. Third, in terms of the consumers' acceptance of enforcement of nutrition labeling, they were affirmative in bearing the increased costs, and their expectation to the beneficial effects of enforcement of nutrition labeling was stronger than worrying about the disadvantages or side effects of it.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.282-290
• /
• 2011

This study was performed to investigate the level and recognition and interest in nutrition labeling in restaurants according to consumer interest levels in health and to suggest its application to restaurant lunches. By considering various statistics and data on the frequency of reasons for dining-out, this study examined worker restaurant lunches and investigated the level of recognition of interest in nutrition labeling, the type of nutrition information that is of interest and the preferred format of labeling according to the level of interest in health. According to the results, while the frequency of dining-out by workers was high, their consideration for health and nutrition labeling in restaurants was low. However, a high percentage of consumers responded that nutrition labeling was a customer right and necessary to improve the quality of menu items as well as public health. Therefore, active promotion of nutrition labeling in the dining industry is necessary. Interest levels in additives, product origin and menu ingredients indicated in restaurant menus were higher than for nutritional information such as nutrients and calories. When the preferred format for providing nutrition information was investigated, consumers preferred information written on a menu board, and they wanted to broaden the range of information included in nutrition labeling for menu items beyond calories and nutritional facts. Based on these results, recognition of nutrition labeling in restaurants was found to below and the interest level in health was also lower than expected. However, most consumers responded that nutrition labeling was helpful in choosing menu items can be a tool for nutrition education and can play a role in improving the recognition of nutrition. Therefore, active promotion of nutrition labeling by the dining industry is necessary.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.54-63
• /
• 2004

This study was accomplished to investigate the recognition and the using practices about food-nutrition labeling system of 20's consumers. Two hundred and fifty-four man and women were examined using the questionnaire. The results were as follows. 1. The degree of recognition of subjects about food-nutrition labeling system was low (43.3％) and the using practices were even lower (18.1％). 2. The items considered as important were in the order of shelf life, manufactured date and cost. 3. The confidence score to the food-nutrition labeling system of consumers was 3.2 and was higher in the females compared to males. 4. The preferred method of food-nutrition labeling was in the order of picture and graphic type method, table type method and descriptive type method. 5. The expected effects of the current food-nutrition labeling system were easy to select foods for the prevention of the adult diseases and diet therapy. From these results, we might propose the conclusion as follows: Food-nutrition labeling system might be a good source of nutrition information and the consumers'demand for disease-prevention and dietary purpose. Therefore, the agencies concerned should make an every effort for the successful implementation of food-nutrition labeling system.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.361-370
• /
• 2001

This survey was conducted to evaluate with 457 health professionals from July, 1999 to September, 1999 the awareness of and satisfaction with the nutrition labeling system in Korea and to determine a desirable labeling system. Professors of food and nutrition and nutrition researchers in the food industry had the hightest scores on awareness of the nutrition labeling system(75.6% and 73.4%, respectively), which was significantly different from each other by occupation(p < 0.01). Frequently checked labeling information were expiration date, production date, price, and company respectively. Special nutrient food producers(56.9%), dietitians(49.3%), nurses(48.1%), researchers(42.3%) answered moderately on satisfaction with nutrition information for products, which was statistically significant(p < 0.01). This suggests that health professionals were unsatisfied with the present nutrition labeling system. In nutrition focusing statements, nutrient content claims, health claims, and working periods were significantly related with nutrition focusing statements and health claims, but not with nutrient content claims : the subject who had been working for more than 10 years and less than 5 years had positive thoughts or those matters while the subjects whose working periods were between 10 and 5 years had the lowest score. The most desirable labeling units were serving size(65.1%). Ninety two percent of the subjects wanted absolute nutrient contents in food and their percentage of the KRDA. Eight nine percent of health professionals agreed that the health claims should be used only with scientific approval by the government or food research institutions. Only 4.4% of subjects were satisfied with current regulations of health claims(p < 0.001). More studies regarding labeling units, their range and nutrient reference values are needed. The opinions of health professionals in nutrition labeling system should discussed to establish a desirable nutrition labeling system.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.616-628
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to monitor the current nutrition labeling practice on the packaging of the processed foods providing consumers with reliable nutrition information, which has been considered as a useful aid for food selection and a potent educational tool for nutrition in a daily life. The 2,214 processed foods purchased at the a wholesale market in July, 2003, were divided by food categories issued from the 2003 food codes and assessed in the terms of the nutrition composition labeling and nutrition claims. Nutrition composition labeling was found on 533 out of the 2,214 processed foods items. The findings of this study were as follows : Milk and dairy products had 66.4% of nutrition composition labeling, which was the largest percentage among the food categories. Tables format (71.3%) is the most widely used type of nutrition labeling. The title of nutrition composition labeling used the most widely was nutrition composition (71.3%). Nutrition composition included many different ways of expression, such as a table of nutrition composition, and indication of nutrition composition, etc. The expression unit of the nutrition composition labeling was use per 100g or 100mL (40.5%). The processed foods with nutrition claims were 18.0% (399 items). Nutrition claims were divided into two categories: nutrient content claims and nutrient comparative claims. The most frequently used nutrient content claims were contained (43.9%) and more or plus in the nutrient comparative claims (16.0%). Ca was the most popular item as a nutrition claim nutrient (33.6%).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.373-380
• /
• 2023

In this study, 294 housewives in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do, were surveyed to evaluate the differences in the recognition and use of nutrition labeling according to age and to present data for nutrition education. The younger the age, the more aware the consumer was of the information on the nutrition label. Housewives who were younger than 60 years were more likely to check the nutrition labels. The lower the age, the higher the reliance on the nutritional labeling content of the food, and the higher the recognition level of nutritional labeling. It was found that the lower the age, the easier it was for the consumer to understand the nutritional labeling. Among housewives in their 30s and younger, 89.5 percent said they believed checking nutrition labels would help their health. In the younger age group knowledge and information on nutrition labeling was acquired from the internet, and in the older age group, knowledge was acquired from television, radio, and newspapers. Research conducted on housewives in other regions in the future could provide more detailed information suitable for the population of each region. This would serve as data for nutrition education on the recognition and use of nutrition labeling for a healthy diet.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.544-551
• /
• 2014

This study investigated customer perception of nutrition labeling at fast-food restaurants in Korea. Five hundred and fourteen customers with previous experience at fast-food restaurants were surveyed in July 2012 in Korea. A total of 502 completed questionnaires were analyzed (98.0%). The questionnaires asked about the general characteristics of the subjects, their perceptions and opinions of nutrition labeling at fast-food restaurants, any nutrients they would like to see included in nutrition labels, and their preferred nutrition labeling methods at fast-food restaurants. Of the respondents, 59.4% were male and 40.6% were female; 42.4% indicated that they eat at fast-food restaurants two to three times a month. Half of respondents (54.2%) knew of nutrition labeling of fast-food restaurants, with females being more aware than males. Males trusted nutrition labeling at fast-food restaurants more than females did, and more males than females responded that nutrition labeling helps when selecting healthy menu items. As for satisfaction with nutrition labeling at fast-food restaurants, males were more satisfied than females, and customers between 30 and 39 years old showed the highest rates of satisfaction. Calories was the criterion that most respondents (66.3%) wished to pre-displayed, followed by sodium and trans fat levels. Respondents mostly preferred nutrition labels at fast-food restaurants to be in the form of symbolic icons (36.5%). The results of this study can help shape the application of nutrition labeling at fast-food restaurants and can be used to help establish guidelines for nutritional education for customers in Korea.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.150-158
• /
• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between knowledge of nutrition labeling and the effect on eating habits with 300 high school boys in Seoul. The subjects were divided into an underweight (UW) group (BMI < $18.5kg/m^2$, n = 42), a normal weight (NW) group ($18.5kg/m^2\;{\leq}\;BMI\;<\;23kg/m^2$, n = 129) and an overweight (OW) group (BMI ${\geq}\;23kg/m^2$, n = 79) based on their body mass index (BMI). The average age of participants was 17.8 years old and their mean height and weight were 174.9 cm and 66.5 kg. The mean BMI of subjects was $21.7kg/m^2$ which fell within the normal range. Seventy six point four percent of subjects perceived nutrition labeling and they acquired the information pertaining to it through TV and internet. The UW group and the OW group obtained it from their parents, relatives and friends, while NW group acquired it from school. There were significant differences among groups in the acquired source of the information on nutrition labeling (p < 0.05). The NW group and the OW group trusted nutrition labeling more than the UW group, but there were no significant differences among them. Forty five point five percent of the UW group and 40.7% the NW group were satisfied with nutrition labeling education, while only 15.8% of the OW group did it. The OW group checked nutrition labeling more than the UW group and the NW group at the point of food purchase. The primary reason for examining nutrition labeling was 'to check nutrient contents' in the UW group and the NW group, while the OW group examined it to improve health including regulation of body weight. There were significant differences among groups with regards to the reason for examining nutrition labeling (p < 0.001). The OW group was aware that nutrition labeling affected their eating ha-bits significantly more than the other groups (p < 0.05). Therefore, application-centered education on nutrition labeling and the strong support of the government is needed in order to improve nutrition labeling use and to apply the information from nutrition labeling into student dietary life.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.116-127
• /
• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the coverage of the current mandatory nutrition labeling system on the nutrient intake of Koreans. Methods: KNHANES dietary intake data (2013) of 7,242 subjects were used in the analysis. KNHANES dietary intake data were collected by a 24-hour recall method by trained dietitians. For analysis, all food items consumed by the subjects were classified into two groups (foods with mandatory labeling and other foods). In the next step, all food items were reclassified into four groups according to the food type and nutrition labeling regulations: raw material food, processed food of raw material characteristics, processed foods without mandatory labeling, and processed foods with mandatory labeling. The intake of energy and five nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat, saturated fat, and sodium) of subjects from each food group were analyzed to determine the coverage of the mandatory nutrition labeling system among the total nutrient intake of Koreans. Results: The average intake of foods with mandatory labeling were 384g/day, which was approximately one quarter of the total daily food intake (1,544 g/day). The proportion of energy and five nutrients intake from foods with mandatory labeling was 18.1%~47.4%. The average food intake from the 4 food groups were 745 g/day (48.3%) for the raw food materials, 54 g/day (3.5%) for the processed food of raw material characteristics, 391 g/day (25.3%) for the processed foods without mandatory labeling, and 354 g/day (22.9%) for the processed foods with mandatory labeling. Conclusions: Although nutrition labeling is a useful tool for providing nutritional information to consumers, the coverage of current mandatory nutrition labeling system on daily nutrient intake of the Korean population is not high. To encourage informed choices and improve healthy eating habits of the Korean population, the nutrition labeling system should be expanded to include more food items and foodservice menus.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.149-161
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study was to compare nutrition labeling use according to the gender and obesity degree of adolescents to help choose the healthy foods and improve dietary habits. This study surveyed the perception and use of nutrition labeling among 392 male and female high school students in Chungnam. It was found that 34.7% of the subjects read the nutrition labels, mostly for health reason. Calorie content was read the most among all components of nutrition labels regardless of gender or body mass index (BMI) status, especially among female students. Perception of nutrition labeling was 3.3 out of 5 points for all students, and there was no significant difference in scores between male and female students. However, there was a significant difference between the overweight group (3.4 points), normal group (3.3 points), and underweight group (3.1 points) (P<0.05). The frequency of reading nutrition labels by food group was highest for ramen, and lowest for fruits. Female students had significantly higher scores on the use of nutrition labeling for 8 food groups out of 12 groups compared to male students (P<0.05). In addition, the overweight and above group had significantly higher scores on the use of nutrition labeling for snack food and fruits compared to other groups (P<0.05). The proportion of students who received nutrition labeling education was 29.8%, and about half of students answered that such education and advertisement were necessary. These results suggest that nutritional education is needed to promote the use of nutrition labeling in adolescents.