Comparison of Awareness and Practice on Well-being Life and Related Behaviors According to Generations

Kim, Hye Kyung; Kim, Jin Hee

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness and practice on well-being life and well-being related behaviors, and the various factors affecting well-being related behaviors such as purchasing food materials, food habits, eating out and daily routine activities. A survey was conducted by questionnaire and on a 5-point Likert scale. The subjects of this study were composed of 221 students and their 102 parents who were over 40 years residing in the Ulsan area. The results of this study are summarized as follows: Almost half of the subjects (47.4%) responded that they have good health conditions; to keep a good health condition, 41.2% of the subjects were exercising regularly and 20.4% of them kept diet control. In regard to the meaning of well-being, 66.6% of the subjects thought it is the lifestyle for physical and mental richness (children: 70.6%, parents: 57.8%). 30.3% of the subjects answered that the most important part of well-being was food related. The importance order was mental richness, food related things, physical health for children, and for the parents, it was food related things, physical health, mental richness. Most of population (45.8%) answered that they have a willingness for the pursuit of a well-being life. Among the well-being related behaviors, 69.7% of subjects have purchased items (children: 61.5%, parents: 87.3%). 37.2% of the subjects have acquired information from TV. The average well-being practice score was 61.01+/-10.36. Children's scores were significantly lower than the parent's scores (p < 0.001). And the average practice score of 'purchasing food materials,' 'eating out,' 'food habits,' 'daily routine activities' were 15.3+/-3.3, 15.5+/-3.1, 16.8+/-3.3 and 13.4+/-3.5, respectively. Among five types of purchasing food materials, 'purchasing domestic agricultural food' was greatest (3.64+/-0.91) and 'purchasing of organic or low agricultural chemical food products' was lowest (3.15+/-0.91). In regard to food habits, 'eating rice and bread made of mixed grains' was greatest (3.46+/-1.12) and 'eating uncooked food or zen food' was lowest (2.46+/-0.99). The practice scores were significantly affected by gender (p < 0.05), monthly income (p < 0.01), educational level (p < 0.01), presence of disease (p < 0.05), subjective health condition (p < 0.05), well-being awareness (p < 0.001) and concern with well-being (p < 0.001). Well-being awareness scores and well-being practice scores are related positively. Therefore various programs in well-being education should be necessary in order to boost the authentic perceptions of well-being and well-being oriented behaviors in any socioeconomic situation, such as different generations; industrial companies producing well-being goods for consumer's needs and satisfaction; and government and local community create various conditions for well-being oriented behavior.