PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate satisfaction with and perception of the school meal service according to middle school students and dieticians/dietetic teachers in Gwangju area who experienced change to the free meal service and the main contents were as follows. METHODS: The research subjects were 197 students (99 boys and 98 girls) and 42 dieticians/dietetic teachers were recruited. RESULTS: Compared to the free meal service before, satisfaction of students was high (53.8%), and 69.9% of students said there was no change in the school meals, however a significant difference was observed between gender. Overall 80.2% of middle school students said that there was no change in menu, 70.6% were no change in the frequency of food with high preference, and 64.0% were no change in leftover of meals. 85.7% of dieticians/dietetic teachers said that there was no change in the student's satisfaction according to the conversion of free meal services; 59.5% of dieticians/dietetic teachers said that there was no change in the frequency of foods with high preference, the variety of vegetables was increased in the qualitative change item of food materials, and 95% of them were not aware of change in the amount of students' leftover foods. Dieticians/dietetic teachers had limitations in selecting menus with purchase and costs of food materials (26.2%) by conversion of the free meal service and their priority considered was the food cost (45.2%) when they selected menus. Change in feeding affairs was office work management (26.2%) and recipe research and development (19.0%). CONCLUSION: With the results of this study, the satisfaction with the school meal service was not changed in the awareness of students and dieticians/dietetic teachers. Therefore further study is needed to determine the middle school's satisfaction with school meals based on a variety of factors including the environmental food meal services.
Gwangju ; Humans ; Meals* ; Research Subjects ; Vegetables

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to develop a processed foods database (DB) for estimation of processed food intake in the Korean population using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES). METHODS: Analytical values of processed foods were collected from food composition tables of national institutions (Development Institute, Rural Development Administration), the US Department of Agriculture, and previously reported scientific journals. Missing or unavailable values were substituted, calculated, or imputed. The nutrient data covered 14 nutrients, including energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C. The processed food DB covered a total of 4,858 food items used in the KNHANES. Each analytical value per food item was selected systematically based on the priority criteria of data sources. RESULTS: Level 0 DB was developed based on a list of 8,785 registered processed foods with recipes of ready-to-eat processed foods, one food composition table published by the national institution, and nutrition facts obtained directly from manufacturers or indirectly via web search. Level 1 DB included information of 14 nutrients, and missing or unavailable values were substituted, calculated, or imputed at level 2. Level 3 DB evaluated the newly constructed nutrient DB for processed foods using the 2013 KNHANES. Mean intakes of total food and processed food were 1,551.4 g (males 1,761.8 g, females 1,340.8 g) and 129.4 g (males 169.9 g, females 88.8 g), respectively. Processed foods contributed to nutrient intakes from 5.0% (fiber) to 12.3% (protein) in the Korean population. CONCLUSION: The newly developed nutrient DB for processed foods contributes to accurate estimation of nutrient intakes in the Korean population. Consistent and regular update and quality control of the DB is needed to obtain accurate estimation of usual intakes using data from the KNHANES.
Agriculture ; Ascorbic Acid ; Calcium ; Carbohydrates ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; Iron ; Korea* ; Niacin ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Phosphorus ; Potassium ; Quality Control ; Riboflavin ; Social Planning ; Sodium ; Vitamin A

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an eco-friendly foodservice program at a high school on dietary behaviors of students, awareness of importance of eco-friendly activities, and foodservice satisfaction. METHODS: The survey was conducted with students at two schools in Gyeonggi, Korea. A total of 576 of 650 students were used for this study. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, independent t-test, and factor analysis to test the two group's differences. RESULTS: The practices of ‘eat balanced meals’ or ‘finish all food on the plate’ scored high (p < 0.001) in students that participated in the eco-friendly foodservice program than those who did not. Regarding awareness of the importance of eco-friendly activities, all attributes scored higher in students that participated in the eco-friendly foodservice program. All attributes for satisfaction except two scored higher (p < 0.05) in students that participated in the eco-friendly foodservice program. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) of the correlation showed that high subjective income status was positively associated with foodservice satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Students that participated in the eco-friendly foodservice program are highly aware of the importance of eco-friendly activities. They demonstrate more positive dietary behaviors and higher awareness of the importance of eco-friendly programs with greater foodservice satisfaction.
Adolescent ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Korea

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine trends in dietary vitamin E intakes and contributing food groups among Korean adults. METHODS: This study included 66,695 subjects aged ≥ 19 years who completed a nutrition survey as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1998, 2001, 2005, 2007~2009, 2010~2012, 2013~2015). We estimated individual daily intakes of α-, β-, γ-, δ-tocopherol, and total vitamin E by linking food consumption data with a vitamin E database of commonly consumed foods. RESULTS: Daily vitamin E intake significantly increased from 6.4 mg α-TE/d in 1998 to 7.7 mg α-TE/d in 2013~2015 (p for trend < 0.0001) among men as well as from 5.4 mg α-TE/d in 1998 to 6.5 mg α-TE/d in 2013~2015 among women (p for trend < 0.0001). However, the intake of vitamin E was lower than the adequate intake (AI) of Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans 2015 (2015 KDRI). In 2013~2015, men consumed 6.5 mg/d of α-tocopherol, 0.5 mg/d of β-tocopherol, 6.0 mg/d of γ-tocopherol, and 3.9 mg/d of δ-tocopherol, whereas women consumed 5.7 mg/d of α-tocopherol, 0.4 mg/d of β-tocopherol, 4.8 mg/d of γ-tocopherol, and 2.8 mg/d of δ-tocopherol. The major food groups contributing to vitamin E intake were vegetables (men: 23.3%, women: 22.7%), grains (men: 14.5%, women: 13.9%), and eggs (men: 13.0%, women: 12.5%). CONCLUSION: This study provides scientific evidence for vitamin E intake in Korean adults. Since the current intake of vitamin E was lower than the reference intakes set by 2015 KDRI, dietary vitamin E intake should be monitored regularly among Korean adults.
Adult* ; Eggs ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Ovum ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Tocopherols ; Vegetables ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins*

PURPOSE: This study examined the dietary behavior and the effects of nutrition education according to the stages of behavioral changes in sodium reduction of healthy male adults (20~69 years) in Gwangju·Chonnam Regions. METHODS: The research subjects were 200 male adults. RESULTS: A significantly higher mean age was observed in the stage of Action·Maintenance (A·M) than in the stage of Precontemplation (PC) and stage of Contemplation·Preparation (C·P). Significant differences in the frequency of exercise, eating out, and preference for salty food, intake frequency of Udon, Ramen and Sundae according to the stages of behavior change in sodium reduction were observed. The dietary behavior scores and intake frequency-related dietary behavior scores of A·M were significantly higher than PC and C·P. Nutrition education for sodium reduction improved the dietary behavior score significantly in PC and C·P, as well as the rate of correct answers of sodium-related nutrition knowledge in all stages. After the nutrition education, PC decreased greatly, and A·M increased. CONCLUSION: Subjects in PC and C·P had an undesirable propensity in dietary behavior, and nutrition knowledge compared to A·M, but the nutrition education for sodium reduction greatly improved their dietary behavior and nutrition knowledge.
Adult* ; Eating ; Education* ; Humans ; Male* ; Research Subjects ; Sodium*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate intake-related factors of energy drinks and educational needs regarding energy drinks in female high school students. METHODS: Subjects were 340 female high school students in Incheon, and data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 20.0 program. RESULTS: Subjects who had drunk energy drinks were 74.3% (249 subjects) of all subjects. The first time they drank an energy drink was significantly associated with grade (p < 0.05). In 75.1% of 249 subjects who had drunk energy drinks, the places for buying energy drinks were supermarkets and convenience stores near their homes. For the effects of energy drink intake, sleeplessness (44.6%) and no effect (41.7%) were cited, and 24.5% experienced side effects such as palpitation, tremors, etc. The scores for self-diagnosis of caffeine addiction were significantly higher in the low weight group compared to the overweight group (p < 0.05). The degree of caffeine addiction was significantly associated with effects of energy drink intake (p < 0.001) and type of side effects (p < 0.001). Willingness to stop consuming energy drinks (p < 0.001) and necessity of nutrition education about energy drinks (p < 0.05) were significantly lower in the caffeine addiction group compared to the general group. About 75.0% of subjects wanted to be educated about the side effects of energy drinks and caffeine. CONCLUSION: This study shows that female high school students need proper education about the effects of intake of energy drinks. Therefore, guidelines and a nutrition education program right intake of energy drinks should be provided as well as campaigns concerning the side effects of energy drinks and caffeine in female high school students.
Caffeine ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Energy Drinks* ; Female* ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Overweight ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Tremor

PURPOSE: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is defined as a cluster of inter-connected metabolic disorders involving the glucose metabolism, dyslipidaemia, high blood pressure, and abdominal obesity. The worldwide prevalence has been rapidly increasing to approximately 20~25%, and the prevalence in Korea as of 2012 was reported to be 31.3%. The association of MetS with various diseases needs to be analyzed by conducting an investigation of frequently consumed foods, such as dairy products, fish, and shellfish in prediabetic subjects. METHODS: The dietary intake of subjects who met the criteria of the study from January to December 2015 was assessed using the 24-hour recall method. After adjusting the age, sex, BMI, and total energy intake, which are confounding factors that may affect the dietary intake of the subjects, the associations of dairy products, fish, and shellfish intake with the MetS risk factors was analyzed. RESULTS: In prediabetes, the intake of subjects who consumed more than the dairy products median (187.0 g) and the elevation risk of TC [OR, 2.369; 95% CI, 1.057 to 5.312] showed a significant positive association. In prediabetes, the intake of subjects who consumed more than the fish and shellfish median (44.0 g) and the elevation risk of BP showed a significantly weak negative association [OR, 0.073; 95% CI, 0.010 to 0.520]. The probability that the blood LDL cholesterol was ≥ 100 mg/dL decreased 0.397 times [95% CI, 0.189 to 0.832]. CONCLUSION: To control the metabolic risk factors of pre-diabetic and vascular disease subjects, proper dairy, fish and shellfish intake will be important.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Dairy Products* ; Energy Intake ; Glucose ; Hypertension ; Korea* ; Metabolism ; Methods ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Prediabetic State* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Shellfish* ; Vascular Diseases

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum. cassia and C. aromaticum) on the glycemic response with a focus on the preparation of dehydrated powder and water extract. METHODS: We searched Pubmed, Cochrane, EMBASE, Science Direct, and the Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS) through May 2017. In the meta-analysis for the preparation of powder, eight trials reporting fasting blood glucose (FBG), four trials reporting HbA1c, and three trials reporting the postprandial glycemic response were included. For the water extract, six trials reporting FBG and four trials reporting HbA1c were eligible for this study. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effect size. RESULTS: Cassia cinnamon powder intake significantly lowered FBG by −1.55 mmol/L (95% CI, −2.45, −0.64; p = 0.001) and the AUC of postprandial blood glucose level by −51.8 mmol/L·min (95% CI, −85.5, −18.1; p = 0.003). There was a significant difference in FBG between water extract of cinnamon and placebo of −0.76 mmol/L (95% CI, −1.09, −0.43; p = 0.000). However, blood HbA1c level was not significantly altered by any preparation of cinnamon. No statistical heterogeneity was observed for any analysis except in the case of FBG for cinnamon powder. Results of funnel plots and Egger's regression suggest a low likelihood of publication bias in all biomarkers (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: According to this meta-analysis, there was possible evidence to support a relationship between cassia cinnamon intake and fasting glucose in both preparation of powder and water extract. Furthermore, new evidence of the health benefits on postprandial glucose regulation of cinnamon powder was obtained.
Area Under Curve ; Biomarkers ; Blood Glucose ; Cassia* ; Cinnamomum aromaticum ; Cinnamomum zeylanicum* ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Information Services ; Insurance Benefits ; Population Characteristics ; Publication Bias ; Water*

PURPOSE: To compare the extent to which three different levels of D-ribose in sugar reduce the glycemic index (GI) and blood glucose response in healthy adults. METHODS: Healthy adults (eight male and six female participants, n = 14) fasted for 14~16 h after eating the same dinner. Participants were then randomized to receive glucose, sucrose, sucrose containing 5% D-ribose (RB5), sucrose containing 10% D-ribose (RB10), or sucrose containing 14% D-ribose (RB14) every week on the same day for 10 weeks (repeating the sample twice). Blood samples were collected by finger prick before and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after starting to eat. RESULTS: We observed a decreased glycemic response to sucrose containing D-ribose. GIs for sucrose, RB5, RB10, and RB14 were 67.39, 67.07, 47.57, and 45.62, respectively. GI values for sucrose and RB5 were similar to those for foods with a medium GI, and GI values for RB10 and RB14 were similar to those for foods with a low GI. The postprandial maximum blood glucose rise (Cmax) with RB14 was the lowest among the test foods. Cmax values for RB10 and RB14 were significantly lower than that for sucrose. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that sucrose containing D-ribose has an acute suppressive effect on GI and Cmax. In addition, D-ribose active elements in sugar may be effective in preventing blood glucose spikes induced by sucrose intake.
Adult* ; Blood Glucose* ; Eating ; Female ; Fingers ; Glucose ; Glycemic Index* ; Humans ; Male ; Meals ; Ribose* ; Sucrose

PURPOSE: Many studies have suggested that neuronal cells protect against oxidative stress-induced apoptotic cell death by polyphenolic compounds. We investigated the neuroprotective effects and the mechanism of action of Momordica charantia ethanol extract (MCE) against H₂O₂-induced cell death of human neuroblastoma SK-N-MC cells. METHODS: The antioxidant activity of MCE was measured by the quantity of total phenolic acid compounds (TPC), quantity of total flavonoid compounds (TFC), and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Cytotoxicity and cell viability were determined by CCK-8 assay. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay. Antioxidant enzyme (SOD-1,2 and GPx-1) expression was determined by real-time PCR. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway and apoptosis signal expression was measured by Western blotting. RESULTS: The TPC and TFC quantities of MCE were 28.51 mg gallic acid equivalents/extract g and 3.95 mg catechin equivalents/extract g, respectively. The IC₅₀ value for DPPH radical scavenging activity was 506.95 µg/ml for MCE. Pre-treatment with MCE showed protective effects against H₂O₂-induced cell death and inhibited ROS generation by oxidative stress. SOD-1,2 and GPx-1 mRNA expression was recovered by pre-treatment with MCE compared with the presence of H₂O₂. Pre-treatment with MCE inhibited phosphorylation of p38 and the JNK pathway and down-regulated cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP by H₂O₂. CONCLUSION: The neuroprotective effects of MCE in terms of recovery of antioxidant enzyme gene expression, down-regulation of MAPK pathways, and inhibition apoptosis is associated with reduced oxidative stress in SK-N-MC cells.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Catechin ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; Down-Regulation ; Ethanol ; Gallic Acid ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Hydrogen* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Momordica charantia* ; Momordica* ; Neuroblastoma* ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Oxidative Stress ; Phenol ; Phosphorylation ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Sincalide