• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to compare convenience food purchasing behaviors and food habits. The study, which asked surveyed 131 female college students in Daejeon, in 2011, on how they used nutrition labels. The subjects were divided into two groups, in terms of the way they checked examined nutrition labels: a "Check" group(n=62, 47.3%) and a "No check" group(n=69, 52.7%). Reasons given for not reading nutrition labelings were "a habit of buying" for 72.2%, and "too small or rude" for 19.1%. The "Check" group reported higher interest in nutrition(p<0.001) and hygiene(p<0.01) than the "No check" group. Those who used the labels had higher cereal(p<0.01) and vegetable(p<0.01) consumption and a lower intake of fast foods(p<0.05). But however, most of the subjects(65.6%) chose by taste, at the time they purchased the convenience foods. The subjects considered "expiry date"(n=87, 66.4%) to be more important information on food labels than "nutrient composition"(n=11, 8.4%). The number of products whose nutrition labels were checked by over 50% was five out of 12. In conclusion, our study suggests that proper use of nutrition labeling may improve food choices and enable healthy dietary practices. Further efforts are needed to provide the public with nutrition education programs on how to read nutrition labeling. Modifying nutrition labels to make them easier for the public to understand should also be considered.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to develop measures for establishing and enforcing legal nutrition labeling for Takju based on results from consumer awareness surveys, statistical model development, and evaluation of nutrients. The statistical model developed with consumer survey results showed that consumers would like to know the nutrients they intake from drinking Takju, as their awareness about Takju was low. Specifically, consumers would like to see information regarding alcohol content, calories, carbohydrates, and saccharides on the label. Structural equations from the research model showed that consumers who had some knowledge of Takju also had positive thoughts of the nutrition fact labels for Takju. Evaluation of nutrients in Takju showed that the starch sources and other ingredients used in Takju fermentation did not influence nutrient facts, and nutrient concentrations also varied among the different Takju. In addition, this research suggests methods for consumers to make reasonable selections and to inform them of the nutrition fact labeling for Takju. Benners and pop-up were manufactured to promote voluntary participation of companies and to provide nutrition facts from Takju. Eventually, a measure was suggested to establish and enforce nutrition labeling, using results from consumer and nutrient surveys of Takju.

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

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.533-543
• /
• 2009

The objective of this study was to compare the differences of opinion, purchasing behavior, and recognition of food labeling and nutrition labeling of frozen processed food between employees and non-employees in the frozen food industry. The results of this survey study showed that the group working in the frozen food industry had a positive opinion of frozen processed food compared to the non-employee group who was not working in the food industry. The main reason for the positive opinion of frozen processed food was because it was convenient and easy to prepare while the main concern with consuming frozen processed food was that it was bad for one's health. The most popular menu was western style. Sixty one percent of employees in the frozen food industry preferred the microwave-cooking method, while only 37.9% of non-employees preferred the microwave-cooking method followed by cooking in boiling water (27.6%). There was a significant (p<0.001) difference in the preference of cooking method between these two groups. Most of the respondents considered 'taste' as the most important factor and 32.9% of the respondents selected 'sanitation/health' as the most serious concern for the consumption of frozen processed food. Both groups checked the food & nutrition label to verify the expiration date and the presence of food additives. The non-employee group recognized the need for nutritional information on total calorie, carbohydrate, protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, minerals, vitamins, sodium, and fiber on the nutrition label of frozen processed food.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.811-817
• /
• 2016

Purpose: People have long been interested about antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin A and E to stay in healthy states. This present study provides trustworthy nutritional information and evaluates vitamin A and E contents in emphasized food items. Methods: Vitamin A or vitamin E emphasized foods including beverage, cereal, snack, chocolate product, other cocoa products, and sugar products were analyzed. The contents of vitamin A, E in samples were examined by high performance liquid chromatography. Vitamin A and vitamin E contents were compared with the labeled value indicated on the nutrition label. Results: Vitamin A (n=18) value ranged from 90% to 248% and vitamin E (n=20) value ranged between 96-413% of labeled value. Analyzed samples ranged more than 80% of the labeled value, which complied with food labeling rules. Conclusion: Providing accurate information for nutrition label is essential to confirm nutrient contents in foods. It will help to decide the adequate level of nutrient intake. Therefore, the nutrition labeling system should be supervised continuously with regular monitoring analysis.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.51-59
• /
• 2009

This study was performed to investigate the effect of food and nutrition label education on the perception and utilization of nutrition labels on food packaging, and to suggest the importance and necessity of food and nutrition label education in the school curriculum. 811 junior-high school students participated in this study and completed self-administered questionnaires regarding general characteristics, and the perception and utilization of nutrition labels. Knowledge of nutrition labels was tested by 13 questions on the questionnaire. Data was analyzed (using SAS package program) based on the educational experience with nutrition labels. Significant differences in each variable were tested using the $X^2$-test and t-test. Students who had learned about the food and nutrition labeling system had more knowledge of nutrition labels and were more likely to check the nutrition label before purchasing food. In addition, students who had been educated about food and nutrition labels in the school curriculum had a significantly higher understanding and recognition of the nutrition label system. These results suggest that education concerning the food and nutrition label system increased the students' interest in nutrition labels and helped them choose healthy food. Therefore, it is necessary to include an education program about food and nutrition labels in the school curriculum to help students use label information and make healthy dietary choices.

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

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.33 no.7
• /
• pp.763-773
• /
• 2000

On the basis of the concept retained in nutition label(NL) the consumer's perception use and demand on NL nutrition knowledge(NH) purchase of nutrient controlled food and dietary modification for health were examined. The subjects were 1203 house wives mainly in the age of 30-40 and self administered questionnaire was employed. The results were as follows. Subjects' demand on nutrition information was greater while the availablity and usefulness of NL was unsatisfactory. The purchase frequencies of nutrient controlled foods were higher compared to NL reading. The use comprehenison reliability of nutrition information were better in high NK group compared to low NK group except the reliability on health claims. The required nutrients for content information were in the order of calorie Ca cholesterol Fe protein and total fat. The demand for nutrient content information was carrelated with intention of subjects' dietary modification but not the use of NL. These results indicate that NL be a good source of nutrition information and the consumers' demand for NL was based on their dietary purpose though the use of NL was unconfirmed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.42 no.12
• /
• pp.2068-2075
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perception of university students on nutritional information according to food and nutrition labeling systems. A total of 310 customers, who visited family restaurant, were surveyed by a self-recorded questionnaire from March 2006 to April 2011. A total of 286 respondents were surveyed; of the respondents, 108 were males and 178 were females. Two surveys were conducted on the perception of the respondent's health: once in 2006 and once in 2011. According to these surveys, 63.6% and 54% of respondents perceived themselves as unhealthy, respectively. When ordering a meal, respondents were more concerned with price rather than taste, nutrition, new menu items, and food presentation. Compared with 2006, in 2011 more respondents felt that family restaurants provided enough nutritional information and practical use of that information to their customers. When surveyed, respondents felt that the total calories played a significantly higher role in ordering food than foods with higher nutritional values. There was a significant increase in satisfaction with the current nutrition labeling system; in 2006, $2.87{\pm}0.99$, and 2011, $3.35{\pm}0.84$. There was also a significant increase in individuals who felt that there was a need for an ingredient labeling system; $3.68{\pm}0.9$ in 2006 and $4.32{\pm}0.61$ in 2011. There was also a higher demand for nutritional information; $2.85{\pm}0.66$ in 2006, $3.06{\pm}0.65$ in 2011. From these results, it was concluded that the nutrition labeling system adopted by family restaurants did not affect the degree of customers' interest in nutritional information. Contrast to the results, the amount and frequency of nutritional information provided to customers have increased continuously since 2006. Therefore, the nutrition labeling system and recommended dietary allowance should be expanded in order to promote a healthy diet.

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