A menu labeling initiative is a lawful regulation with an aim to promote public health by providing customers the right to make informed menu choices. As college years are a critical period in which students form dietary habits, which are sustained throughout their lives, provision of nutritional information at the university dining services is important to students' health and life. Due to the lack of research on menu labeling at university dining services, the purpose of this study was to examine college students' attitudes and motivations toward menu labeling at university dining services, as well as their use intentions toward nutrition information at university dining services. Data were collected from a self-administered survey distributed to 484 college students who had experienced university dining services. Motivations of university students toward menu labeling were categorized into ‘knowledge pursuit’ and ‘health pursuit’. Students' attitudes toward menu labeling had a positive effect on their intention to use menu labeling at university dining services. The findings of the study indicated that female students, or those who frequently used nutrition information, tended to have higher attitudes, motivations, and use intentions toward nutrition information. The study results suggest that facilitation of healthy eating environments at university dining services by offering nutrition information, and nutrition and health education is necessary.
Critical Period (Psychology) ; Eating ; Female ; Food Habits ; Health Education ; Humans ; Intention* ; Jurisprudence ; Public Health

Bloating is one of the most common and troublesome problems in a large proportion of patients with gastrointestinal disorders but the mechanism is not completely understood. Several factors, including gas-producing intestinal microbiota, disturbed handling of intestinal gas, visceral hypersensitivity, abnormal viscero-somatic responses, fermentable diet, and psychological factors, have been suggested as mechanisms. For an assessment, thorough medical history-taking and physical examination are the first steps. On the other hand, organic disorders should always be considered first for a differential diagnosis. The therapeutic options available are considered challenging and still limited in clinical practice. The treatment strategy may include diet modification, pharmacologic approach, psychiatric approach, biofeedback, etc. Further studies will be needed to explore the variable mechanism of bloating and develop an efficient treatment.
Biofeedback, Psychology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diet ; Food Habits ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Physical Examination ; Psychology

BACKGROUND: A higher frequency of family meals is associated with good dietary habits in young people. This study focused on the relationships of family meal frequency with food neophobia and personality traits in adolescents. SUBJECTS/METHOD: For this purpose, we administered a survey to 495 middle school students in Seoul metropolitan city, after which the data were analyzed using the SPSS (18.0) program. Pearson correlation was used to determine the relationships among dietary habits, personality traits, and food neophobia according to frequency of family meals. RESULTS: Dietary habits, personality traits, and food neophobia all showed significant differences according to the frequency of family meals. Further, eating regular family meals was associated with good dietary habits (P < 0.001) and was linked with improved extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness/intellect (P < 0.001). On the other hand, it showed a negative relationship with food neophobia (P < 0.001). The relationship between dietary habits and food neophobia showed a negative correlation (P < 0.01). The relationship between dietary habits and personality traits showed a positive correlation (P < 0.01). Lastly, the relationship between personality traits and food neophobia showed a negative correlation (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the study, the frequency of family meals affects dietary habits, personality traits, and food neophobia in adolescents.
Adolescent ; Eating ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Food Habits* ; Hand ; Humans ; Meals* ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: Diabetes education and lifestyle modification are critical components in controlling blood glucose levels of people with type 2 diabetes. Until now, available data on the effectiveness of education with respect to the duration of diabetes are limited. We investigated whether adherence to lifestyle behavior modification prompted by diabetes education was influenced by the duration of diabetes. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-five people with type 2 diabetes were recruited for an intensive, collaborative, group-based diabetes education program with annual reinforcement. We divided the patients into two groups based on the duration of their diabetes prior to the education program (< or =1 year [< or =1Y] vs. > or =3 years [> or =3Y]). Dietary habits, physical activity, and the frequency of blood glucose self-monitoring were evaluated with a questionnaire prior to education and at the follow-up endpoint. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 32.2 months. The mean hemoglobin A1c (A1C) value was significantly lower in the < or =1Y group. Self-care behaviors, measured by scores for dietary habits (P=0.004) and physical activity (P<0.001), were higher at the endpoint in the < or =1Y group than in the > or =3Y group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a longer diabetes duration before education was significantly associated with mean A1C levels greater than or equal to 7.0% (53 mmol/mol). CONCLUSION: Diabetes duration influenced the effectiveness of diabetes education on lifestyle behavior modification and glycemic control. More-intense, regular, and sustained reinforcement with encouragement may be required for individuals with longstanding type 2 diabetes.
Behavior Therapy ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Follow-Up Studies ; Food Habits ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Motor Activity ; Reinforcement (Psychology) ; Self Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The aim of this study is to investigate prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among adolescents and difference in worry and stress between normal and IBS groups. Questionnaire survey was conducted at a girl's middle and high school. Students from seventh to eleventh grade participated in the examination on Rome II criteria, lifestyle and dietary habits. Worry and stress were measured with the Korean version Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Children and the Korean version Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument. Worry score was significantly higher in the IBS group (22.07 +/- 9.38, P < 0.001) than in the normal group (18.65 +/- 8.99) and was higher in high school students than in middle school students (P = 0.02). Stress score also was higher in the IBS group than in the normal group (P < 0.001) and was higher in the high school girls than in the middle school ones (P = 0.04). Of all the lifestyle factors influencing IBS preference for fatty foods, preference for salty foods, drinking alcohol and sleeping for less than six hours a day were found to be significant. Worry and stress seem to be associated with IBS symptoms. The findings of this study draw a clue that less worry and stress will help decrease IBS symptoms.
Adolescent ; Alcohol Drinking ; *Anxiety ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/epidemiology/*psychology ; Life Style ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Regression Analysis ; Sleep ; Socioeconomic Factors ; *Stress, Psychological

The aim of this study is to investigate prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among adolescents and difference in worry and stress between normal and IBS groups. Questionnaire survey was conducted at a girl's middle and high school. Students from seventh to eleventh grade participated in the examination on Rome II criteria, lifestyle and dietary habits. Worry and stress were measured with the Korean version Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Children and the Korean version Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument. Worry score was significantly higher in the IBS group (22.07 +/- 9.38, P < 0.001) than in the normal group (18.65 +/- 8.99) and was higher in high school students than in middle school students (P = 0.02). Stress score also was higher in the IBS group than in the normal group (P < 0.001) and was higher in the high school girls than in the middle school ones (P = 0.04). Of all the lifestyle factors influencing IBS preference for fatty foods, preference for salty foods, drinking alcohol and sleeping for less than six hours a day were found to be significant. Worry and stress seem to be associated with IBS symptoms. The findings of this study draw a clue that less worry and stress will help decrease IBS symptoms.
Adolescent ; Alcohol Drinking ; *Anxiety ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/epidemiology/*psychology ; Life Style ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Regression Analysis ; Sleep ; Socioeconomic Factors ; *Stress, Psychological

The purpose of this study was to investigate the eating patterns of children with cerebral palsy having motor disturbances as well as stiffness. The food habits, nutritional status, and snack intakes of 1 to 7 year-old children with cerebral palsy were examined. The subjects were grouped into three categories according to their table-utensil handling skills: superior, normal, and inferior. The children in the superior group were significantly taller and heavier compared to children in the other two groups. The %EARs of folic acid and total calorie intake were insufficient in all three groups; however, their %EARs of other nutrients were fully sufficient. When comparing the children's intake frequencies and preferences for snacks, the superior group showed a greater likelihood to consume various kinds of snacks than the inferior group. And the inferior group disliked more kinds of snacks than the other two groups. It was also shown that the inferior group had a significantly higher tendency for problems in chewing and swallowing. These results indicate that the development of table utensil-handling skills is very important for the food intake and growth of children with cerebral palsy, and the better their table utensil-handling skills the greater their physical development. Thus, considering their preference and intake frequency, it seems necessary that children in the inferior group be provided a greater variety of snacks and foods to receive more calories.
Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Deglutition ; Eating ; Folic Acid ; Food Habits ; Handling (Psychology) ; Humans ; Mastication ; Nutritional Status ; Snacks

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of life style characteristics on the prevalence risk of metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS: A total of 581 adults were recruited from a cardiovascular outpatient clinic. A newly developed comprehensive life style evaluation tool for MS patients was used, and patient data related to the MS diagnosis were reviewed from the hospital records. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of MS was 53.2%, and the mean of MS score was 2.6 for patients at a cardiovascular outpatient clinic (78% of the patients had hypertension). Dietary habits among the life style characteristics had significant influence on the prevalence risk of MS and MS scores. And also interestingly, the classification and regression tree (CART) model suggested that the high prevalence risk groups for MS were older adults (61.5< or =age<79.4), and adults between 48.5 and 61.5 yr of age with bad dietary habits. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that nurses should focus on dietary habits of patients (especially patients classified as high prevalence risk for MS) for improvement and prevention of MS prevalence risk.
Age Factors ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Demography ; Female ; Food Habits ; Humans ; *Life Style ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/diagnosis/epidemiology/*psychology ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk ; Smoking ; Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of a nutrition education program on self-efficacy, diet behavior pattern and cardiovascular risk factors for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHOD: Sixty-four CVD subjects (37 experimental, 27 control) were recruited from a cardiac center, at a university hospital located in D city, Korea. All subjects attended a first heart camp where pretest measures were performed, and a second heart camp at 6 months for the posttest measures. During the 6 month study period, the experimental group was required to attend five monthly nutrition education sessions, while the control group received only routine outpatient follow-ups. Data were analyzed by chi-square-test and independent t-test using the SPSSWIN 11.5 program. RESULT: Group comparisons revealed that the experimental group had significantly more improved self-efficacy, frequency of food selection, gustation of salt, systolic blood pressure, and serum total-cholesterol compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: A nutrition education program may be effective in improving self-efficacy, diet behavior pattern and cardiovascular risk factors for patients with cardiovascular disease.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardiovascular Diseases/*diet therapy ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Counseling ; Diet ; Female ; Food Habits/*psychology ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Education as Topic ; Program Evaluation ; Risk Factors ; *Self Efficacy

The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of the association of personality preferences and food behavior factors in middle school students. The subjects were 319 boys and girls in a middle school located in Kyunggi province. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess demographic factors, dietary habits and psychosocial factors including self-efficacy, perceived benefits and barriers. The MMTIC (Murphy-Meisgeier Type Inventory for Children) test was used to assess the personality preferences of the students. Sixty-seven percent of the subjects were extrovert, 53.9% were the sensing type, 76.8% were the feeling type and 81.8% were the perceiving type in personality preferences. The extrovert had higher self-efficacy than the introvert. The feeling type perceived more benefits and fewer barriers than the thinking type. The education levels of the parents, especially mothers, were positively related with self-efficacy and dietary habit scores of the students. The self-efficacy and perceived benefits and barriers were significantly associated with dietary habits of the students (explained variance: 17.9%). Results of this study presented the relationship of character types and parents' education levels on psychosocial food behavior factors and a need for the development of tailored nutrition education program considering these factors.
Demography ; Education ; Female ; Food Habits* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parents ; Psychology* ; Thinking