Abstract

This study was conducted to find the differences in food consumption frequency of the middle aged(male 20, female 50) and the elderly(male 15, female 15) living in Chonju in December, 1998 according to food habits, smoking, alcohol drinking and exercising habit, health status, and the levels of nutrition knowledge and attitude store. The foods frequently consumed among the subjects were kimchi(15.4/week), mixed rice(11.5/week), rice(7.6/week), vegetables in soup, jjigae and jorim(5.0/week), mandarins and oranges(5.e/week), and seasoned laver(4.3/week). There were several factors influencing food consumption patterns. These were age, regularity of meal times, the status of smoking, alcohol drinking and exercising, and the level of nutrition attitude. The elderly ate cooked rice more frequently, while the middle aged ate fish, especially blue fishes more frequently. The middle aged who had breakfast regularly ate milk and milk products, legumes and fruits frequently. Those who smoked seemed to eat less cereals and starches and fats, while those who didn't smoke ate more sugars. The alcohol drinking group also ate less fats and the exorcising group ate almost all of food groups frequently. The status of health showed to be related with food consumption patterns. The normal group in hemoglobin ate eggs more frequently than the anemia group and the high risk group in blood pressure ate almost all of food groups more frequently. The high level group for nutrition attitude score chose vegetables, fruits, and milk and milk products more frequently than the other groups. On the other hand, low level group for nutrition attitude score was apt to eat ramyun, ham-sausage, and carbonated beverages more frequently. Therefore, nutrition education to improve the food habits find to change nutrition attitude is necessary to promote health status anti mole attention should be taken to the high risk group in blood pressure to guide proper food and nutrition intakes.

• Keywords: food consumption frequency; middle aged; elderly; food habit; smoking; alcohol dringking; exercising; health status; nutrition attitude