OBJECTIVES: Self perceived body image among women is drawing a lot of attention in Korea due to their unhealthy weight control behaviors. To determine the relationship between self-perceived body image and dietary behaviors among Korean women, the discrepancy between actual body size and body image perception, weight control behaviors were assessed based on age groups using the 2010 KNHANES data. METHODS: A total of 1,747 subjects were selected after eliminating those of likely changing their diet recently using the 2010 KNHANES data. The subjects were divided into 3 groups, self-underweight, self-normal, and self-obese according to their perception of body image. The BMI and weight control behaviors were assessed based on age groups according to the body image perception. RESULTS: The younger, the higher ratio of underweight, women perceived their body size as normal or overweight. Exercise and reduced food intakes were dominant among various weight control methods but unhealthy methods were dominant among self perceived overweight group. CONCLUSIONS: Incorrect body image perception and unhealthy weight control behaviors can cause nutritional problems. Nutritional education should emphasize the importance of healthy weight and proper body image perception for Korean women.
Body Image* ; Body Size ; Diet ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Overweight ; Thinness ; Weight Perception

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related disease are drawing a lot of attention in Korea as one of the serious health problems. Bone health status may be influenced by the general dietary quality and dietary pattern. SUBJECTS/METHODS: To determine the relationship between dietary quality and intake patterns and bone health status, the %RNI, NAR, DDS, and food group intake patterns were assessed according to their bone health status for 847 postmenopausal women using the 2010 KNHANES data after eliminating those of likely changing their diet under the advice of doctors or those taking estrogen. RESULTS: Bone health became worse as dietary quality deteriorated. All NAR and %RNI values were highly associated with bone health levels and the consumption frequency of Ca sources, DDS and the food group intake patterns also confirmed the findings. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that dietary quality and dietary patterns were important for bone health. Nutritional education on eating foods from the five basic food groups has to be emphasized to prevent osteoporosis among older women.
Diet ; Eating ; Education ; Estrogens ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Osteoporosis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Women's bone health status is closely related with environmental factors and lifestyle factors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dietary risks of osteoporosis and osteopenia for Korean postmenopausal women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The data from 1,433 subjects from the 2010 KNHANES were used and divided into three groups: normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis group using bone mineral density (BMD). Nutrient intakes and food intake frequency were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the odds ratios for osteoporosis and osteopenia. RESULTS: The RNI percentage of each nutrient and food intake frequency from 12 food groups decreased as bone mineral density status deteriorated. Risk for osteoporosis of low calcium (Ca) intake, under the EAR, showed an odds ratio of 2.13(95% CI; 1.26-3.61, P < 0.05). Higher intake frequency showed preventive effect from osteoporosis compared to lower intake frequency in such food group as dairy products (ORs 0.40, CI 0.21-0.75), beans (ORs 0.49, CI 0.29-0.83), seaweeds (ORs 0.55, CI 0.32-0.94), fish (ORs 0.56, CI 0.32-0.98), and fruits (ORs 0.42, CI 0.23-0.79) after adjusting for age. CONCLUSION: To prevent osteoporosis in later life, sufficient Ca intake and more frequent intakes of foods containing Ca such as dairy products, beans, fish, seaweeds, and fruits, which help in Ca absorption, should be stressed for Korean postmenopausal women.
Absorption ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Calcium ; Dairy Products ; Ear ; Eating ; Fabaceae ; Female ; Fruit ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Odds Ratio ; Osteoporosis* ; Prevalence*

The purpose of the study was to examine the adolescents' awareness and practice of Dietary Action Guide for Adolescence, which was developed by the Ministry of Health & Welfare. Subjects were middle and high school students, selected one class each from all of the 16 provinces in Korea, which were 32 schools and 998 students all together. The subjects were asked to self-evaluate the degree of awareness and practice of Dietary Action Guide using the 5 point-Likert scale from July to September, 2010. On average, 55.1% of the students responded that they were aware of the Dietary Action Guide and 49.4% answered that they put Guidelines into practice. The average score of awareness and practice were 3.54 +/- 0.24 and 3.42 +/- 0.33, respectively. The awareness score was higher than those of practice score in all the questions in the 6 categories. Awareness score of female students was higher than those of male students but there was no difference by residence area. Awareness and practice of the nutrition education-experienced were higher than those of the inexperienced. Practice score was higher among middle school-students compared to high school students, which reflected the opportunity of taking nutrition related classes. This finding shows that nutrition education for adolescents is important to change their dietary behaviors regardless of gender, residence area and school level.
Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male

The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the degree of adherence to the Korean Dietary Action Guides for Children (KDAGC). In a cross-sectional study based on a child care center-based survey in Seoul, Korea, we collected parental-reported questionnaires (n = 2,038) on children's weight and height, frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption, and the quality of dietary and activity behaviors based on the 2009 KDAGC Adherence Index (KDAGCAI) which was developed as a composite measure of adherence to the KDAGC. Overweight and obesity were determined according to age- and sex-specific BMI percentile from the 2007 Korean national growth chart. Associations were assessed with generalized linear models and polytomous logistic regression models. Approximately 17.6% of Korean preschool children were classified as overweight or obese. Obese preschoolers had lower adherence to the KDAGCAI compared to those with lean/normal weight. Preschoolers with a high quality of dietary and activity behaviors had a 51% decreased odds ratio (OR) of being obese (highest vs. lowest tertile of KDAGCAI-score, 95% CI 0.31, 0.78; P = 0.001); the associations were more pronounced among those who were older (P = 0.048) and lived in lower income households (P = 0.014). A greater frequency of vegetable consumption, but not fruit, was associated with a borderline significant reduction in the prevalence of obesity. Our findings support the association between obesity prevention and high compliance with the Korean national dietary and activity guideline among preschool children.
Child ; Child Care ; Child, Preschool ; Compliance ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Family Characteristics ; Fruit ; Growth Charts ; Humans ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Logistic Models ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vegetables