Effect of Self-Perception of Health and Related Factors of Food Life and Disease on Health Foods Intakes among the Middle Aged in the Jeonbuk Region

Chang, Hye Soon; Kim, Mi Ra

Abstract

This study examined the effect of self-perception of health and related factors of flood life and disease on health floods intakes among the middle aged(150 men and 159 women) in the Jeonbuk region. The health foods were classified into 4 groups including Chinese medicine(CM), toner foods(TF), nutritional supplements(NS), and other manufactured health foods supplements(MHFS). Differences of BMI and self-perception for body shape was that overweight was 30% in men and 24.5% in women on BMI, but conversely was 21.3% in men and 43.4% in women on self-perception for body shape. Men thought themselves more than normal weight, but women thought themselves less than normal weight for the criteria of normal weight. Consumption of CM was high in the overweight group on BMI and was a low in the overweight group on self-perception for bodyshape Men thought themselves better than women and those in their 40's thought better than those in their 50's on self perception of health status, and women were better than men on self-perception of food habits. The difference of health foods intakes according to the self-perception of health status and food habits was not significant. The points of food habits, food attitude and nutrition knowledge were 11.21 +/- 2.43, 68.18 +/- 15.56 and 15.53 +/- 1.59 in women and 10.49 +/- 2.71, 67.53 +/- 14.41, and 15.11 +/- 1.79 in men respectively. The points of all were higher for women than for men. Consumption of CM (p<0.01) and TF(p<0.01) were a low in groups that scored high points on nutrition knowledge. The points of climacteric symptoms were that men were 48.36 +/- 6.30 and woman were 46.43 +/- 6.70. Men thought themselves in good condition more than women(p<0.01), and those in their 40's thought themselves in good condition as opposed to those in their 50's in men(p<0.05). Consumption of TF and NS were high in the low points group on climacteric symptoms(p<0.01). Women were higher than men on morbidity, but men were more than women on cases of liver disease(p<0.01). Consumption of CM was high in the liver disease group(p<0.05), MHFS was high in the kidney disease group(p<0.05), TF and NS were hgih in the bone disease group(p<0.05) and NS was hgih in the endocrine disease group(p<0.05). People in their 40's were higher than those in their 50's in men on morbidity of cold(p<0.05), women were higher than men by about 2 times on constipation (p<0.01), those in their 40's were higher than those in their 50's in mein on gastritis(p<0.05). Consumption of NS was highest for those with diseases in respiratory organs and gastrointestinal tracts. This study suggests that nutritional education for the right recognition of self-perception of health status and food habits, and nutrition knowledge are needed to select for health floods. Consumption of health foods was different according to kinds of diseases. Thus, recognition of etiology, symptoms and dietetics of diseases is needed to select adequate health foods for diseases in middle age.