Dietary Habits, Food Frequency and Dietary Attitudes by Gender and Nutrition Knowledge Level in Upper-grade School Children / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was carried out to examine dietary habits, food frequency and dietary attitudes by gender and nutrition knowledge level in upper-grade school children. Subjects were 223 boys and 208 girls attending 13 elementary schools (5 th and 6 th graders). A self-administered questionnaire was developed to assess nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, food frequency, and dietary attitudes. Nutrition knowledge score assessed by 19 questions was significantly higher in girls than in boys. There were significant differences between boys and girls in several items in dietary habits such as enough breakfast time, dinner regularity, number of side dishes, eating speed, type of snack after dinner, and degree of saltiness of dishes. Girls consumed staple foods such as rice, noodles or bread more frequently, and consumed less frequently ramyun, fried foods, fast foods, and Chinese foods than boys. In addition, girls had more positive dietary attitudes in trying to reduce fast foods, Chinese foods, ramyun and fried foods. Also children in the high or moderate nutrition knowledge level groups had better dietary habits in frequency of meals, frequency of breakfast, enough breakfast time, dinner regularity, activity during the meal, number of side dishes, eating speed, type of snack after dinner, and better food choices by eating staple foods and vegetable side dishes, meats and beans more frequently, and fried foods, doughnuts/ cakes, Chinese foods less frequently, and had better dietary attitudes in breakfast, vegetables and fruit intake than children in the low nutrition knowledge level group. Our results showed that dietary habits, food frequency and dietary attitudes were different by gender and nutrition knowledge level. These results suggest that in developing nutrition education program for elementary school children, the differences between gender and nutrition knowledge level should be considered. Nutrition education in elementary schools may change dietary habits and dietary attitudes through increasing nutrition knowledge.

Effect of Prune Supplementation on Dietary Fiber Intake and Constipation Relief / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to examine bowel habits, dietary habits, and nutrient intake of constipated adults, and the effects of prune products on relieving constipation symptoms. Fifty one adults with self-reported constipation (mean age 23 years, range 19-41 years, 10 males and 41 females) participated in this study. After a baseline survey on bowel habits and dietary habits, participants were asked to consume at least 50 g of prune and 200 ml of prune juice per day during a 4-week period in addition to usual diet. Nutrient intake was estimated by a 24 hour recall at the baseline and once every week by diet records during the intervention. Data were analyzed after classifying the subjects into mild constipation group and severe constipation group by the severity of the symptoms. During the intervention, the subjects with mild constipation consumed 56 g of prunes (about 5.6 fruits) and 200 ml of prune juice, and the subjects with severe constipation consumed 59 g of prunes (about 5.9 fruits) and 207 ml of prune juice. Average intakes of energy, dietary fiber and water of the subjects in the mild constipation and severe constipation group increased during the intervention compared to the baseline. Average dietary fiber intake of the mild constipation and severe constipation groups significantly increased from 12.5 g and 11.6 g at the baseline to 18.5 g and 16.8 g after consuming prune products, respectively. These changes were accompanied by an increase in the number of bowel movements, a decrease of defecation time, a change to a softer stool consistency, and a decrease of abdominal pain during defecation. Seventy two subjects answered that prune products were effective to improve their overall constipation symptoms. Our data show that supplementation of prune products is effective to provide energy, dietary fiber and water, and to relieve constipation symptoms for constipated adults.