The Nutritional Status of Various Populations Living in Selected Areas for Model Nutritional Work in Korea

Shin, Ae Ja; Kye, Seoung Hee; Kim, Dong Yeon; Lee, Haeng Shin

Abstract

It is very important to collect information on the nutritional status of the Korean population for the development of health promotion programs including nutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status of various population living in selected areas for model nutritional work. Seven hundred eighty households(30 households per each area)from 26 areas participated in this study from November 1 to November 20, 1996. Dietary intake data for two consecutive days were collected at household level by a weighting method. The mean energy intake of the subjects(1,934 kcal) was higher than that resulted from the '95 Korean National Nutrition Survey(1,839 kcal). The proportion of energy derived from cereals was 60.1%. The proportion of total protein intake from animal sources was 49.4%. These results were similar to those found in the '95 Korean National Nutrition Survey. Most nutrients(except iron, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C, and crude fiber) were higher than the result of the '95 Korean National Nutrition Survey. However, the average iron intake was about 68% of the result of '95 Korean National Nutrition Survey. This may be due to the adjustment of iron content in rice(3.7mg/100g-->0.5mg/100g) included in nutrient database for calculating nutrient intakes. The mean energy contribution from carbohydrate, protein, and fat were 64.2%, 16.4% and 19.4%, respectively. Significant differences of nutrient intakes were noted among some areas, which may be due to different food intake patterns according to the needs of the particular area. Therefore, the result of this study indicates that there are significant differences in food and nutrient intakes among the areas, suggesting that nutritional improvement programs may need to be developed differently by areas.