• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.425-431
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to examine the participation rate in food assistance programs and explore the factors that contribute to such participation among the Korean elderly population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study sample comprised 3,932 respondents aged 65 years or older who were selected from a secondary data set, the fourth Korean Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS). The factors, related to participation in programs were examined based on the predisposing, enabling and need factors of the help-seeking behavior model. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to select the best contributors among the factors related to program participation. RESULTS: The predisposing rate in food assistance programs was 8.5% (7.1% for men and 10.4% for women). When all variables were included in the model, living without spouse, no formal education, low income, having social security benefits and food insecurity in elderly men, and age, low income, having social security benefits and feeling poor in elderly women were significantly related to a higher tendency to program participation. CONCLUSIONS: The predisposing and need factors, such as living without spouse, low education level, food insecurity and feeling poor were important for program participation, as well as enabling factors, such as household income and social security benefits. A comprehensive approach considering these factors to identify the target population for food assistance programs is needed to increase the effectiveness and target population penetration of these programs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.410-417
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• 2022

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs introduced the Agrifood Voucher in 2020. The Agrifood Voucher is the program that provides vouchers to purchase selected food items with dietary management education. This study aimed to explore value and meaning of dietary management based on the Agrifood Voucher. First, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program of the United States and the Agrifood Voucher of Korea were reviewed. Second, various terms used for describing the purpose of food assistance programs were comparatively reviewed and 'food and nutrition security', together with the corresponding Korean term, was proposed to be the most appropriate term for the purpose. Subsequently, the value and meaning of dietary management based on the Agrifood Voucher were presented as enhancing food and nutrition security of the vulnerable. Diverse education programs should be developed and implemented to improve the dietary management capacity of the Agrifood Voucher recipients in order to properly realize the meaning and value of dietary management based on the Agrifood Voucher in the future.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.837-847
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• 2001

The main purposes of this study were to survey and assess the current situation surrounding solid waste generation in school foodservices, to identify and evaluate the measures(reduction and recycling programs) taken by the foodservices for waste disposal, and to suggest appropriate reform measures to improve the current status, especially in terms of environmental preservation. Questionnaires on solid waste management practices were mailed to 206 school foodservice dietitians in the Kyungbuk region : a 64.0%(N = 130) response rate was obtained. While there are food waste and packaging waste generated from the foodservice operations, about a third(34.1%) of the foodservice operations were responsible for the disposal of both the food wastes and packaging wastes. About 90% of school foodservice managers were responsible for managing solid wastes. The primary recycling methods of leftovers generated from the school food service operations were livestock feed(76.0%). About 60.0% of school foodservice managers conducted the food waste reduction program. The performance by the foodservice managers in reducing the food waste was not satisfactory in several fields, such as developing environmentally friendly menus or abiding by the standard recipe, etc. In addition, the government assistance system was not properly working in the food service management. In conclusion, we should focus on increasing the performance in reducing the food waste by the foodservice managers, strengthening and facilitating the government assistance system for the food waste management and to develop education methods and education materials for food waste management.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.313-320
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• 2020

This study aims to analyze the household economic behavior of salt farmers participants in Salt Business Empowerment Program (Pugar) including of salt production, work flow, household revenue, the behavior of consumption of food and non-food items and the welfare level. This research followed a survey method by engaging 32 household farmers as participants. The findings revealed that the empowerment program was carried out through the technical assistance of salting production and the assistance of equipment and technology from Thread of Screw Filter and geoisolators to improve the quality of salt. The problems come when the marketing of salt is still limited to the collectors of salt which led to the price of salt level, manufacturers have not remained stable. Household revenue sources for some salt farmers also come from non-salt pond business activities. Farmer household revenue can be used to meet staple food consumption and non-food staple consumption. Based on the indicators of family welfare, households participating in the empowerment program were group into the category of prosperous families. In order to stabilize the price of salt at the producer level, government intervention in the people's salt trading system is needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.96-107
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• 2024

Objectives: While several food assistance programs in the United States tackle food insecurity, a relatively new program, "Food is Medicine," (FIM) initiated in some cities not only addresses food insecurity but also targets chronic diseases by customizing the food delivered to its recipients. This review describes federal programs providing food assistance and evaluates the various sub-programs categorized under the FIM initiative. Methods: A literature search was conducted from July 7, 2023 to November 9, 2023 using the search term, "Food is Medicine", to identify articles indexed within three major electronic databases, PubMed, Medline, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Eligibility criteria for inclusion were: focus on any aspect of the FIM initiative within the United States, and publication as a peer-reviewed journal article in the English language. A total of 180 articles were retrieved; publications outside the eligibility criteria and duplicates were excluded for a final list of 72 publications. Supporting publications related to food insecurity, governmental and organizational websites related to FIM and other programs discussed in this review were also included. Results: The FIM program includes medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, and produce prescriptions. Data suggest that it has lowered food insecurity, promoted better management of health, improved health outcomes, and has, therefore, lowered healthcare costs. Conclusions: Overall, this umbrella program is having a positive impact on communities that have been offered and participate in this program. Limitations and challenges that need to be overcome to ensure its success are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 2003

The purposes of this study were to: (a) investigate the characteristics of recipients' of the non-government foodbank program, (b) examine the health and dietary related conditions of them, and (c) evaluate the benefits and effectiveness of the foodbank program from the recipients' perspective. A total of 21 groups (n = 755) and 75 individual recipients participated in the survey. The main results of the study were as follows; (a) Generally, the individual recipients were 74-year-old female, livelihood protectee, and those who received government assistance or funds from private donators as their source of livelihood. (b) The ages of group recipients varied widely, and they also received government assistance or funds from private donators as their source of livelihood. (c) Most of the donated foods were bakery and confectionery Items. rice, and milk and other dairy products. (d) Benefits such as the decrease in the recipients' food expenses and an enhancement of their nutritional statuses were identified. (Korean J Community Nutrition 8(2) : 231∼239, 2003)

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-35
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• 2008

Improved nutritional intake contributes to maintaining health and quality of life in elderly population and also reducing individual and social medical costs. Most of nutrition assistance programs for elderly, such as congregate or home-delivered meal programs, are not currently serviced in rural communities mainly due to low cost efficiency of program operation. However, the needs and necessity of such programs are presumed to be higher in rural area where the population density of elderly at nutritional risk is relatively high. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a community-based meal program for the rural elderly. In 2007, four rural communities located in Jeon-Nam province were selected and the pilot meal program was applied for three months. Following are key features of the meal program model developed in this study: 1) meal production and service are operated by elderly participants to overcome the voluntary personnel shortage 2) utilization of locally-produced foods is maximized to reduce the meal cost, 3) traditional cooking methods are applied to adjust the food preference of elderly, and 4) foods are serviced on site to minimize the food safety problem possibly caused by delivery process. The pilot programs resulted in high satisfaction with the programs of participating elderly. The community-based meal program model developed in this study is expected to be used as an effective nutrition and health intervention model for the rural elderly.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.304-311
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity and nutritional status of children in low-income households. A cross sectional study involved a survey of households (n = 223) receiving the financial assistance. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Eligible mothers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria such as non-pregnant, non-lactating mothers, aged 18 to 55 years with their youngest children aged 2 to 12 years, were purposively selected. The Radimer/Cornell hunger and food-insecurity instrument was administered and children's height and weight were measured. RESULTS: About 16.1% of the households were food secure, while 83.9% experienced some kind of food insecurity. Out of food insecure category, 29.6% households were food insecure, 19.3% women were individual food insecure and 35.0% fell into the child hunger category. Education of the mother (P = 0.047), household size (P = 0.024), number of children (P = 0.024), number of children going to school (P = 0.048), total monthly income (P < 0.001), income per capital (P < 0.001), number of household members contributing to the income (P = 0.018) and food expenditure (P = 0.006) were significant risk factors for household food insecurity. The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting in children were 61.0%, 61.4% and 30.6% respectively. Based on multinomial logistic regression, children in food-insecure households were 2.15 times more likely to be underweight and three times to be stunted than children in the food-secure households. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that household food insecurity is associated with the nutritional status of the children in the rural area of Northeastern Peninsular Malaysia.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.29-36
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• 2016

Purpose - Intense debate is occurring over support for farmers in Korea, specifically on the justification, policy design, and equality issues of the farm support programs. Given this debate, a new type of farm program in the US, a market flexible revenue program(the Average Crop Revenue Election, ACRE), is examined. ACRE stands in contrast to traditional programs that tie payments to price and have parameters that are fixed or change only infrequently. Research design, data, and methodology - Based on the ACRE program formulas, the potential payments are estimated by crop year, program crop and geographical area using the FSA acreage and payment rate data. Results - If all US farm program acres were in ACRE over the 2009-2013 crop years, payments would have totaled $7.95 billion or 1.2 percent of average market receipts for US crops. Enacting ACRE as a revenue program instead of a similarly-structured price-only program increased payments by $1.75 billion or 28 percent. Conclusions - Potential payments by ACRE largely reflected the distribution of the value of production across the program crops eligible for ACRE as well as across state geographical areas. If program parameters can be made acceptable and if data availability issues can be addressed, market flexible revenue programs offer a farm policy option that can address many of the concerns that have arisen over farm policy in Korea.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.264-276
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• 2023

Purpose: Food environmental factors related to food insecurity affect household food intake in several socio-ecological aspects. This study explores the relationship between food environment factors and food insecurity in households with married immigrant women. Methods: From November 2018 to February 2020, a survey was conducted enrolling 249 married immigrant women residing in the metropolitan areas of South Korea. In the final analysis, 229 subjects were divided into 2 groups classified as food security (n = 154) and food insecurity (n = 75), as assessed by the score of food security. Three aspects of food environments were measured: built·natural, political·economic, and socio-cultural Results: Food environments were significantly different between food security and food insecurity groups, as follows: the number of foods market and their distance from the home and food status for the last week at home in the built·natural domain; monthly cost of food purchase and experience for food assistance in the political·economic domain; total score of social support, parenting, and cooking skills in the socio-cultural domain. A stepwise multivariate linear regression model showed a negative association between the food insecurity score with social support from family and food inventory status in the last week. After adjusting for confounders, a positive association was obtained between the experience of a food support program. The final regression model explains about 30% of the relationship obtained in the three food environment domains and food insecurity (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Not only economic factors, which are common determinants of household food insecurity, but socio-cultural factors such as social support also affect household food insecurity. Therefore, plans for implementing a food assistance program to improve food insecurity for households with immigrant women should consider financial support as well as other comprehensive aspects, including socio-cultural domain such as social support from family and community.