The purpose of this study was to examine food habits and dietary behavior related to using processed food among male college students residing in dormitory and self-boarding in Gangwon. A total of 344 students (dormitory group: 227, self-boarding group: 117) were surveyed from May to June of 2012. The results are summarized as follows: self-boarding group had a significantly higher frequency of skipping breakfast and lunch and frequency of out meal compared with the dormitory group (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05 respectively). The self-boarding group had a significantly lower the score of 'eat vegetables and Kimchi at every meal' (p < 0.001) and 'eat a variety of food everyday' (p < 0.001) compared with the dormitory group. The self-boarding group had a significantly higher the preference for meat products (p < 0.05) and canned food (p < 0.01) for selecting processed food compared with the dormitory group. The consideration for selecting processed food was ranked by 'taste', 'price', 'expiration', 'appearance' and 'nutrition' in both dormitory and the self-boarding group. In the dormitory group, nutrition labels were identified certainly 2.6%, sometimes 12.8%, and rarely 17.2%. In the self-boarding group, nutrition labels were identified certainly 1.7%, sometimes 18.0%, and rarely 24.8%. The necessity of nutrition education was high in both dormitory group (51.6%) and the self-boarding group (62.4%). Therefore, development of an educational program and application of the information from nutrition labels for male college students, especially self-boarding students will be effective in improving dietary life in order to maintain healthy dietary habits.
Breakfast ; Food Habits ; Food, Preserved ; Humans ; Lunch ; Male ; Meals ; Meat Products ; Vegetables

Dietary habit of excess sodium consumption is formed mainly by excessive salt intake from the younger age and this may lead to hypertension, stroke, and stomach cancer. This study was performed to estimate the salt content in kindergarten meals and provide basic data on meal providers' dietary attitude to sodium intake for nutrition education. We collected data on161 food items from 16 institutions in Gyeonggi-do and salt content was calculated from salinity and weight of individual food items. The average salt content from lunch meals was 2.2 g, which was about daily adequate intake of sodium for children aged 3 to 5 years old. Greatest contributor to the salt content in a meal was soup and stew (47.8%). The most salty dishes were sauces and kimchi followed by stir-fried food, deep-fried food, braised food, and grilled food. The salt content was higher in soup and stew despite of low salinity, due to the large quantity per serving. The salt contents of soups and kimchi were 40.6% and 14.3%, respectively of the total salt content in dish groups. Staff members and caregivers at home who prepared food for the child showed preference for one-dish rice meal, dried fish and salted mackerel, and broth when eating soup, stew, and noodles. Caregivers showed higher sodium index score and had higher preference for processed food such as Ramen, canned food, and ham compared with staff members (p < 0.05). These results suggested that monitoring salt content of kindergarten meals and nutrition education for those prepare meals for children are needed to lower sodium intake in childhood.
Caregivers ; Child ; Eating ; Education ; Food Habits ; Food, Preserved ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lunch* ; Meals* ; Perciformes ; Salinity ; Sodium* ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Stroke

OBJECTIVETo analyze the nutritional ingredients of daily consumed pre-packaged foods in Chinese adult residents.

METHODSFrom October to December 2013, the nutrition labels of pre-packaged foods consumed in continuous 7 days by 706 adult residents were collected by multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling in 18 communities with 360 households in 9 cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Shenyang, Haerbin,Jinan,Zhengzhou, Changsha and Nanning. The contents of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, sodium and the percentages of low-fat and low-sodium foods were compared among 7 different kinds of foods including baked foods, convenient foods, leisure foods, puffed foods, milk, beverages and seasonings.

RESULTS871 kinds of pre-packaged foods were collected. The median (min, max) of energy contents of puffed foods, baked foods and leisure foods were 2 155(1 638-2 785) kJ/100 g, 1 980 (582-2 639) kJ/100 g, 1 575 (353-3 015) kJ/100 g respectively. The median (min, max) of fat contents of puffed foods, baked foods and leisure foods were 30.0 (5.0-40.9) g/100 g, 20.5 (0.3-40.5) g/100 g, 15.1 (0-71.4) g/100 g respectively. The contents of carbohydrate of baked foods, convenient foods and puffed foods were high relatively, the medians (min, max) of which were 58.1(19.8-82.5), 56.5(0-90.7), and 56.1(42.6-75.8)g/100 g respectively. The sodium content of seasoning was the highest, which was 2 177 (20-12 000) mg/100 g. The protein content of beverage was the lowest, which was 0.4(0-17.8)g/100 ml.

CONCLUSIONThe energy and fat contents of puffed foods, baked foods and leisure foods were high. The carbohydrate contents of baked foods, convenient foods and puffed foods were high relatively. The sodium content of seasonings was high. The protein contents of beverages were low.

Adult ; Beverages ; China ; Cities ; Dietary Carbohydrates ; Dietary Fats ; Dietary Proteins ; Food ; Food, Preserved ; Humans ; Nutrition Surveys ; Nutritive Value ; Sodium, Dietary

OBJECTIVE: Environmental pollutants, especially environmental toxins (ET), may have the potential to disrupt neurodevelopmental pathways during early brain development. This study was designed to test our hypothesis that mothers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children would have less knowledge about ET and more chance to be exposed to ET than mothers with healthy children (MHC). METHODS: One hundred and six biologic mothers with ASD children (MASD) and three hundred twenty four biologic mothers with healthy children MHC were assessed using two questionnaires asking about ET. RESULTS: The total score in response to questions related to knowledge about ET in MHC was higher than that in MASD. The possibility of exposure to ET was higher in MASD than MHC. MASD showed higher sub-scale scores in terms of exposures to canned food, plastics, waste incinerators, old electronics, microwavable food, and textiles. CONCLUSION: The current results show that reduced knowledge about ET and greater exposure to ET may be associated with autism spectrum disorder.
Autistic Disorder ; Brain ; Child ; Autism Spectrum Disorder ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Environmental Pollutants ; Food, Preserved ; Humans ; Mothers ; Plastics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Textiles

OBJECTIVES: In September 2008, an outbreak of diarrhea occurred among students attending Y school in Yeongcheon-si. Shigella sonnei was cultured from some of the rectal swabs. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to determine the source of the infection and the mode of transmission of the shigellosis outbreak. METHODS: The index case lived in the D rehabilitation facility in Gyeongsan-si and an additional epidemiological investigation was carried out there. The cases could not be questioned due to their mental handicaps. The teachers were interviewed instead. A patient case was defined as a resident with diarrhea more than one time a day from September 18 to September 26, 2008 or a resident with confirmed Shigella sonnei at the Y school or the D rehabilitation facility. RESULTS: The attack rate was 1.2% (8 persons) among 659 persons in the Y school and D rehabilitation facility. Five persons were microbiologically confirmed to have the infection and three persons were diagnosed on the basis of symptoms. Shigella sonnei was cultured from five of the 659 rectal swabs. However, 80 environmental specimens including drinking water, preserved foods, and cooking utensils were negative. All eight patients were Y school students and had been living in group boarding and lodging. Six of them lived in the D rehabilitation facility and two lived in the dormitory at the Y school. Five cases showed pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns that were identical for Shigella sonnei. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that the infection source of the shigellosis outbreak, in the two places, were identical. It is likely that the infections initially spread from a teacher or volunteer and then among the students.
Cooking and Eating Utensils ; Diarrhea ; Disabled Persons ; Disease Outbreaks ; Drinking Water ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Food, Preserved ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Korea ; Shigella ; Shigella sonnei

PURPOSE: In May 2008, a diarrhea outbreak occurred among students of in a girls' high school (S school) in Sangju-si, Korea. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to clarify the cause and transmission route of the outbreak. METHODS: S school has been providing meals directly since July 2007. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 591 persons, and examined 283 rectal swabs and 98 environmental specimens. The patient case was defined as a member of S school who had diarrhea more than one time in a day, accompanied with one or more symptoms among abdominal pain or tenesmus from May 19th to May 26th 2008. RESULTS: The attack rate was 24.0%. Bacillus cereus were cultured from three of the rectal swabs and five of the preserved foods. It was suspicious that contamination was possible in seasoning vegetables, and we found some foods were seasoned with spices after being cooled by moving cooler for about 20 minutes. Enterotoxin positive B. cereus were cultured from two foods cooled by moving cooler. Enterotoxin negative B. cereus were cultured from two environmental specimens of the moving cooler. CONCLUSIONS: We presumed the cause of the diarrhea outbreak in S school was food poisoning by B. cereus. Because enterotoxin positive B. cereus were cultured from rectal swabs and foods, and the symptoms were corresponded. We estimated the outbreak was occurred by this process that B. cereus in the moving cooler contaminated foods during cooling and then rapidly proliferated.
Abdominal Pain ; Bacillus ; Bacillus cereus ; Diarrhea ; Disease Outbreaks ; Enterotoxins ; Food, Preserved ; Foodborne Diseases ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals ; Seasons ; Spices ; Vegetables ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Bread ; analysis ; Child, Preschool ; Dietary Exposure ; analysis ; Flour ; analysis ; Food Additives ; analysis ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Food, Preserved ; analysis ; Humans ; Hydrocarbons ; analysis ; Infant ; Infant Formula ; analysis ; Infant, Newborn ; Risk Assessment

OBJECTIVES: Automobile exhaust gases contain benzene and toluene, which are excreted in human urine as trans,trans-muconic acid and hippuric acid, respectively. Sorbic acid and benzoic acid, used as food preservatives, are also metabolized into trans,trans-muconic acid and hippuric acid in the human body. The purpose of this study is to estimate the level of benzene and toluene exposure according to the commuting mode and duration, residential environment, and preservative-added foods intake in university students who are not occupationally exposed to benzene or toluene. METHODS: Spot urine samples were collected from 211 university students who had no occupational exposure to volatile organic compounds. Information about their smoking history, residence type, traffic environments, commuting mode and duration, and their intake of bottled or canned food or beverages was gathered through a self-administered questionnaire. Urinary concentrations of trans,trans-muconic acid and hippuric acid were measured and statistically correlated to the individual's life style factors. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the urinary concentrations of trans,trans-muconic acid or hippuric acid according to the smoking history. Mean urinary concentration of hippuric acid in females was higher than that found in males. Subjects living in districts with a population density of 1,000~4,999 people/km2 showed the highest urinary hippuric acid level; individuals living in cities of 5,000~9,999 people/km2 population density were next. The mean urinary trans,trans-muconic acid concentration was higher in students who were living where traffic jams are common compared to those who did not, and in subjects whose residence were within 149 m from a 4-lane road compared to those whose residence was not. However, neither mode nor duration of the commute showed any effect on the urinary trans,trans-muconic acid or hippuric acid concentrations of the students. Urinary hippuric acid levels increased when consuming canned fruit or canned coffee, and urinary trans,trans-muconic acid levels increased when consuming fruit juices or pickled radishes. CONCLUSIONS: The inhalation of vehicle exhaust and the ingestion of canned or pickled food may increase urinary hippuric acid and trans,trans-muconic acid levels in individuals who are not occupationally exposed to benzene or toluene.
Benzene ; Benzoic Acid ; Beverages ; Coffee ; Eating ; Female ; Food Preservatives ; Food, Preserved ; Fruit ; Gases ; Hippurates ; Human Body ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Life Style ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupations ; Population Density ; Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sorbic Acid ; Toluene ; Transportation ; Vehicle Emissions ; Volatile Organic Compounds

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to reveal the epidemiologic characteristics of the outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson in Busan Metropolitan City and to identify points for improvement to prevent of food-borne disease outbreak. METHODS: This was a case-control study. The control group comprised asymptomatic students in the same classes of the cases. The presence or absence of symptoms, ingestion of each food provided by school meal service, and commonly ingested foods in addition to those foods in meal service were investigated. Moreover, specimens collected from rectal swab, preserved foods, and environmental surface were tested. RESULTS: Of the 6,092 subjects, 1,111 (1,083 students, 22 school personnel, and 6 foodservice employees) were included in the case group; this corresponded to an 18.4% attack rate. Symptoms included diarrhea (n=1,051, 94.6%), abdominal pain (n=931, 83.8%), febrile sensation (n=502, 45.2%), and vomiting (n=275, 24.8%). The epidemic curves of each 10 schools were unimodal. Investigation of food intake showed a significantly high odds ratio for chocolate cake in 5 out of the 10 schools. Laboratory test detected Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson both in rectal swab specimens of 9 schools and in collected preserved chocolate cakes of 9 schools. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis test result showed that Salmonella enterica seorvar Thompson isolated from human and foods were the same. CONCLUSIONS: The source of infection for the Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson outbreak in the 10 schools of Busan Metropolitan City is chocolate cake. Traceback investigation for origin of contaminated food in food-borne disease outbreak and safety control during food production should be more enhanced.
Abdominal Pain ; Busan ; Cacao ; Case-Control Studies ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Food, Preserved ; Foodborne Diseases ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals ; Odds Ratio ; Salmonella enterica ; Salmonella Infections ; Salmonella ; Sensation ; Serogroup ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to reveal the epidemiologic characteristics of the outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson in Busan Metropolitan City and to identify points for improvement to prevent of food-borne disease outbreak.METHODS: This was a case-control study. The control group comprised asymptomatic students in the same classes of the cases. The presence or absence of symptoms, ingestion of each food provided by school meal service, and commonly ingested foods in addition to those foods in meal service were investigated. Moreover, specimens collected from rectal swab, preserved foods, and environmental surface were tested.RESULTS: Of the 6,092 subjects, 1,111 (1,083 students, 22 school personnel, and 6 foodservice employees) were included in the case group; this corresponded to an 18.4% attack rate. Symptoms included diarrhea (n=1,051, 94.6%), abdominal pain (n=931, 83.8%), febrile sensation (n=502, 45.2%), and vomiting (n=275, 24.8%). The epidemic curves of each 10 schools were unimodal. Investigation of food intake showed a significantly high odds ratio for chocolate cake in 5 out of the 10 schools. Laboratory test detected Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson both in rectal swab specimens of 9 schools and in collected preserved chocolate cakes of 9 schools. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis test result showed that Salmonella enterica seorvar Thompson isolated from human and foods were the same.CONCLUSIONS: The source of infection for the Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson outbreak in the 10 schools of Busan Metropolitan City is chocolate cake. Traceback investigation for origin of contaminated food in food-borne disease outbreak and safety control during food production should be more enhanced.
Abdominal Pain ; Busan ; Cacao ; Case-Control Studies ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Food, Preserved ; Foodborne Diseases ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals ; Odds Ratio ; Salmonella enterica ; Salmonella Infections ; Salmonella ; Sensation ; Serogroup ; Vomiting