Relationship among the use of food-related content, dietary behaviors, and dietary self-efficacy of high school students in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship among the use of food-related content (FRC), dietary behaviors, and dietary self-efficacy to demonstrate the need for nutrition education to help adolescents build healthy eating habits and provide evidence for developing nutrition education programs for adolescents. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-one high school students in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas participated in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups (low, medium, and high) according to the level of use of the FRC, and their general characteristics, dietary behaviors, and dietary self-efficacy were analyzed. Correlation analysis was performed between FRC usage, dietary behaviors, and dietary self-efficacy, and the mediating effects of dietary self-efficacy on the relationship between the level of the use of FRC and dietary behaviors were estimated. RESULTS: A higher level of FRC usage was associated with an increased daily cost of eating out and snacking, but no difference was observed in the BMI range. The subjects in a group with a high level of FRC usage ate convenience store or instant foods instead of homemade meals (p = 0.033), had a late-night meal or snack (p = 0.024), and turned to emotional eating under stress (p < 0.001) more than those in the low level group. In addition, the high level group checked the nutrition facts label more carefully when purchasing processed foods (p = 0.016) and exercised at least 30 minutes daily, not considering physical education classes (p = 0.057). The higher level of FRC use, the lower the dietary self-efficacy, whereby the subscales ‘environmental stimulus control efficacy’ and ‘affective factor control efficacy’ showed complete mediating effects. CONCLUSION: Given that FRC has been increased recently, adolescents are in need of support to help them control and enhance their dietary self-efficacy as well as develop healthy dietary behaviors through proper nutrition education programs.

Developing a Questionnaire to Evaluate the Healthy Restaurant Program

The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable questionnaire to assess the effectiveness of the healthy restaurant program, which was implemented by Seocho-gu District in Seoul. Evaluation indices were deduced from the logic model of the healthy restaurant program. The questionnaires consisted of three sections (process evaluation, outcome evaluation, and general characteristics) for restaurateurs and customers who were participating in the program or not. To validate the questionnaire, 133 restaurateurs and 246 customers were sampled using convenient methods. Data were collected by interviews. Reliability was tested by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The alpha coefficient for restaurateurs was 0.75-0.99 for the process and 0.79-0.97 for the outcome evaluation questions. The alpha coefficients for customers were 0.76-0.92 for the outcome evaluation questions. Face and content validity were examined for all questions, and construct validity was tested for latent variables. We are confident that more accurate and significant information will be collected using this questionnaire.

Restaurateur's Willingness to Participate in the Healthy Restaurant Program in Seoul

This study examined the restaurateur's willingness to participate in the healthy restaurant program. Using a structured self-administered questionnaire, data on subjects' personal, business and management characteristics, willingness to participate in the healthy restaurant program and the perception of healthy restaurant program were collected from 145 restaurateurs in Seoul. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used in the analysis. Half of respondents (50.3%) were willing to participate in the healthy restaurant program. Years of business (OR = 2.584, 95% CI = 1.049-6.369), consideration of food quality (OR = 0.321, 95% CI = 0.147-0.702), and awareness of importance of nutrition or health information (OR = 2.416, 95% CI = 1.082-5.391) were significant indicators for restaurateur's willingness to participate in the healthy restaurant program. Hence, strategic activities to inform the benefit of healthy restaurant program for both restaurateurs and consumers are necessary.

Comparison of Dietary Intakes and Body Composition by Tanner Stages in Korean Girls

To compare the dietary intakes and body composition in the stage of puberty, this study was conducted with 360 girls aged 9 to 12 years in Seoul Korea. Girls's general information and 3-day diet records were collected, fat mass was measured by Inbody 3.0, bone mass at right calcaneus was measured by PIXI and pubertal development was self-assessed by picture of Tanner stages. The results are as follows: Girls who had breast development were 79.7% and 15.8% had pubic hair development. Mean of BMI, BMC and BMD were significantly higher at breast stage3+ (19.6 kg/m2, 1.62 kg, 0.47 g/cm2) than at the breast stage2 (18.2 kg/m2, 1.47 kg, 0.44 g/cm2) or breast stage1 (16.3 kg/m2, 1.32 kg, 0.39 g/cm2)(p < 0.001). Percent body fat of breast stage1, 2, and 3+ were 19.7%, 23.1%, 25.3% respectively and significantly increased during the puberty (p < 0.001). The mean of energy intake was 1629 kcal in stage1, 1664 kcal in stage2 and 1577 kcal in stage3+ showed significant difference in the breast stages (p < 0.05). Energy adjusted sodium intakes and crude fiber intakes were significantly higher in breast stage3+ than other breast stages. For zinc and iron, proportions of subjects with intake levels less than 75% of Korean RDA was over 40% and significantly higher in breast stage3+ than other stages (p < 0.05); for protein and vitamin E, the proportions of subjects with intake levels more than 125% RDA was significantly higher in the stage1. The nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) for protein and phosphorous was significantly lower in breast stage3+ than other stages. The food groups of seed and nut were 4.7 g/day, 2.3 g/day, 1.8 g/day, respectively, and was significantly higher in breast stage1. In summary, mean of BMI, BMD, BMC and percent of body fat were increased with pubertal development, and those who had higher breast developmental stage showed a lower amount of consumption level in energy, seeds and nuts, and also showed a higher amount of consumption level in energy adjusted sodium and fiber among Korean girls.