Nutr Res Pract.  2022 Apr;16(2):248-259. 10.4162/nrp.2022.16.2.248.

Workplace foodservice meals are associated with higher nutritional quality among adult Korean workers: a nationwide cross-sectional study

• Shin Wy
• Cho SH
• Kim Jh

• KMID: 2527814
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2022.16.2.248

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
Adequate nutritional intake is essential for good health and well-being. We aimed to compare the nutrient intake from homemade meals, meals sourced externally (“eating out”), and meals from workplace foodservices, as well as the potential association between foodservices used and nutritional quality among adult Korean workers.
SUBJECTS/METHODS
We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationwide cross-sectional survey on the health and nutritional status of the Korean population. Data from 6,845 workers aged 20–64 years were included. A survey on dietary behavior and nutrition was conducted using the 24-h dietary recall method. Nutritional quality was examined using the index of nutritional quality (INQ) score. Higher INQ scores reflected poorer nutritional quality, with insufficient intake of a higher number of nutrients. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify the association between the foodservices used and INQ scores after adjusting for other covariates.
RESULTS
We found that foodservice users exhibited a higher 1-day intake of total energy and macronutrients (all P < 0.05) and lower INQ scores (P < 0.01) than non-users. The INQ scores for total daily meals decreased with the frequency of foodservice use (P < 0.01). A significant association was observed between the non-use of foodservices and INQ scores (β = 0.29, P < 0.01) after adjusting for other covariates.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of workplace foodservices contributed to higher dietary nutritional quality among workers. This study highlights the importance of expanding the scope of workplace foodservices to promote higher nutritional quality and healthy dietary habits among workers.

Keyword

Nutritional quality; workers; food services; cross-sectional studies

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Study participants: data from the KNHANES VII (2016–2018).KNHANES, Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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  Fig. 2 Comparison of the INQ scores from total meals consumed in 1-day among study participants using a weighted linear regression analysis according to the frequency of workplace foodservices use. The intake of each nutrient, including protein, fiber, calcium, potassium, iron, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and C, was calculated as a ratio of the actual consumed amount of a nutrient per 1,000 kcal to by the recommended nutrient intake or adequate intake from the dietary reference intakes for Koreans of the nutrient per 1,000 kcal according to age and sex. The ratio < 1.0 for each nutrient indicates insufficient nutrient intake, and the total number of these nutrients that were insufficiently ingested was regarded as the INQ score in this study. The mean INQ scores for the workers using workplace foodservices were as follows: never (n = 5,719), once (n = 908), twice (n = 177), and 3 times (n = 41) per day were 5.0 ± 0.03, 4.7 ± 0.1, 4.6 ± 0.2, and 4.4 ± 0.3, respectively (P < 0.01). Error bars represent the standard error of the average INQ scores.INQ, index of nutritional quality.

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