Background and Objectives: Recently, the improvement of music perception abilities for emotional stability and high quality of life has become important for the hearing loss group. This study aimed to examine and compare the music perception abilities of the normal hearing (NH) and hearing amplification system (HAS) groups to find the needs and methods of music rehabilitation. Subjects and Methods: The data were collected from 15 NH adults (33.1±11.4 years) and 15 HAS adults (38.7±13.4 years), of whom eight wore cochlear implant [CI] systems and seven wore CI and hearing aid systems depending on pitch, melody, rhythm, timbre, emotional reaction, and harmony perception tests. A mismatch negativity test was also conducted, and attitudes toward and satisfaction with listening to music were measured. Results: The correction percentages for the NH and HAS groups were 94.0%±6.1% and 75.3%±23.2% in the pitch test; 94.0%±7.1% and 30.3%±25.9% in the melody test; 99.3%±1.8% and 94.0%± 7.6% in the rhythm test; 78.9%±41.8% and 64.4%±48.9% in the timbre test; 96.7%±10.4% and 81.7%±16.3% in the emotional reaction test; and 85.7%±14.1% and 58.4%±13.9% in the harmony test, respectively, showing statistical significance (p<0.05). For the mismatch negativity test, the area of the waveform was smaller in the HAS groups than in the NH groups, with 70 dB of stimulation showing no statistical significance. The response rates for satisfaction with listening to music were 80% and 93.3% for the NH and HAS groups, showing no statistical significance. Conclusions Although the HAS group showed lower music perception ability than the NH group overall, they showed a strong desire for music listening. Also, the HAS group revealed a higher degree of satisfaction even when listening to unfamiliar music played with unusual instruments. It is suggested that systematic and constant musical rehabilitation based on musical elements and different listening experiences will improve music perception qualities and abilities for HAS users.

There has been a need to update the current Codex nutrient reference values (NRVs) which had been established following the Helsinki Consultation in 1988. The main purposes of NRVs are to help consumers compare the nutrient content of different food products and estimate the usefulness of a food product in terms of its percentage contribution to the overall healthful diets. The establishment of Codex NRVs for labelling purposes is intended to facilitate the goals of protecting consumers' health and ensuring fair practices in food trade. When revising the Codex NRVs several issues are needed to discussed, which are: 1) Consideration of population groups whether to have one set of NRVs for general population or to have several sets of NRVs for each population groups, 2) Determination of scope of nutrients such as what nutrients to include and what reference values to choose and 3) Development of principles for establishing NRVs such as the selection of suitable reference values among many including recommended intake/recommended dietary allowances, estimated average requirement and upper levels to extract NRVs. This paper will discuss the above issues and the inputs and efforts that the Korean Nutrition Society had put into to carry out the project, "International Collaboration on the Revision and Addition of the Codex Nutrient Reference Values for Food Labelling Purposes," and to ascertain relevant scientific principles and evidences that are utilized for establishment and revision of the Codex NRVs.
Cooperative Behavior ; Diet ; Food Labeling ; Humans ; Population Groups ; Reference Values