1배재대학교 식품영양학과 교수
2대전 서구 어린이•사회복지급식관리지원센터 팀장
3서울시립대학교 도시보건대학원 조교수
1Professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, Pai Chai University, Daejeon, Korea
2Manager, Daejeon-Seogu Children and Social Welfare Meal Management Support Center, Daejeon, Korea
3Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Urban Public Health, University of Seoul, Seoul, Korea
© 2024 The Korean Society of Community Nutrition
This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
There are no financial or other issues that might lead to conflict of interest.
FUNDING
This research was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea (Grant No. 23192영양안060).
DATA AVAILABILITY
Data are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request and with permission of the funding agency.
Variable | Start level participants (n = 1,238) | Next level participants (n = 339) |
---|---|---|
Organization | ||
Center for children’s foodservice management | 211 (17.0) | 53 (15.6) |
Elementary, middle, and high school | 142 (11.5) | 11 (3.2) |
University | 235 (19.0) | 54 (15.9) |
Family center | 484 (39.1) | 182 (53.7) |
Community health center | 151 (12.2) | 33 (9.7) |
Elderly welfare center | 15 (1.2) | 6 (1.8) |
Age (year)1) | ||
1–19 | 406 (32.9) | 116 (35.0) |
20–29 | 364 (29.5) | 47 (14.2) |
30–49 | 345 (28.0) | 128 (38.7) |
50–69 | 103 (8.4) | 37 (11.2) |
70+ | 15 (1.2) | 3 (0.9) |
Preference for sweet flavors in foods2) | ||
Strongly like | 178 (14.4) | 31 (9.4) |
Like | 519 (42.1) | 102 (31.0) |
Neutral | 365 (29.6) | 101 (30.7) |
Dislike | 136 (11.0) | 76 (23.1) |
Strongly dislike | 35 (2.8) | 19 (5.8) |
Sweetness of foods in usual diets3) | ||
Very sweet | 17 (1.4) | 10 (3.1) |
Somewhat sweet | 249 (20.2) | 54 (16.5) |
Medium | 618 (50.1) | 154 (47.1) |
Not very sweet | 286 (23.2) | 90 (27.5) |
Not at all sweet | 63 (5.1) | 19 (5.8) |
Item1) | Pre-test (n = 62) | Post-test (n = 62) | P-value |
---|---|---|---|
Nutrition knowledge about sugar intake2) | 9.37 ± 1.90 | 9.57 ± 1.56 | 0.447 |
Dietary behavior and perception about sugar | |||
I have times of the day when I feel sluggish and lethargic. | 3.29 ± 1.14 | 3.29 ± 1.01 | > 0.999 |
I have days when I feel low energy and irritable for no reason. | 3.29 ± 1.06 | 3.16 ± 1.01 | 0.375 |
I occasionally crave very sweet foods. | 3.36 ± 1.06 | 3.50 ± 0.88 | 0.309 |
When I see other people eating sweets, I want them too. | 2.92 ± 1.11 | 2.94 ± 1.01 | 0.918 |
I cannot concentrate without sweets. | 2.27 ± 1.03 | 2.23 ± 0.97 | 0.717 |
I look for sweet food and snack even after a meal. | 2.66 ± 1.16 | 2.82 ± 1.07 | 0.290 |
I always have sweet treats around. | 2.73 ± 1.06 | 2.66 ± 1.10 | 0.610 |
I drink more juice or soft drinks than water. | 2.29 ± 1.22 | 1.89 ± 0.93 | 0.009 |
I eat sweet foods when I am stressed. | 2.63 ± 1.19 | 2.66 ± 1.17 | 0.842 |
I do not want to eat more sweet foods. | 2.45 ± 1.05 | 2.73 ± 0.98 | 0.046 |
Dietary self-efficacy | |||
I can eat three meals a day at regular times. | 3.26 ± 1.06 | 3.40 ± 0.98 | 0.302 |
I can avoid eating sweet foods or snacks after a meal. | 3.61 ± 0.91 | 3.69 ± 0.97 | 0.497 |
I can eat slowly, keeping pace with others. | 3.57 ± 1.05 | 3.79 ± 0.83 | 0.056 |
I can always eat just the right amount without eating too much. | 3.69 ± 0.84 | 3.71 ± 0.80 | 0.890 |
I can eat food without salt. | 3.31 ± 1.10 | 3.50 ± 0.86 | 0.159 |
I can avoid snacking after dinner. | 3.50 ± 0.95 | 3.73 ± 0.91 | 0.104 |
I can choose baked or steamed foods instead of fried foods. | 3.73 ± 0.81 | 3.87 ± 0.80 | 0.296 |
I can choose fruits instead of candy or chips and cookies. | 3.94 ± 0.70 | 3.94 ± 0.70 | > 0.999 |
I am confident to choose yogurt instead of ice cream. | 3.89 ± 0.93 | 3.90 ± 0.76 | 0.904 |
I can choose plain milk or water to drink instead of soft drinks. | 4.03 ± 0.87 | 4.05 ± 0.80 | 0.890 |
I can distinguish between foods high in sugar and foods low in sugar by reading the nutrition labels. | 3.81 ± 1.09 | 3.90 ± 0.69 | 0.381 |
I can choose not to eat while watching TV or reading a book. | 3.81 ± 0.88 | 3.61 ± 0.98 | 0.208 |
I can say no when offered tasty food. | 3.26 ± 1.13 | 3.57 ± 1.00 | 0.071 |
I can avoid eating a lot of food on special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, etc. | 3.02 ± 1.11 | 3.36 ± 1.01 | 0.034 |
I can resist eating when tasty food is in front of me. | 3.16 ± 1.04 | 3.47 ± 0.88 | 0.025 |
I can resist eating food as soon as I get home. | 3.44 ± 1.11 | 3.68 ± 0.92 | 0.141 |
I can resist eating food when I am bored. | 3.52 ± 0.88 | 3.73 ± 0.71 | 0.091 |
I can resist eating food when I am angry. | 3.71 ± 1.00 | 3.71 ± 0.95 | > 0.999 |
I can resist eating food when I am anxious or nervous. | 3.79 ± 0.96 | 3.86 ± 0.87 | 0.666 |
I can resist eating food when I feel depressed. | 3.65 ± 1.06 | 3.77 ± 0.86 | 0.409 |
Intention to reduce sugar intake | |||
I am concerned about the sugars in the foods. | 3.53 ± 1.04 | 3.94 ± 0.87 | 0.009 |
I will be healthier if I eat less sugar. | 4.08 ± 0.86 | 4.13 ± 0.80 | 0.643 |
I will buy fresh foods rather than processed and instant foods. | 3.95 ± 0.91 | 4.05 ± 0.82 | 0.490 |
I will ask for less sweetened food when eating out. | 3.52 ± 0.99 | 3.56 ± 0.99 | 0.273 |
I will choose foods with natural flavors and aromas instead of sugary and salty foods. | 3.81 ± 0.99 | 3.95 ± 0.84 | 0.289 |
I will be interested in lower sugar recipes. | 3.74 ± 1.01 | 4.07 ± 0.70 | 0.019 |
I believe that attempts and interest in reducing sugar intake can lead to social change. | 3.87 ± 0.76 | 4.03 ± 0.83 | 0.207 |
I will reduce sugar or replace it with natural or artificial sweeteners when I cook. | 3.87 ± 0.78 | 4.00 ± 0.81 | 0.306 |
I will eat less food with high sugar such as stewed, stir-fried, grilled, or steamed dishes that use high level of sugar, corn syrup, and ketchup. | 3.77 ± 0.78 | 4.03 ± 0.60 | 0.020 |
I will drink water or sparkling water instead of soft drinks. | 3.98 ± 0.93 | 4.23 ± 0.76 | 0.042 |
I will not add sugar or syrup to my coffee or tea. | 3.83 ± 1.14 | 4.13 ± 0.78 | 0.081 |
I will eat fresh fruit and vegetables. | 4.02 ± 0.93 | 4.10 ± 0.92 | 0.512 |
I will choose foods without added sugar for dessert, such as fruit, milk, and unsweetened yogurt. | 3.97 ± 0.87 | 4.15 ± 0.81 | 0.174 |
I will eat fresh fruit for snacks instead of sweets, bread, rice cakes, or ice cream. | 3.95 ± 0.88 | 3.92 ± 0.98 | 0.813 |
I will not use sugar, honey, corn syrup, or syrup at the table. | 3.79 ± 0.96 | 4.05 ± 0.91 | 0.077 |
I will choose low- or no-sugar products. | 3.94 ± 0.74 | 4.00 ± 0.75 | 0.590 |
I will read nutrition labels and choose foods that are low in sugar. | 3.98 ± 0.56 | 4.05 ± 0.76 | 0.484 |
I will use lower sugar recipes when I cook. | 3.77 ± 0.78 | 3.95 ± 0.86 | 0.132 |
Mean ± SD.
P-value by paired t-test.
1)All items, excluding nutrition knowledge, was measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “strongly agree” (scored 1) to “strongly disagree” (scored 5).
2)Thirteen items were used to assess participants’ nutrition knowledge about sugar intake. One point was given for each correct answer (total score: 0–13).
Item | Strat level participants (n = 112) | Next level participants (n = 112) | P-value |
---|---|---|---|
Satisfaction1) | |||
Overall satisfaction | 3.86 ± 0.93 | 4.22 ± 0.74 | 0.001 |
Program content | 3.83 ± 0.89 | 4.20 ± 0.77 | 0.001 |
Interest in program content | 3.82 ± 0.91 | 4.21 ± 0.78 | 0.001 |
Provided materials | 3.94 ± 0.84 | 4.25 ± 0.80 | 0.005 |
Program hours | 3.84 ± 0.87 | 4.09 ± 0.82 | 0.027 |
Program frequency | 3.79 ± 0.85 | 4.07 ± 0.81 | 0.011 |
Program operation method | 3.86 ± 0.87 | 4.09 ± 0.80 | 0.037 |
Program operation environment | 3.84 ± 0.88 | 4.11 ± 0.81 | 0.018 |
Enjoyment of program participation | 3.69 ± 0.94 | 4.28 ± 0.84 | < 0.001 |
Willingness to participate in future program2) | 3.75 ± 1.00 | 4.18 ± 0.82 | < 0.001 |
Efforts to have healthy diets after program participation3) | 3.98 ± 0.84 | 4.35 ± 0.74 | < 0.001 |
Mean ± SD.
P-value by paired t-test.
1)Measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “very dissatisfied” (scored 1) to “very satisfied” (scored 5).
2)Measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “very unlikely” (scored 1) to “very likely” (scored 5).
3)Measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “not at all” (scored 1) to “very high” (scored 5).
Variable | Start level participants (n = 1,238) | Next level participants (n = 339) |
---|---|---|
Organization | ||
Center for children’s foodservice management | 211 (17.0) | 53 (15.6) |
Elementary, middle, and high school | 142 (11.5) | 11 (3.2) |
University | 235 (19.0) | 54 (15.9) |
Family center | 484 (39.1) | 182 (53.7) |
Community health center | 151 (12.2) | 33 (9.7) |
Elderly welfare center | 15 (1.2) | 6 (1.8) |
Age (year) |
||
1–19 | 406 (32.9) | 116 (35.0) |
20–29 | 364 (29.5) | 47 (14.2) |
30–49 | 345 (28.0) | 128 (38.7) |
50–69 | 103 (8.4) | 37 (11.2) |
70+ | 15 (1.2) | 3 (0.9) |
Preference for sweet flavors in foods |
||
Strongly like | 178 (14.4) | 31 (9.4) |
Like | 519 (42.1) | 102 (31.0) |
Neutral | 365 (29.6) | 101 (30.7) |
Dislike | 136 (11.0) | 76 (23.1) |
Strongly dislike | 35 (2.8) | 19 (5.8) |
Sweetness of foods in usual diets |
||
Very sweet | 17 (1.4) | 10 (3.1) |
Somewhat sweet | 249 (20.2) | 54 (16.5) |
Medium | 618 (50.1) | 154 (47.1) |
Not very sweet | 286 (23.2) | 90 (27.5) |
Not at all sweet | 63 (5.1) | 19 (5.8) |
Item |
Pre-test (n = 62) | Post-test (n = 62) | P-value |
---|---|---|---|
Nutrition knowledge about sugar intake |
9.37 ± 1.90 | 9.57 ± 1.56 | 0.447 |
Dietary behavior and perception about sugar | |||
I have times of the day when I feel sluggish and lethargic. | 3.29 ± 1.14 | 3.29 ± 1.01 | > 0.999 |
I have days when I feel low energy and irritable for no reason. | 3.29 ± 1.06 | 3.16 ± 1.01 | 0.375 |
I occasionally crave very sweet foods. | 3.36 ± 1.06 | 3.50 ± 0.88 | 0.309 |
When I see other people eating sweets, I want them too. | 2.92 ± 1.11 | 2.94 ± 1.01 | 0.918 |
I cannot concentrate without sweets. | 2.27 ± 1.03 | 2.23 ± 0.97 | 0.717 |
I look for sweet food and snack even after a meal. | 2.66 ± 1.16 | 2.82 ± 1.07 | 0.290 |
I always have sweet treats around. | 2.73 ± 1.06 | 2.66 ± 1.10 | 0.610 |
I drink more juice or soft drinks than water. | 2.29 ± 1.22 | 1.89 ± 0.93 | 0.009 |
I eat sweet foods when I am stressed. | 2.63 ± 1.19 | 2.66 ± 1.17 | 0.842 |
I do not want to eat more sweet foods. | 2.45 ± 1.05 | 2.73 ± 0.98 | 0.046 |
Dietary self-efficacy | |||
I can eat three meals a day at regular times. | 3.26 ± 1.06 | 3.40 ± 0.98 | 0.302 |
I can avoid eating sweet foods or snacks after a meal. | 3.61 ± 0.91 | 3.69 ± 0.97 | 0.497 |
I can eat slowly, keeping pace with others. | 3.57 ± 1.05 | 3.79 ± 0.83 | 0.056 |
I can always eat just the right amount without eating too much. | 3.69 ± 0.84 | 3.71 ± 0.80 | 0.890 |
I can eat food without salt. | 3.31 ± 1.10 | 3.50 ± 0.86 | 0.159 |
I can avoid snacking after dinner. | 3.50 ± 0.95 | 3.73 ± 0.91 | 0.104 |
I can choose baked or steamed foods instead of fried foods. | 3.73 ± 0.81 | 3.87 ± 0.80 | 0.296 |
I can choose fruits instead of candy or chips and cookies. | 3.94 ± 0.70 | 3.94 ± 0.70 | > 0.999 |
I am confident to choose yogurt instead of ice cream. | 3.89 ± 0.93 | 3.90 ± 0.76 | 0.904 |
I can choose plain milk or water to drink instead of soft drinks. | 4.03 ± 0.87 | 4.05 ± 0.80 | 0.890 |
I can distinguish between foods high in sugar and foods low in sugar by reading the nutrition labels. | 3.81 ± 1.09 | 3.90 ± 0.69 | 0.381 |
I can choose not to eat while watching TV or reading a book. | 3.81 ± 0.88 | 3.61 ± 0.98 | 0.208 |
I can say no when offered tasty food. | 3.26 ± 1.13 | 3.57 ± 1.00 | 0.071 |
I can avoid eating a lot of food on special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, etc. | 3.02 ± 1.11 | 3.36 ± 1.01 | 0.034 |
I can resist eating when tasty food is in front of me. | 3.16 ± 1.04 | 3.47 ± 0.88 | 0.025 |
I can resist eating food as soon as I get home. | 3.44 ± 1.11 | 3.68 ± 0.92 | 0.141 |
I can resist eating food when I am bored. | 3.52 ± 0.88 | 3.73 ± 0.71 | 0.091 |
I can resist eating food when I am angry. | 3.71 ± 1.00 | 3.71 ± 0.95 | > 0.999 |
I can resist eating food when I am anxious or nervous. | 3.79 ± 0.96 | 3.86 ± 0.87 | 0.666 |
I can resist eating food when I feel depressed. | 3.65 ± 1.06 | 3.77 ± 0.86 | 0.409 |
Intention to reduce sugar intake | |||
I am concerned about the sugars in the foods. | 3.53 ± 1.04 | 3.94 ± 0.87 | 0.009 |
I will be healthier if I eat less sugar. | 4.08 ± 0.86 | 4.13 ± 0.80 | 0.643 |
I will buy fresh foods rather than processed and instant foods. | 3.95 ± 0.91 | 4.05 ± 0.82 | 0.490 |
I will ask for less sweetened food when eating out. | 3.52 ± 0.99 | 3.56 ± 0.99 | 0.273 |
I will choose foods with natural flavors and aromas instead of sugary and salty foods. | 3.81 ± 0.99 | 3.95 ± 0.84 | 0.289 |
I will be interested in lower sugar recipes. | 3.74 ± 1.01 | 4.07 ± 0.70 | 0.019 |
I believe that attempts and interest in reducing sugar intake can lead to social change. | 3.87 ± 0.76 | 4.03 ± 0.83 | 0.207 |
I will reduce sugar or replace it with natural or artificial sweeteners when I cook. | 3.87 ± 0.78 | 4.00 ± 0.81 | 0.306 |
I will eat less food with high sugar such as stewed, stir-fried, grilled, or steamed dishes that use high level of sugar, corn syrup, and ketchup. | 3.77 ± 0.78 | 4.03 ± 0.60 | 0.020 |
I will drink water or sparkling water instead of soft drinks. | 3.98 ± 0.93 | 4.23 ± 0.76 | 0.042 |
I will not add sugar or syrup to my coffee or tea. | 3.83 ± 1.14 | 4.13 ± 0.78 | 0.081 |
I will eat fresh fruit and vegetables. | 4.02 ± 0.93 | 4.10 ± 0.92 | 0.512 |
I will choose foods without added sugar for dessert, such as fruit, milk, and unsweetened yogurt. | 3.97 ± 0.87 | 4.15 ± 0.81 | 0.174 |
I will eat fresh fruit for snacks instead of sweets, bread, rice cakes, or ice cream. | 3.95 ± 0.88 | 3.92 ± 0.98 | 0.813 |
I will not use sugar, honey, corn syrup, or syrup at the table. | 3.79 ± 0.96 | 4.05 ± 0.91 | 0.077 |
I will choose low- or no-sugar products. | 3.94 ± 0.74 | 4.00 ± 0.75 | 0.590 |
I will read nutrition labels and choose foods that are low in sugar. | 3.98 ± 0.56 | 4.05 ± 0.76 | 0.484 |
I will use lower sugar recipes when I cook. | 3.77 ± 0.78 | 3.95 ± 0.86 | 0.132 |
Item | Strat level participants (n = 112) | Next level participants (n = 112) | P-value |
---|---|---|---|
Satisfaction |
|||
Overall satisfaction | 3.86 ± 0.93 | 4.22 ± 0.74 | 0.001 |
Program content | 3.83 ± 0.89 | 4.20 ± 0.77 | 0.001 |
Interest in program content | 3.82 ± 0.91 | 4.21 ± 0.78 | 0.001 |
Provided materials | 3.94 ± 0.84 | 4.25 ± 0.80 | 0.005 |
Program hours | 3.84 ± 0.87 | 4.09 ± 0.82 | 0.027 |
Program frequency | 3.79 ± 0.85 | 4.07 ± 0.81 | 0.011 |
Program operation method | 3.86 ± 0.87 | 4.09 ± 0.80 | 0.037 |
Program operation environment | 3.84 ± 0.88 | 4.11 ± 0.81 | 0.018 |
Enjoyment of program participation | 3.69 ± 0.94 | 4.28 ± 0.84 | < 0.001 |
Willingness to participate in future program |
3.75 ± 1.00 | 4.18 ± 0.82 | < 0.001 |
Efforts to have healthy diets after program participation |
3.98 ± 0.84 | 4.35 ± 0.74 | < 0.001 |
n (%). Missing; five for start level participants and eight for next level participants. Missing; five for start level participants and eleven for next level participants. Missing; five for start level participants and twelve for next level participants.
Mean ± SD. All items, excluding nutrition knowledge, was measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “strongly agree” (scored 1) to “strongly disagree” (scored 5). Thirteen items were used to assess participants’ nutrition knowledge about sugar intake. One point was given for each correct answer (total score: 0–13).
Mean ± SD. Measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “very dissatisfied” (scored 1) to “very satisfied” (scored 5). Measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “very unlikely” (scored 1) to “very likely” (scored 5). Measured using a 5-point Likert scale from “not at all” (scored 1) to “very high” (scored 5).