Use of Weight-control or Health Functional Foods, Associated Weight-control Behavior and Perception among University Students in Cheongju

Gayong Kim; Munkyong Pae

doi:10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.1.23

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Use of Weight-control or Health Functional Foods, Associated Weight-control Behavior and Perception among University Students in Cheongju: Gayong Kim, Munkyong Pae; Korean Journal of Community Nutrition 2021;26(1):23-36.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.1.23
Published online: February 28, 2021

¹Student, Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea

²Professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea

Corresponding author: Munkyong Pae, Tel: +82-43-261-2745, Fax: +82-43-267-2742,
Email: mpae@chungbuk.ac.kr

Received: 8 January 2021 • Revised: 24 February 2021 • Accepted: 24 February 2021

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Abstract

Objectives
This study sought to assess the prevalence and duration of weight-control or health functional food use, associated weight-control behavior, perception, and knowledge among university students. Methods: The subjects were 442 university students in Cheonju, Korea, and data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Both X² and t-tests were conducted for categorical and mean comparisons. Results: An estimated 62.7% (female 69.0%, male 54.8%) had ever attempted weightcontrol. Among these, an estimated 59.2% of females and 38.9% of males had used weight-control or health functional foods with significant gender difference. The weightcontrol foods commonly used included chicken breast, protein powder, low-fat milk and soymilk, and meal replacement drinks, while garcinia cambogia extract and green tea extract were frequently used as health functional foods. One of 10 (10.3%) consumers of weight-control foods reported ≥ 7 months use, with less frequent long-term consumption of health functional foods (4.2%). The average degree of satisfaction was 3.24 ± 0.92 for weight-control foods and 2.72 ± 0.97 for health functional foods on a 5-point scale, meaning ‘slightly satisfied’ and ‘slightly dissatisfied’, respectively. Females or students with an experience of weight-control reported poorer perceptions of their health and body image as well as a higher need for weight control. Besides, both male and female subjects felt a high need for correct information regarding weight-control methods. Conclusions: Our results provide a better understanding of the characteristics associated with the use of weight-control or health functional foods among university students and will be useful in developing a nutrition education program by incorporating correct body image, knowledge, and practical yet desirable practices for weight control.

Keywords: health functional food; perception; weight-control food; weight-loss supplement; university students

Korean J Community Nutr. 2021 Feb;26(1):23-36. Korean.
Published online Feb 28, 2021.
https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.1.23

Original Article

Use of Weight-control or Health Functional Foods, Associated Weight-control Behavior and Perception among University Students in Cheongju

Gayong Kim

,¹ and Munkyong Pae

Author information

Author notes

- ¹Student, Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
- ²Professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
Corresponding author: Munkyong Pae. Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju 28644, Korea. Tel: +82-43-261-2745, Fax: +82-43-267-2742, Email: mpae@chungbuk.ac.kr

Received January 08, 2021; Revised February 24, 2021; Accepted February 24, 2021.

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.

Abstract

Objectives

This study sought to assess the prevalence and duration of weight-control or health functional food use, associated weight-control behavior, perception, and knowledge among university students.

Methods

The subjects were 442 university students in Cheonju, Korea, and data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Both χ² and t-tests were conducted for categorical and mean comparisons.

Results

An estimated 62.7% (female 69.0%, male 54.8%) had ever attempted weight-control. Among these, an estimated 59.2% of females and 38.9% of males had used weight-control or health functional foods with significant gender difference. The weight-control foods commonly used included chicken breast, protein powder, low-fat milk and soymilk, and meal replacement drinks, while garcinia cambogia extract and green tea extract were frequently used as health functional foods. One of 10 (10.3%) consumers of weight-control foods reported ≥ 7 months use, with less frequent long-term consumption of health functional foods (4.2%). The average degree of satisfaction was 3.24 ± 0.92 for weight-control foods and 2.72 ± 0.97 for health functional foods on a 5-point scale, meaning ‘slightly satisfied’ and ‘slightly dissatisfied’, respectively. Females or students with an experience of weight-control reported poorer perceptions of their health and body image as well as a higher need for weight control. Besides, both male and female subjects felt a high need for correct information regarding weight-control methods.

Conclusions

Our results provide a better understanding of the characteristics associated with the use of weight-control or health functional foods among university students and will be useful in developing a nutrition education program by incorporating correct body image, knowledge, and practical yet desirable practices for weight control.

Keywords

health functional food; perception; weight-control food; weight-loss supplement; university students

Tables

Table 1
General characteristics of subjects

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Table 2
Use of weight-control or health functional foods

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Table 3
Kinds for weight-control or health functional foods used by the subjects

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Table 4
Consumption patterns of weight-control or health functional foods

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Table 5
Attitude toward weight-control or health functional foods

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Table 6
Perception of the subjects regarding body shape and weight-control

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Table 7
Weight-related nutrition knowledge of the subjects

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