• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.81-93
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• 2011

We investigated perception and educational demand for health functional foods among nutrition teachers and dietitians working in schools. The subjects were 229 nutrition teachers (57.2%) and dietitians (42.7%) working in Chungbuk elementary, middle and high schools. Approximately 67% of the subjects had experience consuming health functional foods. Most of the subjects did not have experience with the side effects after consuming health functional foods. Subjects who were unaware of the legal specifications, classification, and labeling standards for health functional foods (78-91.2%) were much more common than those who were aware of those issues. Most of the subjects perceived health functional foods as a food (45.0%) or as a product between a food and a medicine (44.5%). The subjects recommended themselves (43.1%) or medical doctors/pharmacists (40.8%) as consultation/education specialists for health functional foods. Approximately 66% of the subjects had experience conducting nutritional consultation/education in their schools, but only 3.2% had experience with health functional foods. Only 17.8% of the subjects had experience receiving education on health functional foods. Most subjects (88.2%) demanded education on health functional foods for themselves. The results suggest that an effective education is needed for nutrition teachers and dietitians working in schools for them to play an active role in educating students and their parents about health functional foods in the near future.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.340-351
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• 2015

To investigate male office workers' dietary habits and their perception and intake of health functional foods, 234 male employees were surveyed by questionnaire. The results were categorized into three age groups: under 35 years, 35 and 45 years, and over 45 years. The over 45 years group had significantly better dietary habits than the others (p<0.05). The most common reason for skipping breakfast was lack of time. Frequency of drinking alcohol was higher in the older group, where tiredness after drinking was lower in the younger group. The perception score of health functional foods was highest in the over 45 years group. Perception of health functional foods was more positive as the age of the groups increased (p<0.01). The number of health functional foods consumed, duration of intake, and beneficial health effects were higher in older groups. Although older people are more concerned about health than relatively younger people, they did not necessarily have reduced the amounts of smoking and drinking. Instead, they simply showed higher intakes of health functional foods to prevent and cure disease and improve their health. Therefore, older people need to receive education about their dietary and living habits instead of simply eating health functional foods. It is necessary to provide correct information about health functional foods by nutritional education.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 2021

Objectives: This study sought to assess the prevalence and duration of weight-control or health functional food use, associated weight-control behavior, perception, and knowledge among university students. Methods: The subjects were 442 university students in Cheonju, Korea, and data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Both χ2 and t-tests were conducted for categorical and mean comparisons. Results: An estimated 62.7% (female 69.0%, male 54.8%) had ever attempted weight-control. Among these, an estimated 59.2% of females and 38.9% of males had used weight-control or health functional foods with significant gender difference. The weight-control foods commonly used included chicken breast, protein powder, low-fat milk and soymilk, and meal replacement drinks, while garcinia cambogia extract and green tea extract were frequently used as health functional foods. One of 10 (10.3%) consumers of weight-control foods reported ≥ 7 months use, with less frequent long-term consumption of health functional foods (4.2%). The average degree of satisfaction was 3.24 ± 0.92 for weight-control foods and 2.72 ± 0.97 for health functional foods on a 5-point scale, meaning 'slightly satisfied' and 'slightly dissatisfied', respectively. Females or students with an experience of weight-control reported poorer perceptions of their health and body image as well as a higher need for weight control. Besides, both male and female subjects felt a high need for correct information regarding weight-control methods. Conclusions: Our results provide a better understanding of the characteristics associated with the use of weight-control or health functional foods among university students and will be useful in developing a nutrition education program by incorporating correct body image, knowledge, and practical yet desirable practices for weight control.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.241-248
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of health functional foods and preference for desired onion peel products. Questionnaires were distributed to 582 adults (34.2% male, 65.8% female) living in Gyeongnam province. The major information sources on biological effects of onions cited by respondents were TV/radio (37.1%), followed by nearby people (32.8%) and Internet (11.0%), in that order. Reducing cholesterol effect was the most important factor in terms of perception and concerns relating to biological function of onions. Over 73% of subjects had experience of eating processed onion products, and among all types of onion products, onion juice (53.5%) was the most frequently eaten. The most considered factors for processing onion peel-derived functional foods were taste & odor (29.6%), convenience of eating (28.9%), and nutrition value (27.1%), in that order.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.313-321
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• 2011

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) revised the Health Functional Food Act in 2008 and extended the form of health functional foods to general food types. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate consumers' perceptions of the expanded form of health functional food and to predict consumption patterns. For this study, 1,006 male and female adults aged 19 years and older were selected nationwide by multi-stage stratified random sampling and were surveyed in 1:1 interviews. The questionnaire survey was conducted by Korea Gallup. The subjects consisted of 497 (49.4%) males and 509 (50.6%) females. About 57.9% of the subjects recognized the KFDA's permission procedures for health functional foods. Regarding the health functional foods that the subjects had consumed, red ginseng products were the highest (45.3%), followed by nutritional supplements (34.9%), ginseng products (27.9%), lactobacillus-containing products (21.0%), aloe products (20.3%), and Japanese apricot extract products (18.4%). Opinions on expanding the form of health functional foods to general food types scored 4.7 points on a 7-point scale, showing positive responses. In terms of the effects of medicine-type health functional foods versus generic health functional foods, the highest response was 'same effects if the same ingredients are contained' at a rate of 34.7%. For intake frequency by food type, the response of 'daily consistent intake' was 31.7% for capsules, tablets, and pills, and 21.7% for extracts. For general food types, 'daily consistent intake' was 44.5% for rice and 22.8% for beverages, which were higher rates than those for medicine types. From the above results, consumers had positive opinions of the expansion of health functional foods to generic forms but are not expected to maintain accurate intake frequencies or amounts. Thus, continuous promotion and education are needed for proper intake of generic health functional foods.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.341-352
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• 2006

This study examined health-functional foods intake pattern of consumers and their recognition of it to prepare a guide for the foods. The data were collected from the adults living in Busan and Gyeongnam through a self-administered questionnaire from September sixth to September thirteenth, 2005. The results of this study were as follows: Most respondents have taken one health-functional food, mainly on purpose to maintain and improve overall health condition. The average of monthly cost to purchase the foods was 79,933 Korean won, and drugstores were the main purchasing place. The value perception about health-functional foods was at the middle, and the recognition level of Health Functional Foods Act established in 2002 was very low. The most important source of information regarding health-functional foods was family, relatives and friends, and two-fifths respondents had difficulties in obtaining information. These results imply that consumers should consult with experts before they take health-functional foods and that public information regarding Health Functional Foods Act should be given to consumers.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.520-531
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• 2018

Aim of this study is to investigate the perception and purchasing status of functional beverages for adults in the Chungnam area. In this case, the reasons to buy the functional beverages for men were 'recovery of fatigue (43.1%)', 'quenching thirst (21.6%)', 'health promotion (19.6%)', 'supply of nutrition (15%)', and 'a loss in weight (7%)'. Otherwise the reasons to buy the functional beverage for women showed to be 'recovery of fatigue (28.6%)', 'health promotion (26.4%)', 'quenching thirst (22.1%)', 'supply of nutrition (12.9%)', and 'a loss in weight (10%)', which were significant different between the men and women subjects. The place to buy functional beverages was for singles (46.5%) a store and for married person a supermarket. The purchase of functional beverages was affected by as follows; manufactured date > original granule > nutrition sign > country > price > taste > brand > scent > color and the women are affected more than men. For functional beverages, the men preferred to buy an energy drink and vitamin drink more than the women. After the intake of functional beverages, the men and women recognized the effect on 'recovery of fatigue' and 'a loss of weight/release of a feeling of hunger/improvement of constipation', respectively. Considering the results of the study, it is necessary to clarify the function of functional beverages so that consumers can choose and take the correct functional beverage by themselves. In addition, the nutritional education should be conducted for the intake allowance for the compositions and excessive or inadequate intake of functional beverages.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.567-579
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• 2018

This study analyzed consumers' recognition and demand for probiotic products and dietary and living habits according to their probiotics ingestion experience to provide information on the development of probiotic products and marketing strategies in the health functional food-related industry. A total of 280 consumers living in Seoul, Incheon and Kyeonggi-do area were enrolled in this study. The consumers expected mostly intestinal health (80.4%) after ingesting probiotics. The appropriate price level for purchasing probiotics was between 20,000-50,000 won (58.2%), preferring a price range of 50,000 won or less (77.1%). There was a significant difference in the dietary habits depending on the experience of probiotics ingestion, but there was no difference in the living habit. Consumers took Vitamin C, red Ginseng and Ginseng the most instead of probiotics as health functional foods. Based on the results, a marketing strategy could be established to meet the consumer's needs, such as focusing on the effects of probiotics, building up various price policies and the development of new products mixing with other commonly consumed health supplements.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.244-257
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• 2017

Nutrition labeling can provide information in order for people to select products suitable for their own health, and sodium content labeling for processed foods is important since sodium is one of the main causes of cardiac diseases. This study had carried out to propose the desirable sodium content labeling by conducting surveys on the awareness of sodium content in processed foods, understanding of sodium content labeling, and requirements for new sodium comparative claims. The survey period was from 12th of September, 2016 through the 24th, during which a self-administered questionnaire survey was given to 1,003 persons through demographic quota sampling by age and region. As a result of the survey, 66.0% of respondents assuring nutrition labeling answered they check sodium content labeling, whereas 83.2% were aware of excessive intake of sodium having a negative effect on health. Exactly 49.9% of respondents answered that the current system for nutrition labeling on processed foods does not help one to understand the content of sodium, whereas 72.9% answered they wanted to compare sodium contents with those of other products when buying or taking processed foods. As 92.5% cited the importance of sodium comparative claims made by processed foods, preparation of a new system for food labeling should be considered by which consumers can easily compare sodium contents with those of other similar products.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.696-704
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• 2007

To investigate of the perception and using behavior by age of tofu, 46.3% of male and 53.7% of female about 700 adults in Daegu and kyungbuk area were surveyed. 96.4% of the participants usually preferred the tofu owing to health and 68.4% of them had purchased tofu made of domestic soybean. In addition, the responses to 7 questions about the tofu were also measured on 5 point Likert scale. The item "Tofu is healthy food" was totally received the high point but "Tofu prevents osteoporosis" earned the lowest. Most participants relatively knew and had eaten common tofu, soft bean curd, uncurdled bean curd, fried bean curd against functional tofu such as tofu added with omija, surimi, spinach, etc. But they intended to eat functional tofu such as tofu added with green tea, black sesame, spinach, omija. Furthermore, 60.7% replied "increasing" prospects for the tofu consumption. 40.0% of adults said the plan should be "Make of good quality domestic soybean" for the purpose of better improvement to consume.