Dietary Behaviors and Consumption of Health Food among the Cancer Patients

암환자들의 식행동과 건강식품 섭취실태에 관한 연구

This study was performed to investigate dietary behaviors and consumption of health food in cancer patients. The subjects were 163 cancer patients recruited from the general hospital in Seoul, Korea. The data were obtained by the structured self administered questionnaire. The mean age of subjects was 51 years. Most of subjects didn't eat the visual fat of meat and chicken skin. The mealtime of the subjects was generally regular and most of subjects had breakfast. The subjects of this survey liked to eat foods with sweet taste but disliked to eat hot, salty and sour taste ones. The preference for fish, marine products and vegetables was high but that for instant foods and frying foods was very low. Most of subjects consumed the foods that is generally known as anticancer foods such as vegetables and fruits. On the other hand, most of subjects didn't intake butter, margarine, and frying foods that is known as risk factors of cancer. The majority of subjects$(84.7\%)$ consumed the health food The main reasons for taking health foods by subjects were to cure disease$(58.0\%)$, to prevent disease$(45.3\%)$, to supply nutrients$(39.3\%)$, to maintain the mental state$(12.7\%)$ and to recover fatigue$(10.7\%)$. Majority of subjects$(66.0\%)$ spent money more than 200,000 won/month to buy health foods. The purchasing channels of health foods by subjects were recommendation by family or friend$(64.0\%)$, by physician/pharmacist$(18.0\%)$ and by nutritionist or dietician(6.0), and advertisement through TV or radio$(12.0\%)$. The types of taking health foods of the subjects were vegetable extracted food$(60.0\%)$, mushrooms$(51.3\%)$, Lactobacillus food$(25.3\%)$, enzyme food$(22.6\%)$ calcium containing food$(20.0\%)$ and so on. The results of the current study show that although many cancer patients already practice healthy dietary behaviors, there is a substantial proportion who do not and most of cancer patients consume health foods.' Further intervention is needed to explore the effect of health foods in cancer patients