Associations between food insecurity and healthy behaviors among Korean adults

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Food insecurity has been suggested as being negatively associated with healthy behaviors and health status. This study was performed to identify the associations between food insecurity and healthy behaviors among Korean adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The data used were the 2011 Community Health Survey, cross-sectional representative samples of 253 communities in Korea. Food insecurity was defined as when participants reported that their family sometimes or often did not get enough food to eat in the past year. Healthy behaviors were considered as non-smoking, non-high risk drinking, participation in physical activities, eating a regular breakfast, and maintaining a normal weight. Multiple logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to identify the association between food insecurity and healthy behaviors. RESULTS: The prevalence of food insecurity was 4.4% (men 3.9%, women 4.9%). Men with food insecurity had lower odds ratios (ORs) for non-smoking, 0.75 (95% CI: 0.68-0.82), participation in physical activities, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.76-0.90), and eating a regular breakfast, 0.66 (95% CI: 0.59-0.74), whereas they had a higher OR for maintaining a normal weight, 1.19 (95% CI: 1.09-1.30), than men with food security. Women with food insecurity had lower ORs for non-smoking, 0.77 (95% CI: 0.66-0.89), and eating a regular breakfast, 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72-0.88). For men, ORs for obesity were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.70-0.87) for overweight and 0.56 (95% CI: 0.39-0.82) for mild obesity. For women, the OR for moderate obesity was 2.04 (95% CI: 1.14-3.63) as compared with normal weight. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity has a different impact on healthy behaviors. Provision of coping strategies for food insecurity might be critical to improve healthy behaviors among the population.

Gender and Age Differences in the Nutritional Status of the Low Income Elderly Living in Gwangju / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was undertaken to assess nutritional status of the low income elderly residing in Gwangju. Anthropometric data showed that mean height of the subjects was lower than that of Korean Standard Growth data but weight was similar to that standard value. As the subjects became older, their heights and weights were decreased. Body mass index (BMI) in males and females were 22.9 and 24.4 respectively. However, BMI distribution showed that 56% of the elderly females under 75 were underweight. Advancing age conoibutes significant difference in triceps skinfold thickness in females (p<0.001). Total cholesterol level was higher in the elderly females than the males. It was found that a considerable number of subjects had anemia determined by hemoglobin and hematocrit level, which indicated un iron deficiency. Twenty-four hour dietary recall revealed that, except for phosphorus and vitamin C, all the nutrient intakes of the subjects were below 75% of Korean RDA. Surprisingly, vitamin A and riboflavin intakes of the elderly were below 50% of Korean RDA. Energy intakes of the elderly males and females were 58.7% and 59.6% of Korean RDA respectively. Unbalanced energy ratios of carbohydrate, protein and fat were noted in both genders. Nutrient intakes of females' were lower than those of males'. Thus, there was a significant gender difference in nutrient intakes. It might be further suggested that an appropriate nutritional program should be developed and implemented to improve the Poor nutritional status of the low income elderly living in cities.

Food Service Management in Elementary School in Chunnam Province / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was undertaken to assess the school flood service management and its perception by dietitians. Questionnaries were developed and answered by 162 dietitians in elementary schools in Chollanam-do. The duration of the flood service system was the longest in remote areas followed by rural and urban areas. The average number of persons served a day was 680 per dietitians. More than three schools were supervised by 52.4% of dietitians. Lack of facilities, including restrooms for the flood service personnel and storage compartments for convenience products were indicated. Regardless of the type of school flood service system, the dietitians pointed out that they urgency needed gas fryers, gas griddles and vegetable cutters, which would be helpful in preparing fried flood for the students. Despite the dietitians' eagerness to teach nutritional education, 80.9% of the respondents did not provide nutritional education to the students, because of the lack of class roomtime. It was suggested that the teaching nutritional education by dietitians was desperately needed for the improvement of health and the nutritional status of school children.

Comparisons of Nutrient Intakes, Dietary Behavior and Perception about Body Image between Adolescent Boys and Girls in Rural Area / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was undertaken to compare the obesity related dietary factors among rural middle school students living in Korea. Anthropometric data showed that mean height and weigh were 161.7+/-13.0 and 49.8+/-10.3kg in 226 male students and 158.3+/-6.1 and 48.2+/-7.5kg in 212 female students. Mean BMIs for boys and girls were 19.10+/-2.47 and 19.26+/-2.35, respectively. 71.68% of male students and 72% of female students were underweight by the BMI index. The BMI of older students was higher than young ones in both sexes. Most nutrient intakes of the subjects were below the RDA. In particular Ca and Fe intakes were extremely low in both sexes. 66.88% of the students skipped breakfast and it was found that the reasons for missing a meal for both sexes were significantly different. Compared to males, more female respondents felt guilty and depressed related to eating. Furthermore, females were more significantly concerned with body image, diet, and body weight(p<0.001), and they were not satisfied with their weight. The sources of information on obesity and diet were from radio and TV in males while females got information from magazines and friends. In male students their ideal body weight was higher was higher than actual body weight. In contrasting, female students desired a thin body shape. A different approach for nutrition education for adolescents should be developed and implemented based on sex.

The Association of Perception of Health Status with Lifestyle of Yanbian Koreans and Yanbian Chinese / 예방의학회지

To find the association of perception of health status with lifestyle of different ethnic groups living in north-eastern part of China, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was done by 10 local health workers for 375 Korean immigrants and 217 Chinese whose age was 30 years old or more. Because Korean immigrants showed higher mortality than Chinese, we expected to find significant lifestyle related with perception of health status which was known to be a predictor of mortality by different ethnic groups. The results were as follows: 1. We found that 59.7% of Yanbian Koreans and 42.9% of Yanbian Chinese felt unhealthy (p=0.000). 2. For Yanbian Koreans, significant variables associated with perception of health status were selected through logistic regression analysis and they were sex; female to male with an OR=2.45 (95% confidence interval[CI]: 1.06, 5.64), prevalence of chronic illness with an OR=8.48 (95% CI: 4.62, 15.56), amount of meal; small or moderate to full with an OR=2.67 (95% CI: 1.40, 5.09), preference of spicy food with an OR=1.78 (95% CI: 1.04, 3.04), and less amount intake of vitamin B2 with an OR=2.29 (95% CI: 1.33, 3.93). 3. For Yanbian Chinese, significant variables associated with perception of health status were prevalence of chronic illness with an OR=4.97 (95% CI: 2.11, 11.68), history of taking ginseng with an OR=3.72 (95% CI: 1.33, 10.43), and less intake of vitamin C with an OR=0.18 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.46). In conclusion, sex, presence of chronic illness, dietary habit, and amount of vitamin- B1 intake were associated with perception of health status in Yanbian Koreans. Presence of chronic illness, experience of ginseng intake, and amount of vitamin C intake were associated with perception of health status in Yanbian Chinese. To prove cause-effect relation between perception of health status and lifestyle, further study is needed for these different ethnic groups.

Nutritional Status of Female Students in the Sixth Grade Attending a Rural Primary School / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of female students in the 6th grade in a rural primary school. The anthropometric data showed their mean height and weight were 149.5+/-6.5 cm and 41.3+/-7.6 kg, respectively, which are slightly higher than those in the Korean Standard Growth data. It was further observed that there was a wide variation in terms of physical growth and development among subjects. The mean hematocrit value was 40.3+/-3.3% and the mean hemoglobin concentration was 12.9+/-1.0gm/dl. It was proven that 22.8% of subjects were anemic based on the WHO standards for hemoglobin level. Twenty four hour dietary recall revealed that their food intakes of subjects was appropriate, compared to the RDA except for Ca. Mean Ca intake among subjects was 381.3 mg which is 47.7% of RDA. Nutrition education from mothers and the school influence nutrient intake significantly. Special nutrition education programs targeting mothers and students should be developed to provide practical assistance such as food choice and the forming of good eating habit.