The purpose of this study was to suggest strategies for effective food allergen labeling in order to prevent food allergies in school meal service. Food allergy experience, eating behavior, and perceptions of food allergen labeling in school meal service were surveyed and compared according to the food allergy experiences of middle school girls in Incheon. Seventy-eight students (17% of total subjects) experienced food allergies. For eating behaviors, students with food allergy experience had significantly higher scores for using nutritional knowledge in their life than inexperienced subjects. For the perception of food allergen labeling in school meal service, girls who had experienced food allergies more often checked labeling of school meals for allergenic foods than those who had no experience of food allergies (P < 0.001). The most desirable method for displaying allergenic foods was an indication of the allergenic food name among students who had experienced food allergies and allergenic food number of the current method for students who had not experienced food allergies (P < 0.001). Students who had not experienced food allergies showed significantly lower interest in food allergen labeling than subjects who had experienced food allergies (P < 0.001). For the importance score of information items in nutrition labeling, allergenic food score was significantly higher in students who had experienced food allergies (3.9 vs. 3.4 points, P < 0.001). These results indicate that students who have experienced food allergies are more interested in food allergen labeling of school meals and that they are more aware. Efforts to improve labeling method such as directly labeling allergenic food name and a more visible indication are required for efficient utilization of food allergen labeling in school meal service.
Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Food Labeling ; Humans ; Incheon ; Meals ; Methods

Objective: To explore the association between the cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior among residents in six provinces in China. Methods: Using a multi-stage sampling method, 3 002 adults aged 18-70 were selected from the western region (Sichuan), eastern region (Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing), central region (Henan), and northeastern region (Heilongjiang) of China from July 2020 to March 2021. Socio-demographic characteristics of participants and their cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior were collected through questionnaire. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior. Results: The age of 3 002 subjects was (42.3±13.4) years, among which 63.8% (1 914) were female, 66.7% knew the Nutrition Facts Panel, 49.8% would read it when purchasing, 30.7% could understand it, and 56.6% (1 699) bought prepackaged food more than once a week. The results of multivariate analysis showed that after adjusting for relevant confounding factors, compared with the participants knowing but not reading the Nutrition Facts Panel, the group knowing and reading was more likely to buy 11 types of prepackaged food at least once a week (all P<0.05). Compared with the participants reading but not understanding the Nutrition Facts Panel, the group reading and understanding was less likely to buy 11 types of prepackaged food at least once a week (all P<0.05). Conclusion: There was a correlation between cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior among residents.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Food Labeling/methods* ; Food ; Nutritional Status ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; China ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the consumption behaviors of sugar-sweetened beverages and blood lipid profiles according to food-related lifestyles of adults in Incheon. METHODS: Subjects were recruited from 19 to 64 year old adults residing in Incheon who visited for the purpose of a health examination at D hospital. A total of 110 subjects consented to participate in this study and to allow their health examination records to be used at D hospital. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and anthropometric data, and blood lipid profiles were collected from health examination records. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 20.0 program. RESULTS: In the factor analysis, food-related lifestyles were categorized into four factors: planned purchase seeking, taste seeking, well-being seeking, and convenience seeking. Using the K-average clustering method, food-related lifestyles of subjects were categorized into two groups: health and rationality-oriented group (HRG) and convenience purchase-oriented group (CPG). Average total scores of sugar-related nutrition knowledge in the HRG were significantly higher compared to the CPG, and average scores of consumption habits regarding sugar-containing foods in the HRG were significantly lower compared to the HRG. When subjects chose sugar-sweetened beverages, the CPG showed a significantly higher frequency of checking food labeling and considering nutrition compared to the CPG. Drinking frequency of carbonated beverages in the CPG was significantly higher compared to the HRG. CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in sugar-related nutrition knowledge and consumption habits of sugar-sweetened beverages between the two food-related lifestyle groups. These results could be useful for establishing guidelines for reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In addition, it is necessary to continue sugar-related nutrition education by considering the food-related lifestyles of adults.
Adult* ; Beverages* ; Carbonated Beverages ; Drinking ; Education ; Food Labeling ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Life Style* ; Methods

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the coverage of the current mandatory nutrition labeling system on the nutrient intake of Koreans. METHODS: KNHANES dietary intake data (2013) of 7,242 subjects were used in the analysis. KNHANES dietary intake data were collected by a 24-hour recall method by trained dietitians. For analysis, all food items consumed by the subjects were classified into two groups (foods with mandatory labeling and other foods). In the next step, all food items were reclassified into four groups according to the food type and nutrition labeling regulations: raw material food, processed food of raw material characteristics, processed foods without mandatory labeling, and processed foods with mandatory labeling. The intake of energy and five nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat, saturated fat, and sodium) of subjects from each food group were analyzed to determine the coverage of the mandatory nutrition labeling system among the total nutrient intake of Koreans. RESULTS: The average intake of foods with mandatory labeling were 384g/day, which was approximately one quarter of the total daily food intake (1,544 g/day). The proportion of energy and five nutrients intake from foods with mandatory labeling was 18.1%~47.4%. The average food intake from the 4 food groups were 745 g/day (48.3%) for the raw food materials, 54 g/day (3.5%) for the processed food of raw material characteristics, 391 g/day (25.3%) for the processed foods without mandatory labeling, and 354 g/day (22.9%) for the processed foods with mandatory labeling. CONCLUSIONS: Although nutrition labeling is a useful tool for providing nutritional information to consumers, the coverage of current mandatory nutrition labeling system on daily nutrient intake of the Korean population is not high. To encourage informed choices and improve healthy eating habits of the Korean population, the nutrition labeling system should be expanded to include more food items and foodservice menus.
Eating ; Food Labeling ; Korea ; Methods ; Nutrition Surveys ; Nutritionists ; Raw Foods ; Social Control, Formal

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the coverage of the current mandatory nutrition labeling system on the nutrient intake of Koreans. METHODS: KNHANES dietary intake data (2013) of 7,242 subjects were used in the analysis. KNHANES dietary intake data were collected by a 24-hour recall method by trained dietitians. For analysis, all food items consumed by the subjects were classified into two groups (foods with mandatory labeling and other foods). In the next step, all food items were reclassified into four groups according to the food type and nutrition labeling regulations: raw material food, processed food of raw material characteristics, processed foods without mandatory labeling, and processed foods with mandatory labeling. The intake of energy and five nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat, saturated fat, and sodium) of subjects from each food group were analyzed to determine the coverage of the mandatory nutrition labeling system among the total nutrient intake of Koreans. RESULTS: The average intake of foods with mandatory labeling were 384g/day, which was approximately one quarter of the total daily food intake (1,544 g/day). The proportion of energy and five nutrients intake from foods with mandatory labeling was 18.1%~47.4%. The average food intake from the 4 food groups were 745 g/day (48.3%) for the raw food materials, 54 g/day (3.5%) for the processed food of raw material characteristics, 391 g/day (25.3%) for the processed foods without mandatory labeling, and 354 g/day (22.9%) for the processed foods with mandatory labeling. CONCLUSIONS: Although nutrition labeling is a useful tool for providing nutritional information to consumers, the coverage of current mandatory nutrition labeling system on daily nutrient intake of the Korean population is not high. To encourage informed choices and improve healthy eating habits of the Korean population, the nutrition labeling system should be expanded to include more food items and foodservice menus.
Eating ; Food Labeling ; Korea ; Methods ; Nutrition Surveys ; Nutritionists ; Raw Foods ; Social Control, Formal