• Asia Marketing Journal
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.25-43
• /
• 2020

Although ready meals have recently increased their market share in the Korean food industry, a literature review found that the use of ready meals triggers feelings of guilt in homemakers. Such guilt arises as a result of several factors apparently related to consumers' health. Consequently, levels of guilt might be expected to vary depending on consumers' perceived health locus. The present study aims to examine (a) how health locus affects guilty feelings about ready-meal consumption, (b) how the effect varies in relation to the consumption of different types of ready meal, and (c) the relationship between consumers' guilty feelings and willingness to buy ready meals. Three dimensions of health locus of control (HLC) -internal HLC (IHLC), powerful-others HLC (PHLC), and chance HLC (CHLC)- were presumed to influence consumers' feelings of guilt in association with ready meals. Data were collected via an online survey, and participants were randomly assigned to either of two groups: one group was instructed to heat meals in a microwave (ready-to-heat [RTH] group, n=104) and the other cooked using a pan with additional ingredients (ready-to-cook [RTC] group, n=101). The study found that guilty feelings about consuming RTH meals increased in line with increased external HLCs, namely, PHLC and CHLC. For the RTC group, guilt increased in line with increased PHLC. IHLC had no significant effect on guilty feelings in either group. Willingness to buy ready meals decreased for both groups as consumers' feelings of guilt increased. Even RTC meals, which require more time and energy in food preparation, did not reduce guilty feelings among consumers with higher PHLC. RTC meals are preferable for consumers with higher CHLC, since their sense of greater involvement in the cooking process alleviates their feelings of guilt. Cooking with already prepared and uncooked ingredients brought fun and joy, both for the participants and their significant others. This interpretation may be developed into a strategic plan by ready-meal producers to strengthen their marketing strategy.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.217-232
• /
• 2004

As a result of the sudden change of our society and the increasing employment of married women, it is necessary for men to participate in household works. The purpose of this study was to investigate consciousness of and participation in meal management of 30 to 50 years old Korean married men, living in Incheon and Ganghwa. The younger and the lower the education, consciousness about the meal management was lower. More than half of the subjects responded ‘Men can do participate in preparation of meals if necessary’ and the lowest of the subjects responded ‘Men should not participate in preparation of meals’. It showed that the consciousness of participation in meal management was changing positively. Although the consciousness of participation in meal management was positive, the real rate of meal management participation was not that high. Men were participated in grocery shopping, dish washing, cooking and menu planning in order. The average score of nutrition knowledge was high but there was no significant correlation between the nutrition knowledge and the participation in meal management. There were no correlations between the consciousness of and the participation in meal management. But there were strong correlations among each other in meal management behaviors such as grocery shopping, dish washing, cooking and menu planning. Our results suggested that nutritional education should be carried out in menu planning and cooking demanding knowledge and training.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.8-20
• /
• 2005

The study purpose was to examine which factors including health perceptions & behaviors, psychosocial factors, dietary intakes were different by stages of change to reduce fast food consumption among university students. Survey data(n = 341) were analyzed using X$^2$ test or analysis of variance. With respect to stages of change, $17\%$ were in the precontemplation ; $21.4\%$ for contemplation, $19.7\%$ for preparation, 11.7% for action, and $30.2\%$ for the maintenance stage. Frequency of fast food consumption (p < 0.001), health status, interest toward health, and exercising behavior (p < 0.05) differed significantly by stages of change. Demographics and nutrient intakes, however, had no association with stages of change. Those in precontemplation through preparation stages felt more strongly on the advantages such as taste, satiety, cleanness of restaurants (p < 0.001), and diverse menus (p < 0.05). Compared to maintainers or actors, pre-contemplators agreed less to the disadvantages of eating fast foods, including sanitary problems (p < 0.001), overeating, indigestion, decreased vegetable intakes (p < 0.01) and loss of freshness (p < 0.05). Influence of significant others (e.g., friends, siblings, parents) significantly differed by stages of change. Compared with maintainers, those in preaction stages felt less control over facilitators or situations for fast food consumption. These included 'others like fast foods', 'providing standard meals', 'when I don't have foods for meals'(p < 0.001), availability, advertisement, 'socially popular', 'when I feel hungry'(p < 0.01), and 'when I don't like to prepare meals' (p < 0.05). These results suggested that nutrition education be planned considering one's stages of change for fast food consumption. For those in preaction stages, it is desirable to use motivational strategies to increase benefits and remove barriers of change, and help to develop skills to deal with situations or factors for fast food consumption. The support from friends or families is also needed to move to further stages.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.123-131
• /
• 1998

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preference trend of frequently served meals in the elementary school lunch program. Therefore, this evaluation was surveyed on frequently served meals in the elementary school lunch program in Inchon. Also, this study was surveyed on food preference using questionnaire including frequently served food items. Statistical analysis of data was completed using SAS program. The results of this survey was as follows: 1. Freqrenctly served foods were 56 food items including 5 boiled rice, 3 one course dishes, 10 soup & pot stewes, 10 fresh & boiled salads, 8 stirred fries, 7 stewes, 6 grill & fries, 3 kimchies and 4 desserts. 2. Students liked barley bab more than the other kinds of cooked rice. One course dishes were preferred most by the subjects. Among soup & pot stewes, fermented soybean paste stew showed lower preference than the other kind of stewes. Among fresh & boiled salads, fruits salad was the most favore, whereas, root of bellflower salad was the most hated. Among side-dishes by different preparation method, stir fries, stewes, grill & fries, kimchies, dessert were prefered most by the subjects. There were significant difference between male and female students for most given foods except soup & pot stewes. Female students showed higher preference for most given foods except fresh & boiled salads, kimchies, dessert than male students.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.21-41
• /
• 2018

This study determined the characteristics of meal-related time use among employees living in one-person and multi-person households by conducting a comparison focused on gender and age differences. Among the questionnaires distributed to employees during the 2014 Korean Time Use Survey, 19,692 were used for final analysis. The results were as follows: First, the one-person households had shorter meal-related time use than did the multi-person households, except for the time spent having snacks and beverages. Second, meal-related time use was generally longer in non-working days than in workdays. Third, gender differences in meal-related time use were observed, with the more significant ones being the differences in time devoted to meal preparation and dishwashing. Fourth, in both the one-person and multi-person households, women spent a longer amount of time preparing meals and washing dishes than did men, but this difference was greater in multi-person households. Fifth, old individuals spend a longer time preparing meals and washing dishes than did young individuals. Policies must be enforced to improve the quality of diets in one-person households. Such households should also be provided nutrition education to increase their awareness of the importance of healthy and regular meals. Another essential requirement of policy is the provision of gender equality education for both the one-person and multi-person households.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.812-825
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the importance and performance level of sodium reduction practices in school meal service by school nutrition teachers and dietitians, and compared them according to school level and placement of the school nutrition teacher. SUBJECTS/METHODS: An online survey was conducted with 608 nutrition teachers and dietitians in schools in the Republic of Korea from September 28 to November 12, 2021 (response rate: 57%). The questionnaire comprised 11 items related to sodium reduction practices (purchasing, food preparation and serving, and education). The importance and performance level of each item was rated on a 5-point scale. The mean differences were analyzed using t-tests or one-way analyses of variance and Duncan's post-hoc tests. An importance-performance analysis was performed on sodium reduction practices. RESULTS: Participating in sodium reduction education, sodium reduction education for cooks, and sodium reduction education for students were assessed to have high importance but low performance. Overall, the higher the school level, the lower was the importance level of sodium reduction practices. The performance in kindergartens and elementary schools was higher than that in middle and high schools. The importance in the purchasing category perceived by dietitians was lower as compared to nutrition teachers. In addition, the performance in the purchasing, food preparation and serving, and education categories perceived by dietitians was lower than those of nutrition teachers. CONCLUSION: Sodium reduction education for nutrition teachers and dietitians, cooks, and students should prioritize practicing sodium reduction in school meal service. Specific guidelines for managing sodium reduction at all stages-purchasing, food preparation, and serving-should also be developed. The results could be used as basic data to reduce the sodium content in school meals.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.45-58
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in dietary behavior in Korean and Chinese female university students and investigate factors that influence dietary behavior. A total of 447 female university students in Korea and China were surveyed between June 27 and August 30, 2016. The data were analyzed using $x^2$ test, t-test, one way ANOVA, and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Among Korean female university students, those who skipped breakfast were 26.18 times (95% CI: 5.421-126.407) more likely to be at a low-level stage for balanced diets than those who did not skip breakfast. In addition, compared to Korean female university students who did not eat late-night meals, those who ate late-night meals were 3.15 times (95% CI: 1.28-7.768) more likely to be at a low-level stage for balanced diets. Compared to Chinese female university students who did not skip breakfast, those who skipped breakfast were 4.22 times (95% CI: 1.865-9.551) more likely to be at a low-level stage for balanced diets. Compared to the Chinese female university students who did not stay up all night, those who stayed up all night were 5.25 times (95% CI: 1.712-16.074) to be in the preparation stage. The study results show that some factors that influence stage changes in balanced diets in Korean female university students were skipping breakfast and eating late-night meals. Therefore, it is recommended that solutions for improving the behavior of late-night meals and skipping breakfast, which are factors influencing stage changes in balanced diets should be strategically performed according to dietary behavior stages.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.277-289
• /
• 2019

Objectives: This study examined the practices of a community meal program for older adults in rural areas during the agricultural off-season. Methods: A survey was conducted from December 12 to December 22, 2016. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 150 cooking volunteers, who had participated in the community meal program in 50 villages. A total of 114 responses were returned from 44 villages and used for data analysis. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with the volunteers of eight villages. Results: Most of the cooking volunteers were 50 years old or older and they participated in serving older adults meals for good will. The cooking volunteers perceived that the older adults in their community did not eat various foods, had difficulties in grocery shopping, and frequently consumed salty foods. During the agricultural off-season, 40.9% of villages served the older adults meals 6-7 days a week and 95.5% provided meals for lunch. An average of 21 to 40 older adults were served meals in each village. The cooking volunteers reported that the food preparation and meal service times were sufficient, recipes provided were useful, and menus met the preference of the older adults. At the end of the program, they felt proud of serving meals for older adults in the community. An increased awareness of healthy eating, interest in health, and consumption of nutritious meals, a decrease in loneliness among older adults, and the promotion of fellowship in the community were rated highly. The cooking volunteers expected additional support for cooking personnel and insisted that the program should be provided for the entire agricultural off-seasons. Conclusions: The community meal program during the agricultural off-season for the elderly in rural areas was effective in improving the dietary life of older adults, relieving their feelings of isolation, and promoting fellowship of the community. The volunteers felt workload due to a shortage of volunteers but answered that they were rewarded by helping older adults in their community.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.3-15
• /
• 2005

This study was carried out to examine the relationship between various characteristics of Korean traditional dishes such as preference, function, occurrence and preparation, with children and adolescents' characteristics such as general characteristics and health status and health attitudes. Elementary school students had desirable health attitudes as measured using the subjectively perceived level of health status and purpose of meals. There were significant relationships between some characteristics and health concerned behaviors, which included the extent of eating healthy diets, the intake of nutritional supplements and the application of nutritional knowledge. We found out that there were significant positive correlations among four characteristics of traditional dishes and the preference for those dishes was more positively correlated with occurrence and preparation than with function. The effects of the subjects' characteristics on preference for traditional dishes differed in various ways.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.332-341
• /
• 2006

The goal of this study was to determine a method of reducing food wastes in the dietary home lifestyle. Statistical analyses were conducted of 491 questionnaires answered by housekeepers living in Daejeon city. The data were analyzed by SAS program and the results are summarized as follows. Among the respondents, 51.53% answered that they purchased the foods in consideration of the family number, 60.45% that they occasionally throw away foods because the date of expiry had passed, i.e., the foods threw away by mistake of storage, 68.23% that they make side dishes at a time for three meals in a day, 52.95% that they make three or four kinds of side dishes, 82.28% that they prepared meals according to the favorite foods of the family, 48.04% that they left food at home, and 47.32% that they threw away foods because too many foods had been prepared. The major reasons for food wastes at home were listed as meal leftovers (32.72%), vegetable trimming (31.29%), and non-planned purchase (25.77 %). The perception of housekeepers on the reduction of food waste were listed as the preparation of accurate meal quantity (50.92%), planned purchase (28.31%), development of recycling foods (14.05%), and reduction of side dishes (6.72%). Further reduction of food wastes of dietary home lifestyle can be summarized to emphasize the preparation of accurate meal quantity, planned purchase, development of recycling foods, and reduction of side dishes. In addition, studies should be conducted to examine the systematic administration method and standard education for the reduction of food wastes.