Korean J Community Nutr.  2002 Apr;7(2):199-210.

Nutritional Risk Factors, Perceptions on Nutrition and Health, Nutritional Knowledge, Food Habits and Their Correlation to Supplement Use in Middle-Aged and Elderly Koreans

• Kim JS
• Lee MY
• Lee JH
• Cheong SH
• You HE
• Chang KJ

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate nutritional risk factors, perceptions on nutrition and health, nutritional knowledge, flood habits and their correlation to supplement use in middle-aged and elderly Koreans. A nationwide survey was conducted in the metropolitan areas (6 cities) and middle-sized cities (8 cities) of Korea from October to December, 2000. Subjects were randomly selected based on population, and 2,188 non-institutionalized adults aged over 50, and elderly (male 765, female 1,423) were studied. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire administered in personal interviews. Nutrition and health-related scores of nutritional risk factors, perceptions on nutrition and health, nutritional knowledge, and flood habits were significantly higher in supplement users as compared to non-users. There was a negative correlation between nutritional risk factors and other nutrition and health-related scores on perceptions on nutrition and health, nutritional knowledge, flood habits, and pocket money. Also there was a positive correlation between nutritional risk factors and age. Therefore, these results may provide basic information for proper supplement use by middle-aged and elderly Koreans.

Keyword

middle-aged; elderly; supplement use; nutritional risk fators; nutritional knowledge; food habits

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged*
Female
Food Habits*
Humans
Korea
Risk Factors*
Surveys and Questionnaires