• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.639-649
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• 2009

This study aims at investigating the psychosocial factors that influence on the intake of fruits and vegetables according to stage of change in rural children. Total 256 elementary school children, located in Yeongi-Gun, Chungnam-Do were surveyed from May 14 2007 to May 30 2007. Stage of change on the intake of fruits and vegetables of the students was categorized into three stages: precontemplation (PC), contemplation & preparation (CO&PR) and action (AC). Psychosocial factors consist of decisional balance based on pros and cons, process of change of cognitive and behavioral processes, and self-efficacy. The recognition of cons out of decisional balance showed the highest score in the subjects at the stage of PC and lowest score in those action stage. While, no difference was shown in the score of recognition of pros among the stages. Both levels of cognitive and behavioral process of change showed no difference between two pre-action stages, PC and CO&PR. However, the subjects of action stages got higher scores in more number of the variables in both of cognitive and behavioral process of change compared to those of pre-action stages with more remarkable in results vegetables than in fruits. The results of self-efficacy on fruits and vegetables intake showed that the higher stages of change, the higher the self-efficacy score. From the result, it is suggested that the items and level of psychosocial factors are different according to the stage of change and between fruits and vegetables in rural children.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.222-229
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• 2001

This study describes the application of the stages of change construct to fat intake by examining the associations of the stages of change with nutritional status and beliefs on health behavior. Data were obtained from apparently healthy 596 adults(326 females and 270 males) residing in large cities. Stages of change assessed by an algorithms based on 6 items were designed each subject into one of the 5 stages: precontemplation(PC), contemplation(CO), preparation(PR), action(AC) and maintenance(MA). Beliefs on health behavior were assessed by self efficacy as well as 4 belief scales from the Locus of Illness Control(LIC) developed using factor analysis such as internal disease cure and prevention and external disease cure and prevention. Energy and fat intakes were measured by a 39 item short form food frequency questionnaire. Regarding the 5 stages of change, MA stage comprised the largest group(37.9%), followed by Ac(30.7%), PC(11.4%), CO(10.4%) and PR(9.6%). Subjects who were females, older or healthier were more likely to belong to either AC or MA. Stage assignment of individuals was corroborated by their nutritional variables. Those in PC had the most energy and fat and those in MA ate the least for females. BMI was higher in PR than any other stages for both males and females. Those in PC were distinctive in that they were more externally oriented in terms of health control showing higher scores on external disease prevention(for males) and external disease cure(for females), and lower score on internal disease cure. On the other hand, those in MA received the highest scores on internal disease prevention and self efficacy, which suggested that they were more internally oriented. Canonical discriminant function analysis indicated that the 5 stages were importantly discriminated by BMI, self efficacy, internal disease prevention and external disease prevention for males and by fat intake, self efficacy and external disease cure variables for females. The results of our study confirm differences in stages of change in fat intake in terms of nutritional status and beliefs on heath behavior and indicate the need for taking these phases of change into account in nutrition advice. (Korean J Nutrition 34(2) : 222-229, 2001)

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 2006

Objectives: The goal of this study is to measure women's willingness to pay for cancer screening and to identify those factors associated with this willingness to pay. Methods: A population-based telephone survey was performed on 1,562 women (aged 30 years or over) for 2 weeks (9-23th, July, 2004). Data about sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, the intention of the cancer screenings and willingness to pay for cancer screening were collected. 1,400 respondents were included in the analysis. The women's willingness to pay for cancer screening and the factors associated with this willingness to pay were evaluated. Results: The results show that 76% of all respondents have a willingness to pay for cancer screening. Among those who are willing to pay, the average and median amount of money for which the respondents are willing to pay are 126,636 (s.d.: 58,414) and 120,000 won, respectively. As the status of education & the income are higher, the average amount that women are willing to pay becomes much more. The amount of money women are willing to pay is the highest during the 'contemplation' stage. Being willing to payor not is associated with a change of behavior (transtheoretical model), the income, the concern about the cancer risk, the family cancer history, the marital status, the general health exam, age and the place of residence. Income is associated with a greater willingness to pay. Old age was associated with a lower willingness to pay. Conclusions: According to the two-part model, income and TTM are the most important variables associated with the willingness to pay for cancer screening. The cancer screening participation rate is low compared with the willingness to pay for cancer screening. It is thought that we have to consider the participants' behavior that's associated with cancer screening and their willingness to pay in order to organize and manage cancer screening program.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1327-1336
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• 2004

This study was conducted to compare nutrient intakes regarding stages of change in dietary fat reduction behavior. Subjects were consisted of healthy 383 college students (250 females and 133 males) in Gyeonggi-Do. Stages of change classified by an algorithm based on 6 items were designed each subjects into one of the 5 stages: precontemplation (PC), contemplation (CO), preparation (PR), action (AC), maintenance (MA). Nutrient intakes were assessed by 24-hr recall method. Regarding the 5 stages of changes, PR stage comprised the largest group (31.1%), followed by AC (28.7%), PC (19.3%), CO (13.8%), MA (7.1%). Female were more belong to either AC or MA. Those in PC and PR had the most energy, fat, saturated fatty acid and cholesterol (except male) and those in AC and MA had the least. These dietary patterns were more distinctive in female than in male. The higher stage of change in dietary fat reduction behavior, the higher self-efficacy. Energy % from fat in PC, CO, PR was too higher than 20%, that of in AC and MA (except male in MA) was within 20%. The average P/S and $\omega$6/$\omega$3 ratio of diet fat for female were similar to the recommended ratio, but the average $\omega$6/$\omega$3 ratio for male was found to be 10.1～12.9, which was beyond the suggested range, 4～10. In male, energy, fat and protein intakes from dinner were significantly different among stages of change, but in female, besides dinner, those from breakfast, lunch and snack were significantly different among stages of change. These results of our study confirm differences in stages of change in fat intake in terms of nutritional status, especially in female, and indicate the need for taking these phases of changes into account in nutrition advice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.429-440
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine sodium-related nutrition knowledge, eating attitudes, eating behaviors, and self-efficacy by stages of behavioral change in reducing sodium intake among childcare center foodservice employees. Methods: Subjects (n = 333) were categorized according to two groups based on the stages of change; Pre-action stage (PA group: precontemplation/contemplation/preparation stage), Action stage (A group: action/maintenance stage). Results: A major source of sodium-related nutrition information was TV/radio (56.6%) and only 166 people (49.8%) have experienced nutrition education specific to sodium. Although the A group showed slightly higher scores for nutrition knowledge than the PA group, the difference was not significant. The percentages of correct answers for 'daily goal of sodium intake for adults (27.0%)', 'calculation of sodium content in nutrition labeling (30.3%)' were low for both groups. The A group (total score: 40.3) had more desirable eating attitudes regarding reducing sodium intake than the PA group (36.6, p < 0.001). The total score for eating behaviors was slightly higher in the A group (49.6) than in the PA group (48.5), but without statistical significance. The A group (total score: 58.2) also received higher scores for self-efficacy regarding reducing sodium intake than the PA group (52.5, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study suggests that nutrition education for childcare center foodservice employees should be expanded and customized education should be implemented according to the stages in reducing sodium intake. It is also suggested that food companies make efforts to develop low-sodium products.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.839-850
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• 2008

This study describes the demographic and diet-related psychosocial correlates of nutrition label use, and examines the relationship between label use and diet. Self-reported dada from a population-based cross-sectional survey of 2073 Korean women aged 20 to 60 years were collected to identify demographic and health-related characteristics, belief on diet-disease relationship, awareness on importance of healthy eating practice and diet quality associated with label use. Label users, who are in the stage of action and maintenance (31.6%), were more likely to have belief on nutrient-disease relationship (in sodium, cholesterol, sugar and trans fat) and were more likely to have higher awareness of the importance of healthy eating practice compared with label nonusers, who are in the stage of precontemplation, contemplation and preparation. Label users were more likely to have higher dietary quality compared with label nonusers [odds ratio (OR) = 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.66, 2.44](P < 0.001). Also, label use appeared to be associated with the consumption of diets that were higher vegetables and fruits, and lower in cholesterol. The findings of this study suggests that reading nutrition labels on food packages may improve food choices and enable healthful dietary practices.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.475-487
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• 2019

Purpose: With the increase of going out to eat, reducing the sodium in restaurant foods has a crucial impact on reducing sodium intake. This study aimed to assess the current status and perceptions of restaurant staffs related to reducing sodium use in restaurants. Methods: Restaurant managers and chefs (n = 312) in Seongnam area completed a questionnaire on the current status related to sodium use, the barriers to practice for reducing sodium use, support needs, and the practicability of methods for reducing sodium use in restaurants. Results: The percentage of restaurants in the preaction stage (including the precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages) for reducing sodium use was 79.7%. Logistic regression analysis showed that measuring salinity while cooking was associated with measuring seasoning (OR, 4.761; 95% CI, 2.325 ~ 9.751), action/maintenance stages of behavior change (OR, 2.829; 95% CI, 1.449 ~ 5.525) and providing salinity information of restaurant foods (OR, 6.314; 95% CI, 2.964 ~ 13.45). Maintaining taste and hindering the cooking process were the main barriers to reduce sodium use. The total practicability of actions for reducing sodium was higher in staffs who worked in restaurants that measured seasoning and salinity while cooking (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The hardest item to practice was 'purchase foods after comparing sodium content in the nutrition labeling'. 'Avoid serving salt-fermented foods as side dishes', 'serve small portions of kimchi and less salty kimchi', and 'put up promotional materials for reducing sodium intake' were selected as easy items to perform. The majority (82%) was willing to reduce sodium in restaurant foods under the support of local government and they desired the promotion of participating restaurants and education on cooking skills to reduce sodium. Conclusion: Measuring seasoning and salinity while cooking is a meaningful practice that is associated with stages of behavior change and the practicability of actions for reducing sodium. It is necessary to provide support and education with a gradual approach to staffs for reducing sodium in restaurant foods.