Korean J Community Nutr.  2015 Oct;20(5):327-337. 10.5720/kjcn.2015.20.5.327.

A Study on Sodium-related Dietary Attitude and Behaviors According to Sodium-related Nutrition Knowledge of University Students

• Kim MH
• Yeon JY
• Kim JW
• Byun JE
• Bu SY
• Choi MK
• Bae YJ

• KMID: 2269011
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2015.20.5.327

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Dietary life is closely associated with dietary attitude and diet-related knowledge. Particularly, dietary habit such as sodium intake can be affected by various dietary behaviors such as food choices, dietary attitude toward salty food and a preference for salty taste. The purpose of this study was to assess sodium-related nutrition knowledge and to identify sodium-related attitude and behaviors according to the level of sodium-related knowledge of university students.
METHODS
Anthropometric measurements were provided by 408 students who participated in this study. The study participants answered questionnaires to provide information on general dietary behaviors, sodium-related dietary attitude and other behavioral factors. A total score of nutrition knowledge was used to categorize study participants in to two groups, namely, low level in sodium-related knowledge (LNaK) or high level in sodium-related knowledge (HNaK) and the attitude and the behaviors of students toward sodium intake were compared between these two groups.
RESULTS
The ratio of female students in HNaK group was higher than that in the LNaK group. HNaK group had a higher score in checking nutrition label of processed food than the LNaK group. Total score of sodium-related attitude and behaviors of HNaK group were 34.81 and 32.75, respectively and these scores were significantly higher than that of the LNaK group whose scores were 32.57 and 30.57, respectively. Total energy intake was not different between two groups but the intakes of calcium, vitamin B2 and folate were higher in HNaK group than in the LNaK group. Correlation analysis adjusted for age and gender revealed that total score of sodium-related nutrition knowledge was positively correlated with total score of sodium-related attitude and behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, students who had high level of sodium-related nutrition knowledge had desirable attitude and behaviors toward sodium intake and these results can be considered in nutrition education for university students.

Keyword

Sodium; Dietary Attitude; Dietary Behaviors; Nutrition Knowledge; University Students

MeSH Terms

Calcium
Education
Energy Intake
Female
Folic Acid
Food Habits
Humans
Riboflavin
Sodium
Calcium
Folic Acid
Riboflavin
Sodium

Reference

1. Yon M, Lee YN, Kim DH, Lee JY, Koh EM, Nam EJ, et al. Major sources of sodium intake of the Korean population at prepared dish level -based on the KNHANES 2008 & 2009-. Korean J Community Nutr. 2011; 16(4):473–487.

2. Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI-1). Cheongju: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;2014. p. 370–557.

3. Park YS, Son SM, Lim WJ, Kim SB, Chung YS. Comparison of dietary behaviors related to sodium intake by gender and age. Korean J Community Nutr. 2008; 13(1):1–12.

4. The Korean Nutrition Society. Dietary reference intakes for Koreans. 1st revision. Seoul: The Korean Nutrition Society;2010. p. 367–377.

5. Jung EJ, Shim E. Salt-related dietary behaviors and sodium intakes of university students in Gyeonggi-do. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr. 2008; 37(5):578–588.

6. Lee KA. Salt-related dietary behaviors of university students in Gyeongbuk area. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr. 2014; 43(7):1122–1131.

7. Kim MH, Kim H, Lee WK, Kim SJ, Yeon JY. Food habits and dietary behavior related to using processed food among male college students residing in dormitory and self-boarding in Gangwon. Korean J Community Nutr. 2013; 18(4):372–385.

8. Perron M, Endres J. Knowledge, attitudes, and dietary practices of female athletes. J Am Diet Assoc. 1985; 85(5):573–576.

9. Kim HH, Jung YY, Lee YK. A comparison of salty taste assessments and dietary attitudes and dietary behaviors associated with high-salt diets in four regions in Korea. Korean J Community Nutr. 2012; 17(1):38–48.

10. Takachi R, Ishihara J, Iwasaki M, Ishii Y, Tsugane S. Self-reported taste preference can be a proxy for daily sodium intake in middle-aged Japanese adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014; 114(5):781–787.

11. Contento IR. Nutrition education. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers;2007. p. 60.

12. Francis SL, Taylor ML. A social marketing theory-based diet-education program for women ages 54 to 83 years improved dietary status. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009; 109(12):2052–2056.

13. Kim MH, Min DU, Jang EK, Yeon JY, Kim JW, Bae YJ. Salt-related dietary attitudes, behaviors, and nutrition knowledge of university students according to estimated salt intake using urinary salt signal. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr. 2015; 44(2):226–233.

14. Lee YK, Son SM, Lee JJ, Lee HJ, Shin EK, Park MJ. A study on a scheme to reduce sodium intake, report of management center for health promotion. Korean Health Promotion Center;2007. 07. Report No. 06-32.

15. Kim HH, Jung YY, Lee YK. A comparison of salty taste assessments and dietary attitudes and dietary behaviors associated with high-salt diets in four regions in Korea. Korean J Community Nutr. 2012; 17(1):38–48.

16. Sarmugam R, Worsley A, Wang W. An examination of the mediating role of salt knowledge and beliefs on the relationship between socio-demographic factors and discretionary salt use: a cross-sectional study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013; 10(1):25–33.

17. Kang NE, Kim J, Yoon HR. Study on differences in perception of weight management, balanced food intake, knowledge of obesity, and nutrition knowledge in male and female university students. Korean J Food Cult. 2012; 27(6):759–768.

18. Lee SL, Lee SH. Survey on health-related factors, nutrition knowledge and food habits of college students in Wonju area. Korean J Community Nutr. 2015; 20(2):96–108.

19. Lee MS, Kwak CS. The comparison in daily intake of nutrients, quality of diets and dietary habits between male and female college students in Daejeon. Korean J Community Nutr. 2006; 11(1):39–51.

20. Kim HK, Kim JH, Jung HK. A comparison of health related habits, nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and blood composition according to gender and weight status of college students in Ulsan. Korean J Nutr. 2012; 45(4):336–346.

21. Pak HO, Hong MS, Sohn CY. Survey on nutrition knowledge, food behaviors, and food frequency of sodium intake in Korean university students. J East Asian Soc Diet Life. 2015; 25(1):12–19.

22. Jo SH, Kim YS. A study on the nutrition knowledge, attitude on dietary habits by meal manager of high School students in Bucheon area. Korean J Culinary Res. 2010; 16(2):330–341.

23. Lee SL, Lee SH. Survey on health-related factors, nutrition knowledge and food habits of college students in Wonju area. Korean J Community Nutr. 2015; 20(2):96–108.

24. Jeong KJ, Lee JH, Kim MH. A study on the nutrition knowledge, dietary behaviors, and dietary habits according to the gender in high school Students in Chungnam area. Korean J Food Nutr. 2014; 27(3):458–469.

25. Claro RM, Linders H, Ricardo CZ, Legetic B, Campbell NR. Consumer attitudes, knowledge, and behavior related to salt consumption in sentinel countries of the Americas. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2012; 32(4):265–273.

26. Papadakis S, Pipe AL, Moroz IA, Reid RD, Blanchard CM, Cote DF, et al. Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to dietary sodium among 35- to 50-year-old Ontario residents. Can J Cardiol. 2010; 26(5):e164–e169.

27. Cannoosamy K, Pugo-Gunsam P, Jeewon R. Consumer knowledge and attitudes toward nutritional labels. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2014; 46(5):334–340.

28. Grimes CA, Riddell LJ, Nowson CA. Consumer knowledge and attitudes to salt intake and labelled salt information. Appetite. 2009; 53(2):189–194.

29. Jang JY, Kim MJ, Han JS. A study on food frequency, dietary habits and nutrition knowledge of the elderly who intake high sodium. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr. 2009; 38(10):1362–1372.

30. Yon MY, Han YH, Hyun TS. Dietary habits, food frequency and dietary attitudes by gender and nutrition knowledge level in upper-grade school children. Korean J Community Nutr. 2008; 13(3):307–322.

31. Zhang J, Xu AQ, Ma JX, Shi XM, Guo XL, Engelgau M, et al. Dietary sodium intake: knowledge, attitudes and practices in Shandong Province, China, 2011. PLoS One. 2013; 8(3):e58973.