Abstract

This study was to investigate dietary habit for residents in the rural area of Chonnam, Muan. The subjects were composed of 61.2% male and 38.3% female (510 adults). In regularity of meal time, 56.3% of the subjects had meals regularly. The older people were significantly higher than the younger people at regular intervals of meal times (p < 0.0001). The majority of the subjects had appropriate meal amounts. 73.5% of the subjects had balanced diets. Unbalanced diet was higher in younger people than in older people. The highest frequency to dining out was once a month and the lower age was significantly higher than older age (p < 0.001). When dining-out, the most important criteria for selecting a meal was the taste of food. 62.4% of the subjects ate meat and greasy animal food more than once a week. The younger in age and higher in educational levels have increased meat intake frequency. In the eating methods of animal fat, 37.5% of the subjects were high by eating generally untouched. The older in age, lower in education level have more increased animal fat intake frequency. 60.7% of the subjects took snacks. The kinds of snacks were fruits, coffee, alcoholic drinks, candies and confectioneries, drinkables and tea, milk and dairy products, in order. Consequently, nutrition education is for them with special emphasis on regularity of meal times, unbalanced diets, dining-out and snacks to the younger people, whereas it is the necessary eating methods of animal fat and snacks to the older people.

• Keywords: Chonnam Muan residents; dietary habit