• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.1056-1063
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate current nutrition labeling status, levels of recognition and patterns of consumption of domestically processed meat products. The survey results show that 47.4% of products (81 out of 171) were labeled with nutrition information. Where general product labeling and nutrition labeling were provided, it was read by 84.9% and 66.8% of the survey subjects, respectively. The most common reasons for not reading product labeling were 'hard to understand it' (46.2%) and 'not concerned' (30.8%). This was attributed to respondents finding it 'useless' (39.3%) and 'hard to understand the nutrition contents' (32.8%). As for the positive effect of enforcing a nutrition labeling system, 62% of respondents affirmed 'ease of selecting products which are good for health'. The reading of general product labeling showed a significant positive correlation (p<0.01) with the reading of nutrition labeling. The amount the nutrition labeling was read showed a negative correlation (p<0.05) with comprehension of the information on the nutrition labeling contained. Therefore, providing more information on the nutrition labeling for the consumers of processed meat products and also educating them more comprehensively about the nutrition, which would ultimately help them improve their dietary life, is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.274-284
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• 2017

This study examined the awareness, understanding, attitudes, and purchase intention regarding food labeling on bakery products in the context of health consciousness. The purpose of the study was to provide basic data for bakery product labeling, which has been insufficient to date, and to develop measures to expand the labeling system. The results of the study showed that higher subjective understanding and better attitude towards bakery food labeling can positively increase the purchase intention. We believe that the bakery industry needs to promote food labeling proactively, while also developing products addressing health concerns. This study is also valuable to academia because it provides insights into the relationship between the consumer's understanding of and attitudes towards nutritional information and purchase intention. In addition, it is beneficial to the bakery industry because it establishes marketing strategies that increase the purchase intent among both consumers with high health consciousness and those who infrequently purchase baked goods.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.286-297
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study compared the perception of customers from Korea and the U.S. on the attributes of different formats of menu labeling The specific objectives were 1) to compare the customers' perceived usefulness, ease-of-understanding, clarity, and attractiveness of different formats of menu labeling between Korea and the U.S.; and 2) to compare the customers' use intention to different formats of menu labeling between Korea and the U.S. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted in Korea and the U.S. The participants were allocated randomly to view 1 of the 7 restaurant menus that varied according to the following types of menu labeling formats: (type 1) kcal format, (type 2) traffic-light format, (type 3) percent daily intake (%DI) format, (type 4) kcal + traffic-light format, (type 5) kcal + %DI format, (type 6) traffic-light + %DI format, and (type 7) kcal + traffic-light + %DI format. A total of 279 Koreans and 347 Americans were entered in the analysis. An independent t-test and 1-way analysis of variance were performed. RESULTS: Koreans rated type 4 format (kcal + traffic light) the highest for usefulness and attractiveness. In contrast, Americans rated type 7 (kcal + traffic light + %DI) the highest for usefulness, ease-of-understanding, attractiveness, and clarity. Significant differences were found in the customers' perceived attributes to menu labeling between Korea and the U.S. Americans perceived higher for all the 4 attributes of menu labeling than Koreans. CONCLUSIONS: The study is unique in identifying the differences in the attributes of different formats of menu labeling between Korea and the U.S. Americans rated the most complicated type of menu labeling as the highest perception for the attributes, and showed a higher use intention of menu labeling than Koreans. This study contributes to academia and industry for practicing menu labeling in different countries using different formats.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.667-672
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To encourage healthier food choices for children in fast-food restaurants, many initiatives have been proposed. This study aimed to examine the effect of disclosing nutritional information on parents' meal choices for their children at fast-food restaurants in South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: An online experimental survey using a menu board was conducted with 242 parents of children aged 2-12 years who dined with them at fast-food restaurants at least once a month. Participants were classified into two groups: the low-calorie group (n = 41) who chose at least one of the lowest calorie meals in each menu category, and the high-calorie group (n = 201) who did not. The attributes including perceived empowerment, use of provided nutritional information, and perceived difficulties were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The low-calorie group perceived significantly higher empowerment with the nutritional information provided than did the high-calorie group (P = 0.020). Additionally, the low-calorie group was more interested in nutrition labeling (P < 0.001) and considered the nutritional value of menus when selecting restaurants for their children more than did the high-calorie group (P = 0.017). The low-calorie group used the nutritional information provided when choosing meals for their children significantly more than did the high-calorie group (P < 0.001), but the high-calorie group had greater difficulty using the nutritional information provided (P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that improving the empowerment of parents using nutritional information could be a strategy for promoting healthier parental food choices for their children at fast-food restaurants.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.338-344
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• 2009

This study analyzed consumers' willingness to pay for price increases to avoid the purchase of GM foods by the expansion of GMO labeling. The subjects were asked about their knowledge of GM, concerns of potential hazards, and sources of obtained GM information. The logit model was employed and marginal effects were calculated to interpret the results. The results showed that consumers who perceived the safety of GM technology were less likely to pay for price increases, while consumers who had concerns about GM foods were more likely to pay. In addition, the study demonstrated that consumers residing in urban areas and with low levels of education and income were also less likely to pay for price increases.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.129-139
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• 2017

The necessity of selecting food based on correct information through nutrition ingredients included in the food is being emphasized due to the recent increase in interest of restaurant users in healthy and safe food. This study verified the structural causal relationship among consumer attitude, use reason and health-consciousness regarding nutrition information labeling and their satisfaction and revisit intent. A total of 266 surveys conducted over restaurant users residing in the Busan area was used for the final analysis of the study to attain this study's objective. The suitability of the Structural Equation Modeling and organic causation relationship was verified through the statistics programs SPSS (V 23.0) and AMOS (V 21.0) in order to attain this study's objective, and the control effect of age has been verified. The results showed that a meaningful causal relationship was confirmed in all elements excluding consumer attitude. A control effect was also confirmed in the influential relationship between use reason and satisfaction level. The results of the study suggested that the nutrition information labeling system of restaurants provides practical implications and marketing strategies for restaurant managers and government policy makers.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.132-145
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• 2022

Objectives: This study examined trends in the health status and dietary behavior changes by region using the raw data from the 2008 ~ 2019 Community Health Survey. Methods: This study analyzed the data of 2,738,572 people among the raw data of the Community Health Survey from 2008 to 2019. The regional differences in health status and dietary behavior were examined by classifying the regions into capital and non-capital regions, and the non-capital regions were classified into metropolitan cities and provinces. A chi-square test was conducted on the body mass index (BMI), diagnosis of diabetes and hypertension, frequency of eating breakfast, salty taste in usual diet, recognition of nutrition labeling, reading of nutrition labeling, and utilization of nutrition labeling. Results: In determining obesity using the BMI, the normal weight by year decreased, and the obesity rate by year was 34.6% in 2019, which increased by 13% compared to 2008. In addition, the diabetes diagnosis rate and hypertension diagnosis rate continued to increase with the year. Both diabetes and hypertension diagnosis rates were higher in the non-capital regions than in the capital region. Eating breakfast five to seven times per week was most common and showed a significant decreasing trend by year (P < 0.001). The percentage of respondents who said they eat slightly bland foods increased from 19.5% in 2008 to 19.9% in 2010 and then to 22.1% in 2013. The percentage then decreased to 19.9% in 2019, but showed an overall increasing trend (P < 0.001). According to the region, the capital region had a higher percentage than the non-capital region. The nutrition labeling's recognition rate and utilization rate increased yearly, whereas the reading rate decreased. Conclusions: The study results presented the primary data necessary to develop nutrition education programs and establish strategies for local nutrition management projects to improve disease prevention and dietary problems.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.636-643
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate school dietitians' perception on nutrition labelling of processed and packaged foods in the Incheon area. This study was carried out through a self-administered questionnaire and the subjects were 203 school dietitians. The results were summarized as follows. Most of the subjects checked nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods when they purchased these foods for school lunch. However, the main reason for their checking nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods was not for nutrition but for food safety. There were significant differences in the subjects' understanding and trust on nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods by employment school. The scores of the subjects' satisfaction, understanding and trust on nutrition labeling of processed and packaged foods were not high. There were significant differences in the subjects' perception and concern about content information on nutrition labeling of domestic processed and packaged foods by employment school. Most of the subjects answered that it is almost necessary or very necessary to implement nutrition labelling of processed and packaged foods. Also their most preferred method of nutrition labelling was to label nutrient content. As the most important nutrient and functional component necessary for nutrition labelling, they answered energy, mineral such as calcium and iron, protein, total fat, cholesterol, vitamin, sodium and dietary fiber in order. As the major prerequisite task for the implementation of nutrition labelling, they answered formulation of nutrition labelling-related rules, and education and motivation for consumer, Therefore, it is necessary to activate the mandatory nutrition labelling of the processed and packaged foods and to prepare its consumer education program for school dietitian.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.1555-1564
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• 2010

This study investigated consumer's recognition of food labeling in order to contribute to the development of food labels which are more informative to consumers. The questionnaires had been collected from 120 male and female customers living in Seoul with the age between 10's and 60's from November 2nd to November 7th 2009. For checking the food label at the time of purchase, 58.3% of the consumers checked the food label and the main reason for checking the food label was to confirm sell-by date (60.1%). Sixty percent of the consumers were satisfied with the current food labeling. Among those who are not satisfied, 30.6% complained about difficult terms to understand and 25.8% were dissatisfied with insufficient information. In every age group, most people were not satisfied with labeling on food ingredient and additives, followed by date of manufacture and sell-by date. 53.1% of consumers demanded to label date of manufacture and sell-by date together. For more clear information, consumers wanted use-by date (47.5%) rather than sell-by date (23.3%). 56.7% of consumers was dissatisfied with warning information such as allergic warning and the reasons for dissatisfaction were poor visibility (37.5%) and insufficient information (33.4%). Moreover most consumers (90.0%) showed little knowledge on irradiation. To improve of the food labeling standards into consumer-oriented standards, both amendment of the food labeling standards and consumer education will be necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.796-806
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate dietary attitude, and nutritional knowledge of middle school students in Gwangju and examine their perception and utilization of food labeling systems. The total and mean dietary attitude scores were 75 and 49.47, respectively. The total and mean nutrition knowledge scores were 15 and 10.88, respectively. Girls showed significantly higher nutrition knowledge than boys (p<0.01). Overall, 62.9% of respondents checked food labeling, and there were significant differences in dietary attitudes among groups that did and did not checking labeling (p<0.001), with higher dietary attitude being associated with checking the label. Moreover, higher nutritional knowledge was associated with checking the food label. Individuals who checked the food label considered the expiration date (54.9%), product name (14.4%) and price (10.2%). The main reasons for checking food labeling were (in descending order) to confirm the expiration date (61.6%), determine the ingredients and nutritional information, learn how to store the product, and compare the price and weight with other products. The overall satisfaction with the food labeling system was 16.20 out of 30, and significant differences (p<0.001) were observed among individuals with high, moderate and low dietary attitudes, as indicated by satisfaction scores of 17.54, 16.32 and 14.86, respectively. Individuals with high, moderate and low dietary attitudes had nutritional knowledge scores of 15.79, 16.08, and 17.08 respectively. The overall score for understanding nutrition labeling was 4.71 out of 7, and the understanding differed significantly among groups (p<0.01), with those with moderate food attitudes having the highest score.