• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.158-168
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• 2014

Objectives: To identify and evaluate the trend of meal-skipping rates among Korean adolescents with their contributing causes and the influence of household income level on meal skipping. Methods: Using 2008, 2010, and 2012 data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey of 222 662 students, a cross-sectional study with subgroup analysis was performed. We calculated odds ratios for skipping each meal 5 or more times in a week by household socio-economic status using a multiple logistic regression model. The secular change in the meal-skipping rates by the students' family affluence scale was analyzed by comparing the meal-skipping students within each subgroup and odds ratios for the same event over time. Results: Through 2008 to 2012, most of the meal-skipping rates generally showed a continuous increase or were almost unchanged in both sexes, except for breakfast skipping in several subgroups. Students in low-income households not living with both parents had the highest meal-skipping rates and odds ratios for frequent meal skipping. In a time-series subgroup analysis, the overall odds ratios for the same event increased during 2008 to 2012, with a slight reduction in the gap between low and higher income levels with regard to meal skipping during 2010 to 2012. Conclusions: Household socio-economic status and several other factors had a significant influence on Korean adolescent meal-skipping rates. Although the gap in eating behavior associated with household socio-economic differences is currently decreasing, further study and appropriate interventions are needed.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2008

We examined dietary habits, food intakes, health status, and school and community life of meal skipping children, and investigated factors predicting meal skipping of children. A sample was composed of 944 children in low-income families who were provided with public meal service. The sample was obtained from the Survey of Meal Service for Poor Children conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2007. Meal skipping was significantly associated with a lower nutrition and health status, and poor school performance of children, as hypothesized. The school age of child, family structure, region, job of caretaker, concern about diet, and the child's visit to welfare center significantly predicted frequency of meal skipping. We suggested a few implications for community practice to reduce meal skipping of children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2022

This study was undertaken to compare meal skipping, snacking, and weight perceptions between students on-campus living alone and off-campus living with parents, in an urban college in the United States. The self-report survey was completed by 219 college students (on-campus=100, off-campus=119) between April and May 2012. Two-thirds (67%) of the respondents skipped at least one meal in the past week, and most participants showed strong desires to lose weight despite their normal/under-weight status. Significant differences between the two groups were obtained for the reason to skip a meal and the type of snack consumed. Compared to on-campus students, significantly higher values were obtained for off-campus students for choosing 'no time to prepare' as a meal skipping reason for lunch and dinner, and 'sweets' as a preferred snack. In addition to the group comparison, multiple regression results indicate that the body mass index (BMI) positively correlates with meal skipping and snacking frequencies. Younger students and female students were determined to have a higher frequency of meal skipping and morning snacking. Future research is required to study the dietary factors associated with living arrangements, to help college students develop healthy eating habits.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2020

Objectives: The frequency of eating out among adolescents seems to be connected to a high rate of skipping breakfast and be interrelated to various nutritional problems. The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary habits of breakfast and eating out and investigate their relationships in male adolescents. Methods: This study conducted a cross-sectional survey. Dietary habits and eating out status were surveyed among 510 male students at a high school in Incheon and compared according to their breakfast skipping and breakfast type. Results: The percentages of subjects in the breakfast skipping group and breakfast group were 41.0% and 59.0%, respectively, and the breakfast group comprised a Korean meal group (74%) and a convenience meal group (26%). In the breakfast skipping group, the percentage of subjects buying and eating snacks due to hunger was 39.7%. Reasons for eating breakfast among subjects who ate breakfast were because parents prepared breakfast (41.9%) and out of habit (31.5%) in the Korean meal group, in contrast to because parents prepared breakfast (36.7%) and due to hunger (29.1%) in the convenience meal group (P < 0.001). Breakfast preparer was mother (91.4%) in the Korean meal group, in contrast to mother (67.1%) and self (20.3%) in the convenience meal group (P < 0.001). A high proportion of the breakfast group woke up at 07~07:30 or 06:30-07, whereas a high proportion of the breakfast skipping group woke up at 07~07:30 or after 07:30, showing a significant difference according to breakfast skipping (P < 0.001). A high proportion of the breakfast group spent 10,000 won (32.5%) a week eating out while a high proportion of the breakfast skipping group spent 20,000 won or more (28.2%), showing a significant difference (P < 0.01). Conclusions: About 40% of male high school students skipped breakfast and consumed snacks as a solution after breakfast skipping. The students who skipped breakfast spent more money on eating out. These results show that breakfast status may be related to eating out. Therefore, practical education on food choice and meal preparation along with regular breakfast instruction is needed in male adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.451-462
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was designed with the goal of understanding the factors affecting the frequency of skipping meals of prime-aged mothers with children as well as their nutritional status. Methods: Utilizing data from the 2010-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey, the frequency of skipping meals of mothers aged between 30 to 49 years with children aged between 3 to 11 years during a two day period was statistically analyzed. The number of meals skipped calculated and categorized into skipping no meals, skipping one meal, skipping two meals or more. Results: Compared to subjects who corresponded to mean nutrient adequacy ratio(MAR) of 4 quartile, subjects who corresponded to MAR of 2 quartile had 2.766 (95% CI: 1.552-4.931) probability of being in the 1 meal skippers group, while the probability of being in the more than 2 meals skippers group was 2.743(95% CI: 1.353-5.564). Also, compared to subjects who corresponded to MAR of 4 quartile, subjects who corresponded to MAR of 1 quartile had 3.471 (95% CI: 1.871-6.442) probability of being in the 1 meal skippers group, while the odds ratio for being in the more than 2 meals skippers group was 5.258(95% CI: 2.642-10.466). Conclusions: The results have the advantage of being generalized because the study selected subjects from probability sampling of the female population of Korea. The research results showed that the elements influencing skipping meals of prime-aged mothers with children were mean nutrient adequacy ratio and the number of nutrients, under estimated average requirement intake, and others. Therefore, to encourage dietary behaviors in the right direction, an integrated approach that considers the associated factors must be realized. Future studies are needed to understand how the frequency of skipping meals of mothers affects their children.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.328-333
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• 2012

This study was performed to investigate the differences in food choice, nutrition labeling perceptions, and prevalence of obesity due to meal skipping in Korean elementary school children. A national survey was performed in 2010 to collect data on food intake frequency, understanding of nutrition labeling, and body mass index from 2,335 fifth grade students in 118 elementary schools selected from 16 metropolitan local governments by stratified cluster sampling. The data were analyzed using the SAS 9.1 and SUDAAN 10.0 packages. Students who consumed three meals for 6-7 days during the past week were classified into the regular meal eating (RM) group (n = 1,476) and those who did not were placed into the meal skipping (MS) group (n = 859). The daily intake frequency of fruits, vegetables, kimchi, and milk was significantly lower in the MS group compared to that in the RM group (P < 0.001), whereas the daily intake frequency of soft drinks and instant noodles (ramyeon) was significantly higher in the MS group than that in the RM group (P < 0.05). The MS group demonstrated a significantly lower degree of understanding with regard to nutrition labeling and high calorie foods containing low nutritional value than that in the RM group. The distribution of obesity based on the percentile criteria using the Korean growth chart was different between the MS and RM groups. The MS group (8.97%) had a higher percentage of obese subjects than that in the RM group (5.38%). In conclusion, meal skipping was related to poor food choice, low perception of nutrition labeling, and a high prevalence of obesity in Korean fifth grade children.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.376-382
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• 2017

Purpose: The consistent rise in the number of foreign students in Korea demands an accurate and detailed investigation into their dietary practices and nutritional status. For these international students, assimilation into new cultures can be stressful. The influence this process may have on dietary behaviors as well as overall health cannot be overlooked. Methods: The researchers in this study sought to investigate the nutritional status and dietary practices of Ghanaian students studying in Korea. A total of 81 Ghanaian male students with an average age of $29.4{\pm}4.0years$ were sampled between May and June 2016. Investigations were carried out on the general characteristics of the participants, their daily food and nutrient intakes using a 24-h dietary recall method, meal skipping practices, and the nutritional quality of their diets based on their meal skipping habits. Results: The study revealed that the daily nutrient intake of subjects did not fully meet the daily recommended nutrient intake (RNI) established by Ghanaian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), particularly for energy, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B2 requirements. The Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR) for calcium was very low, posing a deficiency risk to the participants. Meal skipping practices among participants changed significantly after arriving in Korea. The study also compared the diet quality indicators (Nutrient Adequacy Ratio and Mean Adequacy Ratio) of those who skipped meals ${\geq}7times/week$ with those who skipped meals < 7 times/week. Participants who skipped meals ${\geq}7times/week$ were shown to have lower dietary intakes of vitamins B1 and B2 than those who skipped meals < 7 times/week. Conclusion: Ultimately, the study found that meal skipping among Ghanaian students was common, and their daily nutrient intakes did not meet the set dietary standards. Those who skipped meals ${\geq}7times/week$ had lower dietary intakes of vitamins B1 and B2 than those who skipped meals < 7 times/week. Based on our study findings, we recommend that nutrition education should be organized for the Ghanaian student community in Korea using our results as a template to draw up a nutrition program that is culturally appropriate.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.119-123
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• 2014

This study was intended to investigate food habits, dietary variety and the effects of nutrient intake of female college students. Food habits such as regularity of meal time, repast of breakfast, lunch, and supper, and duration of meal were assessed via a self reporting questionnaire, 24 hrs recall method for nutrient intake was obtained from 155 female college students in Yangju-si. Dietary variety was assessed by dietary diversity score(DDS). The mean height and weight of the subjects were $161.25{\pm}3.52cm$ and $52.26{\pm}4.52kg$, respectively. The dietary habits of female college students was generally inadequate. In the survey of dietary habits, the ratio of skipping breakfast 3~6 days a week in total subjects was 87.09%, showing a rather higher ratio of skipping breakfast. In the evaluation of nutrient intakes by DDS, subjects who had higher DDS had significantly higher nutrient intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, phosphate, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and cholesterol(p<0.05). There was a great difference in nutrient intakes, suggesting the risk of nutritional imbalance. These findings suggest that nutritional education based on female college students' eating variety and dietary habits(regularity of meal time, skipping breakfast and night snacks per week, and duration of meal) may be required to improve dietary variety. it is considered that the improvement in dietary habits will contribute to the improvement of nutrition.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.85-97
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dietary attitude and food behavior of elementary, middle and high school students in Korea. The subjects in this study were 7,698 boys and girls in large cities in Korea. The questionnaire was made and distributed to the students to answer the questions. Followings are the results of this study : 1) Father and mother's average ages were 45 and 41 years old, respectively. 2) Most students thought dietary life was more important than clothing or residentary life. Dietary habits such as irregularity of meal, frequencies of skipping meal and of eating out increased in higher grade than in lower grade, and in girls than in boys. 3) Most students, especially in elementary school, recognized that their own bad dietary habbit was unbalanced diet. Irregular meal time and eating too much were also pointed out as problems by middle and high school students. 4) Most students thought that the most effective meal for health was breakfast, but they replied the tartest meal as dinner. 5) Students tended to prefer Korean style food. Cooked rice and kimchi, ramyun, and pizza were ranked the most preferred food when they were hungry. 6) Elementary school students ate meals more regularly than higher grade students, and girls ate meals more regularly than boys. 7) Skipping rate of breakfast was higher than that of lunch or dinner, and the percentage of meal skipping students was increasing with grade elevation. No time to eat or eating between meals was the reasons of irregular meal time. 8) Frequency of dining with family was decreased, but frequency of eating out with friends was increased with increasing grade. The gravity of dining out is increasing rapidly in Korean adolescents. Therefore, nationwide nutrition education policy is necessary to constitute a right dietary environment and a desirable dietary altitude.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.75-87
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• 2003

This study was conducted to find the number of meals skipped and the types of main meals consumed by people in Miryang and Daegu. The subjects consisted of elementary school students(ES), middle school students(MS), high school students(HS), college students(CS) and adults, divided into below the age of 40(AU) and above the age of 40(AA). Data were collected through a 7-day dietary record from 941 subjects. The definition of rice-based meal(RM) and wheat-based meal(WM) depends on the type of grain eaten in the main dish, rice or wheat flour, respectively, regardless of the menu. Out of all the meals consumed by the subjects during 7 days before the survey, 71.5% of the meals consumed were RM, 13.1 ％ of the meals consumed was WM and 12.5% of the meals was skipped. Of the meals skipped, breakfast-skipping was the highest with 27.1%. There's no difference by region and sex. But there were several differences by age. The rates of skipped meal were high for CS, AU, HS, and MS in order. Especially the breakfast-skipping for CS was highest as 47.9%. In the types of main meal, the rates of RM was highest at breakfast and lowest at lunch. The rates of RM was higher in Miryang than Daegu, and there was no difference by sex. The rates of RM was high for AA, HS, ES and AU in order. ES and HS, who had highest rates of WM, had the highest WM consumption at lunch. It is because of school food service at lunch. Since the younger population consumed more RM compared to the older population, it can be speculated that more WM will be consumed in the future. Also efforts need to be made to discourage skipping meals.