• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.505-514
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• 2013

Effect of Menu Calorie Labels on Menu Sales and Consumer's Recognition at a Korean Restaurant in a Hotel The role of calorie information is to help consumers make healthier food choices. However, calorie information is generally unavailable in restaurants. Even in high-end hotel restaurants, which try to provide high quality foods and service, calorie labeling is not mandatory. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of calorie labeling on menu sales and consumer's recognition at a Korean restaurant in Kangwonland hotel. The calorie contents of 10 dishes sold in the restaurant were calculated using the food composition table. After making a new menu plate displaying calorie information, the new menu plate and old menu plate were provided every other week for 4 weeks. When we compared the sales between the periods of calorie labeled and calorie unlabeled, sales of 4 items among the 5 food items providing less than 1000 kcal, increased, however the 3 items among the menu providing more than 1000 kcal decreased. As the survey results of total 405 consumers (male n = 232, female n = 173) showed the new menu plate, 68.2% of subjects recognized calorie labeling on the menu plate. Among the subjects who recognized calorie labeling, 58.3% answered that calorie information affected their food choices. And most of them answered that they chose lower calorie foods based on the information provided. The results suggest that displaying calorie information on the menu plate at a Korean restaurant was effective in changing consumer's food choices.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.220-230
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumer preferred formats of nutrition labels: the type of nutritional information provided on the labels. A survey was conducted on 222 housewives between the age of 20 and 65 in Daejeon city in 1998, using an interview questionnaire showing illustrated nutritional label formats. Among twelve nutrients and caloric values listed on the nutrition labels, the housewives ranked their interest in the items in the following order of calorie (58.56%), calcium (56.76%), cholesterol (54.05%), protein (39.19%) and vitamin C (36.04%). The majority of the subjects (69.37%) checked labels when they bought milk or dairy products, whereas only 8.11% looked at labels when they bought Ramyon or noodles. Most of the subjects (90.99%) preferred products with labels with nutritional information as compared with products without labels. this was especially so true of the younger individuals and of pc-ople who checked food labels more frequently. The subjects preferred labeling which described the nutrient content per Package (55.41%), sewing size (32.88%) and food weight of 1009 (11.71%) as a standard nit. Generally, they prefer-red a simplified list to a detailed list of the number of nutrients, a figure graph to bar graph in nutrition claim, vertical bar graph to horizontal bar graph showing the nutritional content of foods and a web-type graphic format to a radiation-format when describing the item's percentage of the Korean RDA's nutrient content. The subjects who checked labels frequently especially preferred detailed list, while housewives with job or with unhealthy family members preferred a simplified list and graphic, rather than a numerical display. From this result, it is suggested that providing consumers with more nutrients information in a more easily understood graphic format would encourage the consumers to check nutritional labels. Therefore this should be considered when developing the regulations far nutrition labeling or when educating the Public about nutrition. (Korean J Community Nutrition 8(2) : 220∼230, 2003)

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.417-428
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• 2011

To promote use of nutrition labels, degrees of awareness, use, and satisfaction of nutrition labeling on eating-out menus were investigated by a self-recorded questionnaire from May to July 2010 in 629 participants who visited four bakery chains (n=409) and three ice-cream chains (n=220) located in Daejeon. Of the subjects 53.4% were female, 68.8% aged 20~29 years, and 59.3% visited bakery or ice-cream stores 1~3 times per month. Only 38.2% of participants had knowledge of nutrition-labeling mandates for eating-out menus, and 74.9% had seen labels before in bakery and ice-cream stores. Most subjects understood calorie amount and daily value of sodium very well, but they failed to understand the meaning of daily value. Only 21.2% of the subjects understood nutrition label information completely. Of the participants, 46.7% read nutrition labels in bakery or ice-cream stores when purchasing. Among the subjects who read the labels, 77.2% (36.1% of total subjects) referred to the label information when selecting a menu and 46.9% (21.9% of total subjects) had experienced altering their menu choice based on the information. Exactly 53.3% of subjects answered they did not read nutrition labels since they were not interested or had no time, or because the labels were not noticeable. Satisfaction of the place, timing, and format of nutrition labels at bakery and ice-cream stores fell below average overall. Many subjects wanted trans fat and cholesterol to be added to the labels. In conclusion, degrees of perception, use, and satisfaction of nutrition labels at bakery and ice-cream stores were still low. More effective publicity and consumer education about nutrition labeling will be necessary, and bakery or ice-cream companies should make efforts to improve nutrition labeling such as providing format and place.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.227-238
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• 2011

To investigate recognition and use of nutrition labeling on eating-out menus, self-recorded questionnaire was surveyed for 641 consumers who visited hamburger and pizza restaurants in Daejeon from May to July, 2010. Subjects were women of 51.3% and 92.9% aged 10s or 20s. Use frequency of hamburger and pizza restaurants was 2-3 times a month with 56.9%. Of subjects 41.0% knew nutrition labeling mandates of eating-out menus, 64.6% have seen nutrition labels of menus, and 44.5% read nutrition labels when purchasing. Among subjects who read nutrition labels, 67.0% (29.8% of total) referred to it when menu purchase and 60.4% (26.9% of total) experienced changing menu. The ratio of reading nutrition labels was different among gender, diet trial frequency and monthly eating-out cost. Reasons for not reading labels were "not interested in" or "never heard about" for 57.0%, and "not noticeable" for 28.7%. The ratio who read correctly all 3 pieces of information, such as calorie amount, daily value, and way of using daily value was 39.2%. Average number of correct reading was 2.13, which was different among gender, marital status, having children, diet trial frequency, monthly eating-out cost, the restaurants use frequency, and accompanying person. Many subjects wanted to be additionally provided with cholesterol and transfat. Therefore, practical and differentiated consumer educations considering consumer features are required for better nutrition labeling usage. Government's regulatory efforts and voluntary effort of eating-out companies, such as adding nutrients on labels and improving labeling places, are also necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.301-310
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• 2002

In order to investigate the use and recognition of nutrition labelings of processed foods which adolescents frequently purchase, 277(boys 125, girls 152) middle school students and their parents were conveniently selected from the west Chonan City, and were surveyed by self-recording questionnaire on June, 2000. Nutrition labels were indicated only in 14.9% of 222 processed snack foods. At purchasing foods the students considered taste most importantly and in turn price, quantity, and nutrition. Of the subjects 79.4% of students and 89.2% of parents had experiences of reading nutrition labels, and the reasons were mainly to just know contained nutrients(76.8%, 72.1%, respectively) and for their health care(35.9%, 47.8%, respectively). The main reason not to confirm nutrition labels was that they were not interested in nutrition labels. But too small size and rudeness or hardness of understanding was also pointed out as a reason of not reading nutrition labels. The students ranked mineral, protein, and carbohydrate as the most important three nutrients at labelings, while the parents ranked protein, mineral, and calorie. Cholesterol, dietary fibers, and sodium were shown the lowest rank in both students and parents. Significant nutrients for specific processed foods did not well recognised in the students. Conclusively, nutrition labelings should be applied to all processed foods which students frequently buy, particularly in clear and large size. Also it is necessary to prepare education programs for both students and parents about accurate recognition of nutrition knowledge about processed foods and how to use nutrition labels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a nutrition education program that was designed to increase the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of Korean adults regarding nutrition labeling. The education program was 45 minutes of short-term training, which was conducted in the form of lectures and exercises. The contents of the program were as follows: in the introduction stage, talking about status and reasons for checking nutrition labels; in the development stage, explanation of nutrition labeling and their content, reading, and identifying sample nutrition labels, as well as comparing nutrition labels and selecting better foods; in the closing stage, summary of nutrition labeling and a pledge to check nutrition labels when purchasing processed food. A total of 53 adults (88.5% female) aged 30 years and over participated in this study. The nutrition labeling awareness of the subjects was increased significantly from 55.8 to 96.2% after the education. After the education, the correct recognition rate of a nutrition label was increased significantly from 26.9 to 78.8% for the amount of food, from 25.0 to 73.1% for the calorie content, from 36.5 to 69.2% for the nutrient contents, and from 30.8 to 82.7% for the percent daily value. The self-efficacy of checking nutrition labels was also increased significantly compared to that before the education. The overall satisfaction score of the nutrition education program was 4.2 out of 5. The outcome showed that the nutrition education program of nutrition labeling improved the participants' awareness and self-efficacy towards checking nutrition labels.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.650-661
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• 2009

In this study, 230 female college students in Seoul area were surveyed to evaluate their eating habits and behavior, physical activities, and patterns of purchasing diet/low-calorie food. Their body composition was also determined using bioelectrical impedance(Inbody 520). The subjects were divided into two groups according to their BMI index with a mean BMI of 20.2$\pm$1.5(normal) weight and 25.0$\pm$1.7(obesity). Overall, 85.7% of the subjects reported that the food they purchase depends more on their preferences than the nutritional value of the food. When the two groups were compared there was no significant difference in the frequency or experience of purchasing diet-foods. Indeed, 69.3% of all female college students had purchased diet foods, and most consumed these foods 2~3 times a week. Obese group preferred a savory taste, while normal group preferred a sweet taste. The majority of the subjects(80.8%) answered that they "read nutritional labels carefully upon purchasing diet food", and that they examined calories(61.8%) and total fat(48.5%) most carefully. Of the types of low-calorie/diet foods purchased, beverages were the most commonly obtained; followed by noodles, diet-bars, and snacks. The most commonly purchased low calorie snacks were "potato-type C(hot-flavor)" and "potato-type A(salty-flavor)", while the most commonly purchased diet-bars were "low calorie-type A"(55.3%) and "high protein-bar"(32.3%). The most commonly purchased noodles were "thick noodle type"(65.1%), while the most commonly purchased drinks were "cereal tea"(65.1%) and "mixed herb tea"(66.0%). Overall, factors such as self-esteem or the degree of body satisfaction, rather than obesity(BMI index) itself, were significantly correlated with the frequency of purchasing diet-foods.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.149-161
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to compare nutrition labeling use according to the gender and obesity degree of adolescents to help choose the healthy foods and improve dietary habits. This study surveyed the perception and use of nutrition labeling among 392 male and female high school students in Chungnam. It was found that 34.7% of the subjects read the nutrition labels, mostly for health reason. Calorie content was read the most among all components of nutrition labels regardless of gender or body mass index (BMI) status, especially among female students. Perception of nutrition labeling was 3.3 out of 5 points for all students, and there was no significant difference in scores between male and female students. However, there was a significant difference between the overweight group (3.4 points), normal group (3.3 points), and underweight group (3.1 points) (P<0.05). The frequency of reading nutrition labels by food group was highest for ramen, and lowest for fruits. Female students had significantly higher scores on the use of nutrition labeling for 8 food groups out of 12 groups compared to male students (P<0.05). In addition, the overweight and above group had significantly higher scores on the use of nutrition labeling for snack food and fruits compared to other groups (P<0.05). The proportion of students who received nutrition labeling education was 29.8%, and about half of students answered that such education and advertisement were necessary. These results suggest that nutritional education is needed to promote the use of nutrition labeling in adolescents.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.558-565
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• 2007

On the basis of the increasing interest for the selection of beverages, this study aimed to evaluate the contents of nutrients and health ${\cdot}$ functional elements in the beverages. Total 161 beverages that bear nutrition lable (NL) as nutrition table and health ${\cdot}$ functional elements information were collected and classified to 8 groups. The evaluated nutrients that are obligatory for NL in Korea were total calorie, carbohydrate, protein, fat, and sodium. Presented values showed that milk & yogurt and soy milk are the most wholesome beverages while the total caloric contents also were higher among 8 groups. Sodium contents in soy milk were higher than any other groups. The caloric contents of other beverage groups come mainly from carbohydrate presumably simple sugar. The caloric content of sports drinks is the lowest but the sodium content is variable among products showing the range of 0 - 100 mg/100 ml. Nonobligatory nutrients for NL frequently expressed are Ca, Fe, vitamin C, folate, and dietary fiber. Their content per serving size does not exceed the tolerable upper intake level, however, habitual multiple intakes of certain product require attention for the prevention of overintakes. Many health ${\cdot}$ functional elements as catechin, carnitine, polyphenol, and nucleic acids etc were listed in NL without presenting the content and their functions appear to be exaggerated compared to the known scientific evidence.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.375-386
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• 2017

Objectives: Rapid economic growth and industrial development in South Korea have led to a great change in dietary patterns, and the use of convenience foods has continuously increased. This study was performed to evaluate the energy and nutrient contents of convenience foods at convenience stores near the universities as a meal. Methods: Data was collected by visiting 22 convenience stores near some universities in Chungbuk and Seoul and by checking nutrition labels on convenience foods at the stores. Data of a total of 338 food items were collected, and divided into five groups according to the food categories; rice products (n=156), noodles (n=101), burger/sandwiches (n=62), Tteokbokkis (n=11), and dumplings (n=8). Further, rice products, noodles, and burger/sandwiches were divided into subcategories. Results: The proportion of calories from carbohydrates was high in the rice products and tteokbokki, while the rate of calories from fat was high in burger/sandwiches and dumplings. Among the rice products, the proportion of carbohydrate calories was high in a one-dish food, rice with soup, and triangular kimbap, while the proportion of calories from fat in lunch boxes was high. In the noodles category, ramyeon and spaghetti had a high percentage of fat calories, while udong had a high percentage of carbohydrate calories. The ratio of the calorie content in relation to the KDRIs for adults aged 19-29 years, lunch boxes provided about 1/3 of daily required energy. However, the amount of calories as one meal was not enough for other types of rice products except for lunch boxes. Ramyeon was high in calories, fat, and sodium, but low in protein content. The burger/sandwiches had a high percentage of fat and sodium. Conclusions: Our results showed several nutritional limitations of convenience meals in convenience stores according to the type of food. Therefore, college students should limit excessive intake of convenience meals on a regular basis in order to avoid unhealthy food intake patterns. Our results demonstrate the need for educating college students with regard to checking nutrition labels when choosing convenience meals in order to facilitate the selection of food items that contribute to a balanced diet.