• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2002

This study was designed to assess diet and health-related factors of older adults in Korea. Subjects females were 2,660 adults aged 50 and over living in Korea. Males were 847 persons and were 1813 persons. The mean weight and height for males and females were 63.8 $\pm$ 0.3kg / 164.0 $\pm$ 0.2cm and 57.0 $\pm$ 0.2kg /150.6 $\pm$ 0.1cm respectively. BMI (body mass index), body fat, and percent fat were significantly greater in females than in males. The muscle mass and body water were significantly greater in males than in females. Twenty-one percent of total subjects lived alone and 26% with spouse only. Most of the subject's self-reported income was in middle level (65%) or low level (24%). Proportion of subjects who answered 'very poor' or 'poor' on perceived health status was higher in older group. The 50-64 years old group was facing more stress than 65yr and over group. Among male subjects,38.4% were current-smokers and 22.0% were ex-smokers. But only 6.5% of female subjects were current-smokers. Males turned out to have better dietary habits-meal frequency per day, mealtime regularity, regular meal size and balanced eating-than females (p < 0.001). This study revealed that the diet and health-related factors affect nutritional status and chronic diseases of the elderly. For better management and evaluation of health status of the elderly, more effective nutritional assessment tools should be developed.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2011

This study was performed to assess the nutritional status of low income elderly women aged ${\geq}$65 years residing in Gyeongnam Masan (n=124). Nutrition intakes, food intake frequency, and health-related behaviors including smoking, drinking, and exercise were investigated. Nutrition intake was calculated by the 24-hour recall method using CAN-pro (ver. 3.0). Average daily intakes of energy were $1,142.3{\pm}39$ kcal (71.4% of EER) in subjects aged 65~74 years and $1,071.0{\pm}41.7$ kcal (66.9% of EER) in subjects aged ${\geq}$75 years and the subjects consumed energy less than both 75% of estimated energy requirement (EER). The proportions of energy derived from protein, fat, and carbohydrate were 15.4:15.5:70.6 (aged 65~74 years), and 15.3:13.4:70.8 (aged ${\geq}$75). Nutrients consumed at less than estimated average requirements (EARs) were Ca (60.4%), P (98.4%), Zn (91%), vitamin E (48% of adequate intake, AI), vitamin $B_1$ (63.3%), vitamin $B_2$ (54%), niacin (87.7%), vitamin C (62.5%), and folate (50.5%). Especially, the intakes of Ca (58%), vitamin E (41% of AI), vitamin $B_1$ (60%), vitamin $B_2$ (50%), folate (46.5%), and vitamin C (54%) were 75% less than the EAR for people aged ${\geq}$75 years. According to the food intake frequency survey, the intakes of calcium, milk, fruits, and vegetables were very poor. In conclusion, this study suggests that a nutritional support program for elderly women of low socioeconomic class must be provided by the government to improve the quality of remaining life.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.298-308
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• 2013

The elderly population in Korea is rapidly growing. As the population ages, meals become a greater concern, as physical and psychological health problems are directly affected by dietary life, especially for the lower-income elderly. Although the government provides support through a free congregate meal service, there is a lack of systematic management of this meal service. This study investigates the experience of the elderly, especially the symbolic meaning and issues regarding the congregate meal service in their dietary life, to establish strategies for improving congregate meal services. Qualitative data was collected from ten elderly receivers of meal services through in-depth interviews and data was analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological research methods. Overall, 90 significant statements, 13 formulated meanings, and five theme clusters were deduced. The five theme clusters for the importance of meal services to the elderly included the followings: "a real meal", "enjoyment of living", "maintenance of regular life", "place for social life" and "meal of silence". We found that the elderly regarded the congregate free meal service not only as meals to appreciate but also as a form of social life. Furthermore, the elderly did not typically express any complaints regarding congregate meal services because they are free. The results showed that it might be difficult to evaluate the quality of meal services based on the opinions of the service receivers. This study suggests it is necessary to develop multilateral evaluation methods to reflect the needs of the elderly and to improve the congregate meal services at elderly welfare centers.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.22-38
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• 2010

In Korea, there has been a rapid increase in the number and proportion of elderly people, especially in rural areas, due to improvements in the standard of living and medical technology. One of the main health problems for the elderly people is dental health, which can cause nutritional and health problems. Thus, in this study, the dental health status and health status in relation to nutritional intake were analyzed. A total of 155 rural-dwelling elderly people (68 males, 87 females) over the ages of 65 participated in this study. The subjects were classified into three groups; the no denture no teeth group, denture user group, and natural teeth group. The dietary intake, biochemical health status, and anthropometry were evaluated. Can-pro 3.0 was used to assess dietary intakes and the SPSS 12.0 program was used for statistical analysis. The results showed that the natural teeth group had better nutritional and dietary intake status than the no denture no teeth group. The dietary assessment showed that there were differences in food intakes among the groups, which depended on their dental health status. In conclusion, dietary management is required for the elderly since each group has a different ability to chew food depending on their dental health status. In addition, the elderly will need different therapeutic diets because of the high prevalence of chronic degenerative diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.543-554
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The elderly are reported to have a high prevalence of nutritional anemia when they have lower intakes of nutrients or chronic diseases. This study was conducted to compare nutritional status according to nutritional anemia and to determine associations between nutritional anemia and chronic diseases in Korean elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study utilized data on 3,258 elderly aged ${\geq}65$ years gathered during the $6^{th}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2015. Subjects were divided into nutritional anemia (NA) group (n = 415) and non-NA group (n = 2,843) by hemoglobin concentration. Nutrient intakes were assessed using dietary intake data obtained using the 24-hour recall method. The odds ratios (ORs) for nutritional anemia by chronic diseases were determined. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Ver. 23.0. RESULTS: Of 3,258 subjects, 12.7% had nutritional anemia. Intakes of potatoes, pulses, and mushrooms by males and potatoes, fruits, meats, eggs, and seafood by females were significantly lower in NA group than in non-NA group. The proportion of the subjects whose intakes of protein, vitamin A, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, niacin, and iron less than estimated average requirement (EAR) were significantly higher in NA group compared to non-NA group. After adjusting for age, the number of family members, energy intake, and alcohol drinking, ORs for nutritional anemia in the subjects with diabetes and myocardial infarction or angina pectoris were significantly higher by 1.74 times and 1.59 times as compared to the subjects without those diseases, respectively. However, ORs for nutritional anemia in the subjects with obesity, abdominal obesity, and hypertriglyceridemia were significantly lower by 0.64 times, 0.60 times, and 0.59 times as compared to the subjects without those diseases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that nutritional management should be done to enable the Korean elderly to consume foods with high hematopoietic nutrients density to prevent nutritional anemia. Korean elderly need to make regular efforts to check for nutritional anemia.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.75-87
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to identify nutrition quotient for elderly (NQ-E) and to investigate factors affecting NQ-E of the elderly using welfare center and senior citizen's center in Changwon city. A self-administered questionnaire was conducted between June 2021 and early August 2021 for 320 elderly (≥65 years, male, n=52, female, n=268). As a result of the survey, the mean NQ-E score was 61.12, which was within the medium-high grade. The scores of balance, moderation, and dietary behavior factors were within the medium-high grade, while diversity factor was within the medium-low grade. According to the results of the Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis, NQ-E showed positive correlations with the 'with family' (p<0.01), 'education level' (p<0.01), 'health functional foods consumption' (p<0.01), 'monthly household income' (p<0.05), 'nutrition education experience' (p<0.05), 'reading nutrition labeling of health functional foods' (p<0.01), 'perception of the efficacy of health functional foods' (p<0.01), and 'the number of times of leisure activities per week' (p<0.01) and negative correlations with the 'gender' (p<0.05), 'age' (p<0.01), 'smoking' (p<0.05), and 'social frailty' (p<0.01). As a result of multiple regression analysis, 'gender' (p<0.05), 'perception of the efficacy of health functional foods' (p<0.05), 'the number of times of leisure activities per week' (p<0.05), and 'social frailty' (p<0.05) were found to be factors affecting NQ-E. Based on the results of this study, customized services by characteristic, nutrition education, and counseling for the elderly should be implemented and the development of various programs and continuous support of the community are necessary so that the elderly can carry out social exchange.

• Journal of Food and Nutrition Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.228-234
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• 2022

Korea has entered the aged society, with those aged over 65 years accounting for 14~20% of its population. Interest in the quality of life, nutrition, and health of the elderly is increasing. Since the energy intake of the elderly is lower than the estimated required amount, nutrient intake ratio of the elderly is related to mastication. Yanggaeng is a high-energy food made from agar, sugar, and red bean paste. Since it has a soft texture, it is highly utilized as a snack for the elderly who have inconvenience in mastication. Pinus koraiensis needle is known to possess antioxidant and antibacterial effects. The purpose of this study was to develop a functional snack added with Pinus koraiensis needle extract powder known to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antibacterial effects for the elderly that would be easy for them to chew. In this study, yanggaeng was manufactured with 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, or 8% of Pinus koraiensis needle extract powder, white sediment, and agar. In the experiment, moisture contents, color values texture characteristics, antioxidant activities, and sensory preference results were evaluated. Moisture content was the highest in the group added 6% of the extract powder. It was the lowest in the group added 8% of the extract powder, showing a significant (p < 0.001) difference between the two. Hardness, cohesiveness, and springiness of texture characteristics were decreased significantly (p < 0.001) while the adhesiveness and chewiness of texture characteristics were increased significantly (p < 0.001) as the amount of addition increased. Regarding antioxidative activity measurements, levels of polyphenols were the highest (p < 0.001) in the group added with 8% of the extract powder. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were increased as the amount of addition increased (p < 0.001). Overall sensory preference was the highest for the 2% addition group. It decreased as the amount of addition increased (p < 0.001). Results of this study indicate that Pinus koraiensis needle extract powder with antioxidant and antibacterial effects can be used to manufacture yanggaeng to make functional snacks with improved quality characteristics for the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.137-149
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• 2020

Objectives: This study explored the community food environmental factors affecting food purchasing using a qualitative research methodology for the elderly as well as the various food environments under their socioeconomic diversity. Methods: For the qualitative data collection, this study interviewed 20 elderly people aged 65 years or more, who participated in a public health program or lunch services operated by the senior welfare center in Seoul. Five dimensions, such as availability, physical accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accommodation suggested in previous studies, were used to identify the community food environmental factors. Results: The elderly participants showed overall similarities to the concepts derived from existing studies on the five dimensions of food accessibility environment. In addition, other important food accessibility environmental factors that were not present in previous studies, such as acceptability for a product of domestic origin, delivery service to home, and small-packaged food sales, were derived. On the other hand, the concept of some subjects differed depending on the household income and specifically for the physical accessibility concept. This showed that the close distance factor from a grocery store at home might not apply to older adults in low-income households in Korea. Conclusions: This study found that five dimensions of the food environment suggested by previous studies could also be applied to vulnerable older adults in Korea. On the other hand, the socioeconomic characteristics of individuals and households would affect the perspectives of their local food environments differently. The findings of this study could help in the development of tools for evaluating the community food environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.331-339
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• 1997

With increases in senior citizens and changes in family structure, the need for long-term care system for elderly is increasing, however, the capacity and environment of Korean facilities are very limited. Health and nutritional status of long-term care residents are worse than free-living elderly. In this study, general food service management and health care practices in long-term care systems were investigated. Questionnaire were sent to the directors of all 162 long-term care facilities in Korea and 81 returned the complete answers. The results showed 1) There are slow but steady increase in long-term care systems in Korea, however, the capacity is far from adequate. Less than 10,000 elderly were resided in the facilities. Most of the systems were free-nursing homes and supported by the goverment. Staffing structure revealed that most of the facilities had a director, a secretary, nurses, but only 21% of the systerm hired a dietitian. It showed the shortage of nurses, physical therapists, and dietitians. Therefore, food purchasing, menu planning, food delivery, and the other food service management processes are handled by non-professionals, such as director, secretary, or cooks. Modified fool frequency questionnaire were used to get the frequencies of each food items used in menu and a menu-analysis was made on the one-day menu provided by the facilities. The results showed relatively satisfactory in nutrients content and food frequencies., however, this was about what was used in menu, not what was eaten by the residents. Therefore this results did not tell that the food intake status of individuals. In most facilities general health checkup was done on a regular basis, and had residents with various chronic degenerative diseases, such as hypertension, neuralgia, stroke, arthritis, diabetes. But the items checked on health checkup included weight, height, blood and urine tests, X-ray test, which suggested that the checkup lists should be revised to accomodate the health problem of the aged today.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.519-529
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of food insecurity in Korean elderly and to analyze the health status as well as food and nutrient intakes according to food insecurity status. Methods: A total of 939 elderly subjects (over 65 years old) were used in our analysis from the fifth 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1). The variables consisted of general characteristics, physical and mental health, nutrient intake, rate of deficient intake of energy and nutrients compared with Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) and food quality and diversity according to the status of food insecurity. Food insecurity status was measured using a self-reported food security questionnaire on the dietary situation in the previous year, and participants were classified according to three groups: food secure group, mildly food insecure group, and moderately/severely food insecure group. Results: The proportion of the food insecure group was approximately 67% and the food insecure group had lower income and educational status than the food secure group. Food insecurity was associated with worse physical and mental health status after adjusting potentially confounding variables. The results showed that food insecurity in Korean elderly significantly affected mental health (including stress cognition, depression experience, and suicide thoughts) which exceeded stages of physical health. In addition, food insecurity showed significant association with low nutrient intake and high rate of deficient intakes of energy and nutrients compared with KDRIs, and a reduction of dietary quality and diversity was indicated in the food insecure group. Conclusion: This study concludes that the prevalence of food insecurity may affect the physical and mental health as well as dietary intake of the elderly Korean population. Therefore, food insecurity should be considered as an important public health issue in Korea.