Weight-related Perceptions, Practices and Eating Behaviors of Middle School Students: Associations with BMI / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study investigated the association between the weight status of middle school students and the various weightrelated characteristics including desired weight, weight perception, weight-related practice, physical activity, and overeating behavior. Questionnaires were administered to 473 middle school students (178 boys and 295 girls) in Daejeon. Boys and girls were divided into three groups respectively; (1) underweight (BMI or = 85th percentile). Using BMI calculated from measured height and weight, 14.0% of boys and 6.8% of girls were underweight, and 16.3% of boys and 14.2% of girls were overweight. However, among this sample of students, 38.4% of boys and 13.6% of girls perceived themselves as underweight and 29.4% of boys and 44.9% of girls perceived themselves as overweight. We found that overweight students reported their body weights lower and their heights higher compared to nonoverweight students, resulting in an underestimation of BMI. Based on desired BMI, 79.9% of the girls desired to be underweight and 73.0% of the boys desired to be normal weight. Overweight or normal weight students were less satisfied with their body weights than underweight students. Girls had more weight control experience and concern compared to boys. Overweight girls spent longer times in watching TV compared to non-overweight girls (p < 0.001) and had more overeating behaviors (p < 0.05). Overweight students reported that they ate snacks less frequently than non-overweight students, which may be due to their tendency to report less eating. In conclusion, significant gender differences and weight status differences existed in weight perception, weight satisfaction, and weight control experience and concern. Because perception of overweight is likely to lead to unhealthy eating behaviors and weight control, efforts for adolescents to improve accuracy of weight perceptions and to understand the benefits of being healthier are needed.

The Effect of Antioxidant Vitamins Supplementation on Blood Pressure, Plasma Lipids, Folate, and Homocysteine Levels in Smokers and Non-Smokers of College Students in the Gyeonggi Area / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was performed to investigate the effect of vitamin C and E supplementation on blood pressure, plasma lipids, folate, and homocysteine levels in smokers and non-smokersof college male students in Gyeonggi Area. The nutrient intakes were determined by a 24hr-recall method. The subjects were divided into six groups: vitamin C supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), vitamin E supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), vitamin C and E supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), respectively. There were no significant differences between the smokers and nonsmokers in terms of anthropometric measurements. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in smokers than that of non-smokers. There was no significant difference in energy and other nutrients intakes between smokers and non-smokers. In plasma lipids levels, smokers had higher plasma triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol concentration than that of non-smokers (p < 0.05). HDL-cholesterol level of smokers had a tendency to be lower than that of nonsmokers. In smokers, AI, TPH, LPH were significantly higher than that of non-smokers (p < 0.01). Plasma folate, homocysteine levels were not significantly different between smokers and non-smokers. The effect of antioxidant vitamins supplementation in smokers: In vitamin C supplementation group, HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p < 0.01) and AI, TPH, LPH were significantly decreased (p < 0.01). In vitamin E supplementation group, HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p < 0.05). In vitamin C and E supplementation group, LPH was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The effect of antioxidant vitamins supplementation in non-smokers: HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p < 0.05) and AI, TPH, LPH were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) by vitamin C supplementation group. Plasma homocysteine level was decreased by vitamin E supplementation group in non-smokers p < 0.01). The results of this study showed that smoking had a tendency to increase plasma lipids levels that factor into the risk of coronary heart disease. It is considered that antioxidant vitamin supplementation in smokers had a tendency to decrease cardiovascular disease than in nonsmokers.

The Effect of Environmental Campaign on the Recognition of Environmental Problem and the Execution of Environmental Protection in Foodservice

Environmental pollution induced by food wastes is considered as one of very serious problems in the world, and it is the most important to reduce the production of food wastes. In this study, environmental campaign for reducing food waste was conducted by applying various campaign methods using such as a bulletin board, intra-network, slogans & posters and news letters, as well as some systems such as penalty and prize in a business & industry foodservice. We investigated customers' recognition and execution degree before and after environmental campaign for the purpose of analyzing the changes of customers' attitude by the campaign. The subjects of this study had generally high level of recognition of environmental problem(3.09 point) compared to the execution degree(1.88 point)(Max. 5 points), implying necessity for the induction of actual execution of food wastes reduction by continuous environmental campaign. After environmental campaign, the recognition of environmental problem related to food wastes was significantly increased from 3.09 point to 3.29 point (p<0.001), and the execution degree for food wastes reduction was also greatly increased from 1.88 to 2.70 point (p<0.001). These changes indicated that campaign for food wastes reduction has raised customers' recognition and execution for environmental protection.