• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.198-204
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Food shortage situation in North Korea has gained much interest, however food insecurity caused by the food shortage in North Korean households has not been much investigated. This study examined food security experiences and food consumption pattern of displaced North Korean households currently living in South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Food security experience among 51 North Korean households living in South Korea was examined using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) in three time points: immediately before childbirth, immediately before leaving North Korea, and immediately before entering South Korea. Meal/snack consumption frequencies and food diversity were also examined. RESULTS: Food security situation was the worst at the time of immediately before leaving North Korea with the average HFIAS score of 10.05. The households that were food insecure, they tended to be "severely" insecure. Although majority of the subjects reported having three or more meals a day, food diversity in their diet was very low with the average food diversity score of 2.17 immediately before childbirth and 1.74 immediately before leaving North Korea. Their diet appeared to heavily rely on grain and vegetable. CONCLUSIONS: This study is one of few that specifically examined food security of North Korean households with a pre-developed scale, and that demonstrated food security situation at different time points in quantified terms. Replicating this study with different groups of North Korean households for different time points would allow more complete understanding of impacts of food shortage. Food diversity score could provide a good way to examine changes of food consumption occurring to North Koreans in the process of adaptation. More attention to the changes occurring during adaption to South Korea should be given to understand the process and impact and to prepare public nutrition policy for the re-unified Korea.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.869-881
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the food habits, dietary intakes and GTTs (glucose tolerance tests) of female college students according to BMI in the Kyunggido area. Questionnaire surveys, 24 hr dietary recalls, and GTTs were conducted with 108 students (36 under-weight students, 42 normal weight students, and 30 over-weight students). The results were as follows: The under wt. and over wt. groups had lower frequencies of eating breakfast but higher frequencies of eating lunch than the normal wt. group. The ratio of students having dinner everyday was low in the order of under wt. > normal wt. > over wt.. The over wt. group skipped breakfast mainly due to lack of time and the need to get to school, and the under wt. group had a high ratio (48.1%) of lunch skipper as a result of having brunch. The over wt. subjects had poor habits of eating fast and overeating, but the under wt. students ate their meals slowly. The under wt. group had a high ratio of students who ate snacks and fast-food. All subjects wanted to immediately improve their poor habit of overeating. Plant oil, animal Fe, and vitamin E intakes were lower in the under wt. group than in the other groups. For the GTT, the over wt. students had significantly lower blood glucose levels after 30 min. than the other groups. BMI was negatively correlated with blood glucose level after 30 min, but positively correlated with crude fiber, ash, Ca, plant Ca, P, animal Fe, Na, K, $\beta$-carotene, vitamin $B_6$, niacin, and vitamin E.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.757-764
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary habits and demand for nutrition service of university dormitory residents. Out of 450 questionnaires distributed to the undergraduate and graduate students residing in a university dormitory, 335(74.4%) returned and 265(58.8%) were analyzed. The analyzed sample included 140 males(52.8%) and 125 females(47.2%). The number of undergraduate and graduate students were 183(69.1%) and 82(30.9%), respectively. Male and undergraduate students tend to more frequently use dormitory foodservice than the respective counterpart. About 21% of respondents skipped breakfast everyday and almost 2/3 of respondents skipped breakfast more often than $3{\sim}4$ times a week. The most often chosen reason for skipping meals was 'lack of time' for lunch and dinner as well as breakfast. Graduate students tend to drink coffee more often than undergraduate students. Male students were more likely to drink carbonated drinks and alcohol compared with female students. Over half(59%) of respondents were taking multivitamins and mineral supplements. About 80% of respondents perceived their health average or above. New residents having moved in to the dormitory less than a semester before tend to perceive their heath status worse than the residents having lived longer in the dormitory. The demand for nutrition service was high as shown by the high percentage of respondents willingness to receive the service: 76% for nutrition assessment service and 63% for nutrition counseling service. Such demand did not differ between males and female respondents. However, graduate students were more willing to participate in nutrition counseling service than undergraduates.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.449-461
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the changes of physical and psychological factors of obese children, obesity indices and blood serum levels, food habits and body and self-esteem after a weight control program. The results from this study were as follows: Participants of the study involved 20 boys (48.8%) and 21 girls (51.2%) totaling 41 children. Children's weight control experiences were 90.2% and parents' were 59.5%. Among methods of weight control, children and parents both used exercise and reduced amounts of meals. Sixty-one percent of the children had breakfast almost everyday. The reasons of skipping breakfast were having no time to eat by 44.4% and 50% of children watched TV while having a meal and they considered taste (55.3%) and nutrition value (21.1%) when choosing food. After the weight control program, the children's body fat percent (%) significantly decreased from 40.3% to 35.4% (p < 0.01). There was significant difference of boys and girls' hip circumferences (92.9 cm, 91.4 cm, p < 0.01) after the program but there was only a slight change in their WHR (0.91, 0.92). Girls' waist circumferences significantly decreased from 75.0 cm to 73.0 cm (p < 0.05) and there was a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol, 50.0 (mg/dL) to 55.2 (mg/dL), (p < 0.05). Knowledge levels of obesity significantly increased from 2.5 to 5.1 in the girls' cases (p < 0.001). Nonetheless, attitudes of weight control and food habits score had not changed a lot. After the program, both the boys and girls' body-esteem had significantly increased (p < 0.01) but self-esteem had not changed. These results suggest that a body weight control program must be included in nutrition education, exercise and psychotherapy to improve body and self-esteem of obese children.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.3
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• pp.79-110
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data necessary for creating a more successful health enhancement program, health education and health policy which can enhance health management abilities and enable a healthy school life by examining relations between high school students' health perception, who are in early adolescence, and their health promotion behavior. The subjects in this study were 813 students from 8 high schools on Jeju Island. The collected data were analyzed with t-test and one-way ANOVA through questionnaires by researcher on the basis of advance research. The findings of this study were as belows : 1. When general characteristics were considered, health perception was more significantly affected by those who were boys, whose family income was on a higher level, who scored better in school, whose parents were more concerned about their children's health, and who had experiences of being hospitalized. Especially, the more parents were concerned about their children's health, the higher the child's self-confidence on health(p<.05), anxiety on health(p<.05), practicality on disease prevention(p<.05), self-confidence on future health(p<.01), health care ability(p<.01), and family roles on health(p<.05). The less parents were concerned about their children's health, the higher the child's anxiety on disease(p<.01) and uncertainty on future health(p<.01). 2. When students' health promotion behavior was concerned, in the area of Eating Habits, having regular meals(72.9%), moderate consumption of meat(89.7%) and a balanced diet(64%) were common, whereas having a regular breakfast(37.4%) and eating vegetables and fruits(43.6%) were rare. In the area of Exercise, all subareas such as exercising 3 or 4 times a week(76.7%), more than one hour of exercise at a time(74.9%), a short distance walk(51.8%), exercise within one hour after meals(87%), and whether wanning up or not(88.6%) were above average. In the area of Personal Hygiene, all subareas such as drinking boiled water(57.3%), washing hands after using the bathroom(71%), brushing teeth after eating(42.4%), washing up after going out(50.3%), and washing hair and taking a frequent bath(77.2%) were rare. In the area of Control of Personal Relations, consulting personal problems with family(78.7%) had a positive response, whereas meeting someone new(59.8%), maintaining sound relations with the opposite sex(47.3%), having respect for one's opinion(51.5%), and maintaining peaceful relations with people(58.4%) had rare negative results. In the area of Stress Management, not being competitive(69.4%), releasing problems(62.4%) and sleeping soundly(66.2%) were common, whereas having your own ways to relieve stress(46.8%) and having your own dreams and hopes(58.5%) were rare. 3. When general characteristics were considered, as far as relations of health promotion behavior were concerned, the boys were significantly different in the area of Eating Habits(p<0.01) and Exercise(p<0.01), and the girls were in the area of Personal Hygiene. As family economic status was high and parents were concerned about their children's health, the entire areas of health promotion behavior were significantly different. Whether or not they were hospitalized made no significant difference in statistics. 4. When their regions were considered, it comparing city to town, there was no statistically significant difference in health perception and relations of health promotion behavior according to general characteristics. As seen in the results above, high school students' level of health perception and level of practicing health promotion behavior were generally low. In conclusion, by enhancing health perception, a plan for activating health education, which can implement positive health promotion behavior, should be made.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.3 s.27
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• pp.406-422
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• 1989

This study is aimed at developing a nutritional task of a community' as a public health activities of Su-Dong Myun, Demonstration Project area of Ewha Womans University. The content of this study is the points of nutritional diagnosis for the residents nutritional evaluation, the analysis of the related factors and the educational material with Nutrition Education-Index. Two hundreds housewives were examined during the period of Jan. 20 to Jan. 30 in 1989. 1. In terms of the housewives' age, those aged 30 to 39 were 32.5% which was the highest and educational level, graduation of primary school was 31.5% which was the highest. The housewives who had no job were 60.0% and those who participated in community activities were 56.5%. 2. In terms of the points of nutritional diagnosis, 50 to 74 points were 51.5% which was the highest and total average was $65.1{\pm}15.0$. 3. As for the points of nutritional knowledge, the average was 54.9 points, attitude was 77.4 points and eating practice was 70.8points. 4. The number of clinical symptoms of nutritional deficiency was 16.1 ones per person. 5. As for the relation which nutritional knowledge, attitude, eating practice exert on one another, nutritional knowledge has negative correlation with eating practice(-0.04) and attitude has some correlation with eating practice(0.17). 6. The variable having to do with the points of nutritional diagnosis showed the highest correlation coefficient(0.55) as the points of nutritional knowledge. 7 As for the variable having to do with the number of the symptoms of nutritional deficiency, the higher points of knowledge(-0.05) is, the higher the totai averse points of nutritional diagnisis(-0.09) is, negative correlation was appeared. 8. The result in which the variant having to do with the number of clinical symptoms of nutritional deficiency was analyzed by multiple regression analysis showed that the lack of time for preparing meals in non agricultural households made the greatest contribution (9% explained) and the households having vegetable garden made the second greatest contribution(3% explained).

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.366-374
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in food habits of girl students 1985 and 1998. A similar study had been conducted in 1985 and this study was carried in May, 1998 using the questionnaires. The subjects were 746 female students in middle school, high school and university students living in Jeonbuk region. The average score of food habit was $4.11{\pm}1.63$ out of a possible 10. This averge is lower than the 4.91 score in 1985, especially the score of university students lowered from 4.80 points to $3.52{\pm}1.58$ points. The correlation coefficient between the score of food habit and standard of living, utilizing increase as compared with the 54.9% in 1985. The most preferred side-dish changed from fried food to Kimchi. The preference of snacks was not changed. Eating bread increased at breakfast but eating noodles increased at lunch. University students' lunch basket preparation ratio decreased from 32.6% to 3.3%, so they had more noodles at refectory than lunch basket. The reason for skipping breakfast did not changes, but skipping lunch changed from annoyance due to lunch basket preparation to lack of time and no appetite. Skipping supper was changed from missing time to weight control. Having supper at home decreased from 96.6% to 75.9%. Substitution food on no preparation of lunch basket was changed from bread to noodles. The preference for biscuits and snack did not changes but fewer students preftered bread and fried food. In order to improve the nutritional status of the girl students, they must establish good food habits, especially by eating 3 regular meals per day and balancing their diet they should also be notified that severe weight control is very harmful for health.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.575-586
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• 1999

We studied teachers' breakfast habits and their preferences on various breakfast types so that we will furnish data to nutrition education including ideal breakfast habit and development of various menus. The meal considered as most importantly were dinner (66.2%), fellowed by lunch(21.6%), all three meals(6.4%) and breakfast(5.8%). Men considered breakfast more importantly than women. On the contrary, women considered dinner more significantly compared to men. The group aged 45 and over emphasized breakfast and all three meal. 78.1% of subjects answered that breakfast is necessary and 61.5% of subjects ate breakfast regularly. Those who have breakfast regularly was lower in women(50.0%) than in men(71.3%). Instead, those who eat breakfast irregularly or skipping it was higher among women(50.0%) than among men(29.7%). The percentages of having breakfast regularly was higher in older groups. For breakfast, 82.1% of subjects had conventional meal which included rice, soup and Kimch. On the other hand, 13.9% of subjects had Western style breakfast such as bread, cornflakes and milk. The major reason for eating breakfast regularly was answered as 'maintain health(71.8%)'. The major reason for eating breakfast irregularly or skipping was 'don't have enough time to eat(48.0%)', 'poor appetite(28.6%)'. The major physical discomfort after skipping breakfast was 'experience brash(35.6%)', 'lack of physical strength(35.1%)'. Subjects answered that breakfast served as 'source of physical strength(64.9%)', 'provides nutritional balance for a day(21.1%)' and 15.0% of subjects ate out breakfast. Therefore, it is suggested that teachers as well as school children be provided breakfast and snack in school. The preference and opinion regarding breakfast types wer conventional food including rice, soup and Kimch(67.0%). There was a little preference in Western style food such as bread, milk and coffee(14.3%), cereals mixture and porridge(10.7%). It was noticeable that 49.1% of females and those who reside in Seoul(42.2%) selected various breakfast types excluding conventional food. Therefore it will be accepted to working women as breakfast if it is nutritionally balanced and cook well in short time.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.668-676
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine anthropometric measurements, dietary nutrient intakes, simple food intake frequencies, and rates of obesity in Cambodian women. A total 186 women, aged 20-69 years, living in Kampong Spue province of Cambodia and having the responsibility to prepare family meals participated in this study. Height and weight were measured body mass index (BMI) was calculated, and one-day 24-hour recall and food frequency questionnaires were conducted. In total, 18.8% were underweight, 49.5% were normal weight, 13.4% were overweight, and 18.3% were obese according to the World Health Organization BMI standard for Asians. No significant difference in height by obesity level was determined ($p{\geq}0.05$). The mean energy intake was 1571.2 kcal/day and protein intake was 43.6 g/day. There were significant differences in protein, niacin, and vitamin C intakes by obesity level (p<0.05). The prevalence of subjects consuming vitamins and minerals less than 75% of Recommended Dietary Allowances was 73-99%. All Cambodian women consumed rice ${\geq}1time/day$. Approximately 50% of subjects reported ${\geq}1time/day$ intake frequency of bread, cookies, and chips. In total, 35% indicated no intake of beans or bean products. For intake frequencies of carbonated beverages and sports drinks, there was a significant difference by obesity level (p<0.05). These results may be very helpful to prepare nutrition education programs for Cambodian women.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1996

This study was undertaken to evaluate the relation between obesity and dietary life of children aged 4-7 divided into two groups based on height for age, weight for age and weight for height. Controls were selected based on sex and age similar with those of cases. Cases and controls were selected using the combination of weight for height, weight for age and height for age by the World Health Organization standard. Cases were 23 children judged as obese. Controls were 37 judged as normal. Whether their mother had a job or not, showed relative risk 1.35(95% C1 0.32-5.64). In obese group, employmental statue of mother was 17.4% compared with 13.5% in control group. In mother's concern for cooking pattern, the relative risk was 5.64 and 95% CI was 1.70-18.66 in the item of "We consider the color arrangement when we serve foods" which was the highest rate. The item having the lowest relative risk was "We cook the meal by ourselves with spending time" which of the relative risk was 0.52 and 95% CI was 0.16-1.65. The item having a great significance in the dietary habit of subjects were "They beat the tablewear with the chopstick"(RR:1.64, 95% CI:0.22-12.73) and "I talk with food in my mouth"(RR :1.11, 95% CI:0.39-3.15), and the other items didn't show significancy. Number of food eating per day for male was 30.0$\pm$10.93 in obese group where as 23.2$\pm$9.80 in control group. 22.3$\pm$4.56, 21.8$\pm$10.91 were taken obese group and control group respectively in female. In the survey for general habit in life, the item of "We has a time for conversation with our family regularly" was high correlation to obesity and item of "We made our children change clothes and go to toilet themselvesj has slight relation to obesity. From above, we observed normal and obese children had different factors such as mother's attitude for preparing meals, table manners and habit of living. So we should take a continuous interest in children's dietary life in order to correct the wrong dietary habit and to protect from future problems.