• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.7-15
• /
• 1976

The Purpose of this study was to determine every possible correlation between food habits and body statures of primary school children, aged ten years old. This study was conducted from July to October of 1975. In July, prepared questionaires concerning life style, anthropometry, food preference, and food behavior were distributed through school teachers to 425 children; 219 boys and 206 girls, in the 5th grade of three elementary schools in the city of Seoul. Then, in October, when subjects had been classified into underweight/obese by statistical analysis, mothers of obese or underweight children were interviewed by the authors to determine weaning history, daily food consumption of their children, and opinions of various snacks for children. Analysis of results in terms of correlation coefficient, chisquare test and percentage calculations, are as follows: 1. Physical growth and development Boys Girls Height (cm) $134.8{\pm}5.74\;134.4{\pm}5.97$ Weight (kg) $30.0{\pm}4.27\;29.5{\pm}5.16$ Chestgirth (cm) $64.1{\pm}3.59\;63.3{\pm}3.81$ Arm circumference (cm) $18.3{\pm}1.61\;18.2{\pm}1.70$ Triceps skinfold thickness (mm) $10.9{\pm}5.13\;12.7{\pm}4.86$ Various indices of nutrition such as relative weight, relative chestgirth, $R{\ddot{o}}hrer's$ index, Kaup index, Vervaeck index were determined. 2. Food habits 1) Food $preference{\cdots}{\cdots}A$ varying number of foods were selected from 60 items were accepted. It was found that the food which children liked best was fruit and snacks were popular one. Lowest ranking among LIKED foods were from strongly flavored vegetables and organ meat. In general, girls had more food dislikes than did boys. Selected as liked foods were fruits, rice noodle soup, biscuits, and peanuts. Disliked foods were liver, green onions, onions, green pepper, mushrooms, oysters, shellfish, and pork. Items which children never ate before were liver, mushrooms, fish cake, boiled rice mixed with sorghum, mayonnaise, and fresh water firsh. Reasons which children gave for dislike were undesirable flavor and odor. 2) Food $behavior{\cdots}{\cdots}It$ was found that boys liked sweet and salty flavors more than did the girls who more often liked sour flavor. The majority of children enjoyed evening meals more than lunch and breakfast. A number of children skipped breakfast because of lack of appetite or lack of time before going to school. Snacks were the most popular food, especially among girls. Their snacking habits were formed by the encouragement of the mother, and the relieve boredom. Educational backgrounds of mothers and family economical levels of children were remarkable correlated with mothers' attitudes toward feeding of children. There were several interesting findings relating body stature to some other responses; such as that the obese child has a small number of brothers, higher birth order, higher educated mothers and higher family cultural background. It was also discovered that food perference, except for fat and oil group foods was not related to body stature. Sweet taste was liked best and pepperly taste was mostly disliked. Sour taste was popular in the group of underweight. Underweight children were more finicky, disliked snacking, and didn't get much attention from their mothers. 3) Correlation between body stature and nutrition during their infancy. The majority of children, both from obese and underweight, were breast fed as infant. Twenty five per cent of obese children and 17.4 per cent of underwight children started weaning at $1{\sim}6$ months old. The most popular supplemental food of weaning was cereal gruel for the obese group, while boiled white rice and cereal gruel were most common for the underweight group. Highly significant relationships were found between stature of parents and their children. In the obese group 47.8 per cent of fathers and 45.9 per cent of mothers were overweight; however, none of the fathers and only one mother was found to be underweight. In daily food consumption patterns, meals consisting of bread or noodle were popular in the obese group but disliked by the underweight group. The study found clear contrast in that the obese group liked meat and fish while the underweight group liked fruits and vegetables, especially kimchee. The obese children desired to eat cereal foods, milk and milk products, and fat foods while the underweight group desired to eat fruits and vegetables. Frequency of snacks per day was much greater in the obese group. Foods which mothers believed to be good for the health were carrots, cucumbers, fruits, milk, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and breads, while sweet foods such as candies, drinks. chocolate were considered not good for the teeth. Watching television was not significantly related to statures of children. Most significant relationships were found beween frequencies of family guest meals/and eating-out, and children's statures. Nutritional problems which have been considered for the malnourished children in addition to those of children who have a tendency toward obesity, must be taken into consideration in the development of proper nutrition education through the channels of regular school teaching and teaching by parents in the homes. Korean standards of anthropometric measurements for children should be revised, current measurements show much higher figures than present Korean standards.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.39-51
• /
• 1989

In this study, 419 students of the 6th grade in three schools in Masan were surveyed. The students having less than 24 items among 48 protein-rich foods easily obtained were considered as unbalanced-diet students. Their general circumstances, character, status of growth and development and school performance were compared with those of balanced-diet students. The results were following. 1. The actual condition of unbalanced diets of protein-rich food 1) Female showed high degree of unbalanced diet in meat food while male in shell-food. Both sexes liked processed food stuffs such as ham, sausage and boiled fish paste but not salted. Both of them disliked beans. 2) The reason for unbalanced diet, they answered, was bad taste and smell of some foods. The reason, their mothers amswered, was they fed their children some particualr foods. 3) The attitudes of the mothers against unbalanced diets were coaxing their children to eat some foods for they are good for health or forcing their children to eat some foods. The most effective method on the children was coaxing and the next was changing cuisines. 2. The general circumstances of the students. 1) 168 students (male: 85, female:83) among 419 students who were studied were unbalanced-diet students and the extent of unbalanced diet was similar in both sexes. 2) The rate of unbalanced-diet students was higher among the students who were the first child in the family, had a small family or were fed milk or mixed milk. 3) The school career of unbalanced-diet student's mothers was higher and the rate of unbalanced-diet students was higher among the students who have rich families or career mothers. 3. The status of physical condition 1) The height and weight of unbalanced-diet students were lower than those of the standard of Korean children. The status of balanced-diet students were better than that of the standard. 4. Degree of school performance 1) The school records of unbalanced-diet students was 81.4 points in average, which was 1.3 points lower than the average of city students and that of balanced-diet students was 2.8 points higher than average. There was a significant gap between the two groups. 5. The relation between unbalanced diet and character 1) Compared balanced-diet students, unbalanced-diet students showed high degree of nervousness and coldheartedness and low degree of self-reliance and self-possession. There was a significant gap between the two groups and it showed that unbalanced diets affected the formation of character.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.139-149
• /
• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of obesity on the satisfaction with school lunches and school lunch leftovers of elementary school children in the Kyeonggi area. The study was carried out on 235 children(male : 111, female :124) in December of 2000. The results are summarized as follows. A Rohrer index was used to define obesity. The proportions of severe underweight, underweight, normal, overweight, and obese were 0.9%, 16.6%, 57.9%,17.0%, and 7.7% respectively. For the data analysis, the subjects were divided into 3 groups : an underweight group(Rohrer index 109 including severe underweight), a normal group(Rohrer index 110-140), and an obese group(Rohrer index 141 including overweight). With regard to the satisfaction with school lunches, the proportions of children who were satisfied, neutral, and unsatisfied were 27.2%, 59.6% and 13.2% respectively. The proportion of the satisfaction with school lunches was significantly higher in the male group than in the female group(p〈0.05), and the proportion of the dissatisfaction with school lunches was significantly increased with obesity index(p〈0.05). The largest proportion of children who were satisfied with school lunches answered they felt hungry(56.3%) and the food tasted good(42.2%). Children sho were not satisfied with school lunches answered that the food was not tasty(93.5%), they did not have ant appetite(9.7%), and others. The children not finishing school lunches(leftovers) occasionally or always were 47.7% of the subjects. The behavior of leaving lunch foods was not significantly related to the gender or the frequency of eating snacks, wile it was positively related with dissatisfaction with school lunches(p〈0.01), obesity index(p〈0.05), and the decreased frequency of eating meals per day(p〈0.01). The reasons of school lunch leftovers were food dislikes(67.9%), excess of quantity(39.3%), tastelessness(31.3%), poor appetite(13.4%), and other. The children eating meals twice, 3 times, and 4 times per day were 18.7%, 74.9%, and 6.4% of the subjects respectively. The proportions of the obese and the satisfaction with school lunches were not changed significantly according to the frequency of eating meals, while the proportion of children leaving school lunches was significantly higher in the group of eating meals twice per day than in the other groups(p〈0.01). The frequency of eating snacks was not related to the obesity index, the proportion of school lunch leftovers, or the frequency of eating meals, while the proportion of satisfaction with school lunches was significantly higher in the group of eating snacks 1-2 times per day than in the other groups(p〈0.01). In conclusion, it is necessary to have children enjoy school lunches with efforts to improve the food´s taste in the school food services and to reexamine the serving sizes for the children, in addition to the nutrition education for the children to eat a variety of foods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.333-345
• /
• 2003

We conducted a survey on Japanese women's consciousness of food culture and their traditional food consumption by self filling-out questionnaire during January, 2000 for the period of a month, For the survey we selected 250 women residing in Kyoto, Japan. For the statistic work we used SAS package system, and t-test, $\cal{X}^2-test$ and Duncan's multiple range test were also used to verify the results significance. The purpose of this survey lies in gathering a basic data on the comparative direction of Korean and Japanese women's food culture in the future 1. Comparing the preferred food purchase place, In case of Korean women, traditional market was comparatively more preferred while Japanese women relatively preferred convenience store (p<0.001). 2. In case of Japanese women, they answered there is no difference from ordinary days on New Year's Day (71%) and Christmas (40%) while 38% answered they prepare food at home. 40% said they prepare food on parents-in-law's birthday, and 41% said no difference from ordinary days. 52% said they prepare food at home on husband's birthday. For their own birthday, 32% said yes to preparing food at home while 45% said no difference and 22.3% said eating out. For children's birthday 65% said preparing at home, 16.3% said no difference and 14.9% said eating out. 3. Comparing the conception on traditional food, Korean women answered 'complicated' (77%) most while 'simple' (5%) least, which indicates their demands for simplified recipes. In case of Japanese women, 'complicated' (44%) was most while 'scientific' (6%) was least which indicates their demands for scientific way of recipes. There were differences shown by age (p<0.001) and the older the more said 'simple' or 'logical' (p<0.01). 4. As the reason for the complicity of traditional food recipes, Koreans said 'too many hand skill' (60%) most while 'too many spices' (8%) least. For Japanese, 'various kind of the recipe' (55%) was most while 'too many hand skill' (7%) was least. There were significant differences shown by academic background (p<0.01) and income(p<0.01), and the lower the academic background, the more said 'too many spices' as the reason for the complicity in making traditional food. Generally, the lesser the income, the more tendency to say 'various kinds of the recipe'. 5. In case of Koreans, 'the recipe is difficult' (56%) was high while 'uninterested' (9%) was low in answer which showed differences by academic background (p<0.05), and in case of Japanese, 'no time to cook' (44%) was high while 'uninterested' (7%) was low. 6. The following is the reasons for choosing traditional food as a snack for children. In case of Koreans, they answered as 'traditional food' (34%), 'made from nutrious and quality materials' (27%), 'for education' (22%) and 'suites their taste' (17%) revealing 'traditional food' is highest. In case of Japanese, it was revealed in the order of 'made from nutrious and quality materials' (36.3%), 'traditional food' (25.2%), 'suites their taste' (22.6%), 'for education' (12.8%) and 7. Comparing the most important thing for the popularization of traditional food in the world, Koreans answered 'taste and nutrition' (45%) most while 'shape and color' (6%) least. In case of Japanese, 'taste and nutrition' (75%) was answered most while 'hygienic packaging' (4%) was least. Both considered 'taste and nutrition' as most important thing for the popularization of traditional food in the world. 8. In case of Koreans, they answered they learn how to make traditional food 'from mother' (47%), 'media' (18%), 'school' (15%), 'from mother-in-law' (14%), 'private cooking school' (4%) and 'close acquaintances' (2%). In case of Japanese, they said mostly learn 'from mother', but it was also shown that the lower the academic background the lesser the tendency of learning 'from mother' but 'from school' (p<0.001). 9. About the consumption of traditional fermented food, Koreans said they make kimchi (90%), pickled vegetables (39%), soy sauce (33%), bean paste (38%), salted fishery (12%) and traditional liquors (14%) at home while 67% for salted fishery and 48% for traditional liquors answered they buy rather than making at home. On the other hand, Japanese answered they mostly buy kimchi (60%), soy sauce (96%), bean paste(91%), natto(92%), salt fermented fish foods (77%) and traditional alcoholic beverage (88%) to eat. This difference was shown very distinct between Korean and Japanese women (p<0.001). 10. About the most important thing in food, Koreans answered in the order of 'liking and satisfaction' (33%), 'for health' (32%), 'for relieve hunger' (18%) and 'convenience' (17%). In case of Japanese, it was revealed in the order of 'for health' (61%), 'liking and satisfaction' (20%), 'to relieve hunger' (16%) and 'convenience' (3%). This shows that Japanese women take comparably more importance to health than Korean women. The conception of food was shown different between Korean and Japanese women (p<0.001), and Koreans showed level 4-5 of food culture while Japanese showed level 5.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.379-394
• /
• 1994

The purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between the factors influencing on housewives' decision-making processes of organic foods and the relating variables, and the 5 stages of decision-making processes of the EBK model is utilized in this study. The sample was selected from 411 housewives living in Seoul from 1st of September through 20th of September, 1993. Frequency, Percentage, Mean, Factor analysis, One-way ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, t-Test, Correlation, Multiple regression analysis and Path analysis were measured. Major results are as follows: 1. Purchasing motivation of the organic foods were in order of the health care, nutritive value and taste care. 2. The major informations source for the knowledge of organic foods were in order of TV/radio, newspaper/magazine, recommendations informations and advice through a family/friends/acquaintances. 3. Evalution criteria in shopping of organic foods, the total degree of consideration over the purchasing factors of organic foods was fairly high level: consumers thought much of the sanitation/freshness, nutritive value and the food safety. In this regard opinion leaders was dominantly mass media. Consumers have a tendency to purchase organic foods in consideration of their children and husband. 4. Major place to purchase organic foods are super markets and department stores. And When shopping organic foods, housewives by all means confirm the check points in their own mind, which were expiry date, manufactured date and packing condition, but unexpectedly manufactured company was out of concern. 5. Housewives usually satisfy with decision after purchasing organic foods, while they were fairly unsatisfied with the price, quality, incomplete description for ingredients and manufactured date. 6. The variables influencing to the sincerity when selecting the most desired organic foods is how be cares about the natural freshness of the foods and the types of residents in order. Another interesting tendency is the richer they are very considerate to decide. It is to say the people who cares more about the natural freshness is the sincerer when making decision and also the class who lives in the apartment house enjoying high income do not easily accept the product quality.