Epidemiology and Health

Original Articles

Food literacy and its relationship with food intake: a comparison between adults and older adults using 2021 Seoul Food Survey data: Seulgi Lee, Sohyun Park, Kirang Kim; Epidemiol Health. 2023;45:e2023062. Published online July 3, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023062

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to examine the differences in food literacy between adults and older adults and the association of food literacy with food group intake.

METHODS

In total, 4,039 participants from the 2021 Survey for Food Consumption in Seoul were included in this study. The intake of whole grains, high-protein foods, total vegetables, vegetables excluding kimchi and pickles, fresh fruits, and milk and dairy products was assessed using a simple food frequency questionnaire. Food literacy was measured using a food literacy measurement questionnaire.

RESULTS

With the exception of milk and dairy, adults had a significantly higher proportion of insufficient food intake than older adults (p<0.001). Both adults and older adults with sufficient food group consumption had higher food literacy scores. Notably, the difference in food literacy scores by level of food intake was highest for fresh fruits (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors affecting food literacy scores, a higher score was associated with a lower probability of having insufficient food intake in all food groups for both adults and older adults. Specifically, those in the highest food literacy score quartile were less likely to have insufficient intake of vegetables (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.43) and fresh fruits (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.43), compared to the lowest quartile.

CONCLUSIONS

Improving food literacy is an important factor for promoting healthy food intake in older adults as well as adults. Therefore, it is necessary to develop intervention programs to work toward this goal.

Summary

Korean summary
건강정보 이해능력(health literacy)은 노인에서 만성질환이나 인지능력과의 관련성이 보고되고 있으나 영양정보 이해능력(food literacy)에 대한 연구는 미비하다. 급변하는 식이 환경에서 식사 및 영양과 관련된 정보를 올바르게 이해하고 판단할 수 있는 영양정보 이해능력은 노인성 질환 예방에 중요하다. 본 연구에서 영양정보 이해능력과 식품군 섭취와의 상관성을 분석한 결과 영양정보 이해능력이 높은 노인이 건강한 식품 섭취 부족 위험이 낮았다. 특히 과일 섭취 부족 위험은 영양정보 이해능력이 높은 노인에서 뚜렷하게 낮았다. 국내 영양정보 이해능력 연구는 초기 단계로 주로 성인 대상으로 연구가 이루어져서 본 연구에서의 결과는 그 의의가 크며, 영양정보 이해능력 향상은 성인과 마찬가지로 노인에서도 건강한 식품 섭취를 위한 중요한 요인으로서 이를 위한 프로그램 개발이 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

Key Message
The study on food literacy among older adults in Korea is significant as previous research has mostly focused on adults. The results showed that older adults with higher food literacy score had lower risk of insufficient food intake as compared with those with lower food literacy score. Specifically, the risk of insufficient fresh fruits intake was the lowest among older adults with higher food literacy score. Therefore, improving food literacy is an important factor for promoting healthy food consumption among older adults.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Self-perceived food literacy in relation to the quality of overall diet and main meals: A cross-sectional study in Japanese adults
Kentaro Murakami, Nana Shinozaki, Tsuyoshi Okuhara, Tracy A. McCaffrey, M. Barbara E. Livingstone
Appetite.2024; 196: 107281. CrossRef
Status of Food Literacy and Association with the Nutrition Quotient among Korean Adults
Geum-Bi Ryu, Young-Ran Heo
Human Ecology Research.2024; 62(3): 399. CrossRef

Association between weekly fruit and vegetable consumption and depressive symptoms: results from the Korean Elderly Environmental Panel study: Youjeong Yuk, Chae-Rin Han, Yoonyoung Jang, Yun-Chul Hong, Yoon-Jung Choi; Epidemiol Health. 2021;43:e2021029. Published online April 20, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2021029

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391 Download
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Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Although previous studies have investigated the correlation between fruit and vegetable consumption and depression, the results remain inconclusive. The present study aimed to investigate the association between weekly fruit and vegetable consumption and depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans.

METHODS

A multiple covariate linear regression analysis was performed using the data of 1,226 elderly individuals ≥ 60 years of age who participated in the Korean Elderly Environmental Panel II study from 2012 to 2014. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Korean version of the Short form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K). Generalized linear mixed-effects models were constructed to analyze the repeated measurements of 305 people who participated in the survey every year.

RESULTS

After adjusting for confounders, SGDS-K scores were negatively associated with the frequency of weekly fruit consumption as follows (β [95% confidence interval; CI]: -0.17 [-0.28 to -0.05], -0.17 [-0.27 to -0.07], -0.42 [-0.54 to 0.29], and -0.33 [-0.44 to -0.21]) for less than 1 time/wk, 1-3 times/wk, 4-6 times/wk, and daily, respectively, compared to no consumption. The SGDS-K scores were also negatively associated with the frequency of vegetable consumption (β [95% CI]: -0.86 [-1.18 to -0.55], -0.18 [-0.35 to -0.01], -0.36 [-0.53 to -0.18], and -0.15 [-0.29 to 0.00]) in the above order, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Fruit consumption was inversely associated with depression levels in a dose-dependent manner. Although there was no dose-response relationship between vegetable consumption and the level of depression, it was negatively associated with SGDS-K scores.

Summary

Korean summary
KEEP-II 데이터를 활용하여 한국 노년층의 주간 과일 및 채소 섭취 빈도와 우울증상 간의 상관관계를 알아보았다. 주중 과일을 섭취하는 빈도와 우울증상의 정도 및 우울증 이환 간에서 음의 상관관계가 있었으며 양반응관계가 나타났다. 채소 섭취 빈도의 경우에는 양반응관계가 나타나지 않았으나 채소 섭취 빈도와 우울증상의 정도 간에 음의 상관관계가 있었다.

Key Message
Weekly fruit consumption frequency was inversely associated with the level of depression in a dose-dependent manner in Korean elderly population who participated in KEEP-II study. Although there was no dose-response relationship between vegetable consumption and the level of depression, vegetable consumption frequency was negatively associated with the level of depression.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Bidirectional associations between dietary diversity and depressive symptoms in Chinese adult women: A retrospective cohort study
Xiaoqian Dong, Ying Li, Xingxing Wang, Yinglong Duan, Min Liu, Sha Wang, Xue He, Pingting Yang, Yaqin Wang, Jianfei Xie, Andy S.K. Cheng
Journal of Affective Disorders.2024; 351: 683. CrossRef
Regional differences in the effects of healthy aging on depressive symptoms: a Korean longitudinal study of aging (2006–2020)
Soo Jin Kang, Jinseub Hwang, Dohyang Kim, Bongjeong Kim
Frontiers in Public Health.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Neuroprotective Effects of Polyphenols—Polyphenols as an Element of Diet Therapy in Depressive Disorders
Anna Winiarska-Mieczan, Małgorzata Kwiecień, Karolina Jachimowicz-Rogowska, Janine Donaldson, Ewa Tomaszewska, Ewa Baranowska-Wójcik
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2023; 24(3): 2258. CrossRef
Genetic and environmental influences on fruit and vegetable consumption and depression in older adults
Annabel P. Matison, Anbupalam Thalamuthu, Victoria M. Flood, Julian N. Trollor, Vibeke S. Catts, Margaret J. Wright, David Ames, Henry Brodaty, Perminder S. Sachdev, Simone Reppermund, Karen A. Mather
BMC Geriatrics.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Longitudinal correlates of fruit and vegetable consumption with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in South Africa
Supa Pengpid, Karl Peltzer
BMC Psychology.2022;[Epub] CrossRef

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