Korean Journal of Community Nutrition

Research Article

[Korean]
Nutritional status of North Koreans and related perceptions among South Korean adults: Youngmin Nam, Jihyun Yoon; Korean J Community Nutr 2024;29(4):288-303. Published online August 31, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2024.00006

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Objectives
North Koreans have been facing chronic food shortages and malnutrition. This study examined the nutritional status of North Koreans and the perceptions of South Korean adults regarding their nutritional status.
Methods
The nutritional status was examined using nutritional indicators for the general population, children, and reproductive-aged women in North Korea. An online survey was conducted among 1,000 South Korean adults aged 19–69 years to investigate their perceptions regarding the nutritional status of North Koreans.
Results
Although the nutritional status of children in North Korea has consistently improved, significant progress in the general population and reproductive-aged women in the country remains elusive. The prevalence of malnutrition among North Korean children has decreased to a level that is not considered severe based on international standards, although it shows a substantial difference from that among South Korean children. The prevalence of undernourishment and food insecurity in North Korea remains over 40%. South Korean adults perceive the nutritional status of North Koreans as being more severe than it is in reality. Notably, a significant inconsistency exists between the perceived and actual nutritional status of North Korean children, with over 95% of South Korean adults perceiving North Korean children’s malnutrition as being more severe than it actually is. Moreover, South Korean adults in their 20s to 40s tended to perceive the nutritional status of North Koreans as being more severe than those in their 50s to 60s did.
Conclusions
The nutritional status of North Koreans is a matter of concern. The disparity between South Koreans’ perceptions of the nutritional status of North Koreans and the actual status highlights the need for accurate information dissemination to effectively address malnutrition in North Korea. These efforts could be instrumental in enhancing public awareness and fostering social consensus on food aid and nutritional support programs for North Korea.

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Research Note

[Korean]
Basic Concepts and Detailed Dimensions of Food Security and Related Indicators for Policy Development and Evaluation: Sohyun Park, Ji-Yun Hwang, Jae Eun Shim, Kirang Kim; Korean J Community Nutr 2021;26(6):429-440. Published online December 31, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.6.429

Abstract PDF

Objectives
Standardized guidelines and reference points for a food security policy are necessary to guarantee that basic social safety nets work properly. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the basic concepts and detailed dimensions of food security, including the potential relevant indicators, and sought to establish standardized well-being baselines.
Methods
A literature review and 14 expert roundtable discussions were carried out to analyze and extract the key concepts of food security. After determining these concepts and detailed dimensions of food security, a conceptual framework was modeled. Then, indicators for each local government that could be monitored and evaluated for each sub-area were suggested.
Results
The concept of food security was defined as follows: Individuals should be provided with sufficient, safe, and quality food, which should be accessible to the community and available for use to achieve health and well-being. In addition, food security should be ensured sustainably in a changing environment. Four dimensions were suggested while conceptualizing food security. First, sufficient food, which means sufficient food supply in quantity, quality, and safety. Second, equitable food which includes creating environments in which high-quality and safe food can be purchased at an appropriate price and can be provided regardless of the socioeconomic gap. Third, healthy food which should be provided to promote people’s health and happiness through the eco-friendly consumption of food. Fourth, sustainable food, which can be supplied in a sustainable manner and as part of an eco-friendly food system that considers the conservation of natural environments.
Conclusions
The basic concepts and detailed areas of food security including the potential indicators proposed in this study, may be useful for developing and implementing various policies and programs to support food and nutrition security in the future.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Achieving National Food Security in Sub‐Saharan African Countries: The Role of Foreign Agricultural Aid
Mehmet Balcilar, Godwin Olasehinde‐Williams, Berkan Tokar
Food and Energy Security.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Prediction model for identifying a high-risk group for food insecurity among elderly South Koreans
Myeunghee Han
Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

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Original Articles

[English]
Analysis of Relative Importance of Key Performance Indicators for Center for Child-Care Foodservice Management through Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP): Yun Hui Jeong, In Sook Chae, Il Sun Yang, Hye Young Kim, Hae Young Lee; Korean J Community Nutr 2013;18(2):154-164. Published online April 30, 2013; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2013.18.2.154

Abstract PDF PubReader

The objectives of this study were to assign reasonability to importance of weight selection issue in key performance indicator for performance evaluation of Centers for Child-care Foodservice Management (CCFSM) developed by using Balanced Scorecard (BSC), to draw key performance indicator (KPI) by perspective and to analyze differences in recognition on importance. From September 25 to October 9, 2012, we conducted a questionnaire-based study via e-mail, targeting chiefs and team leaders of nationwide 21 CCFSMs (43 persons), officials of local governments where CCFSM was established (21 persons), officials of Korea Food and Drug Administration (2 persons) and foodservice management experts (27 persons) in order to estimate the relative importance on 4 perspectives and 14 KPIs and analyzed its results by using 61 collected data. The results showed that relative importance of perspectives was estimated in order of importance as follows: business performance (0.3519), customer (0.3393), resource (0.1557), learning and growth (0.1531). Relative importance of KPIs was in order of importance as follows: Evaluation of sanitary management level in childcare foodservice facilities (0.1327), Level of customer recognition and behavior improvement (0.1153), performances of round visiting inspection on foodservice, sanitary, safety management, and foodservice consulting (0.0913). Our results showed that the recognition differences exist on the relative importance of perspectives and KPIs between officials of CCFSM, KFDA, local government and foodservice management experts. These observations will form the basis for developing evaluation systems, and it is considered that performance indicators developed on this basis will suggest direction of operation which CCFSM will have to perform.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

A study on the improvement of evaluation scheme for the installation and operation of Center for Children’s and Social Welfare Foodservice Management: utilizing interviews with center stakeholders and external experts
Jinhyun Kim, Dahye Han, Jieun Oh, Hyun joo Ryou, Ji-Yun Hwang, Kirang Kim, Sohyun Park
Journal of Nutrition and Health.2024; 57(6): 685. CrossRef
The Effect of Hygiene Guidance by Center for Children's Foodservice Management on Food Safety Improvement in Child-care Foodservices in Changwon
Jeong-Min Cheon, Jae-Kyoung Shin, Hye-Kyung Moon
Korean Journal of Food and Cookery Science.2018; 34(6): 653. CrossRef
Assessment of the Effectiveness and Perception of Education by Center for Child-Care Foodservice Management: Focus on Parents of Child-Care and Kindergarten in Seoul
Se-Young Ju, Wan-Soo Hong
Korean Journal of Food and Cookery Science.2018; 34(4): 404. CrossRef
Task Satisfaction, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intension of Center for Children's Foodservice Management Employees
Eun Hye Park, Young Eun Lee
Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition.2015; 44(12): 1881. CrossRef
The Assessment of Food Safety Practices and the Effect of Visiting Education on Food Safety Improvement in Children's Foodservice Facilities
Jae-Eun Paik, Hyun-A Lee, Hyun-Joo Bae
Korean journal of food and cookery science.2015; 31(6): 764. CrossRef
Center for Children's Foodservice Management (CCFSM) Employees' Perception of Difficulties in Performing Tasks
Eun Hye Park, Young Eun Lee
Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition.2015; 44(4): 619. CrossRef

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[English]
Development of Performance Indicators Based on Balanced Score Card for School Food Service Facilities: Tongkyung Kwak, Hyeja Chang, Jiyong Song; Korean J Community Nutr 2005;10(6):905-919. Published online December 31, 2005

Abstract PDF: This study raised the necessity of developing performance indicators for measuring the management efficiency and effectiveness of school food service, and as a means of helping its implementation, a balanced score card (BSC) approach developed by Norton and Kaplan was adopted. This study established BSC in seven phases through literature: Phase 1 Defining a school food service and the scope of working activities, Phase 2 Establishing the vision of a school food service, Phase 3 Setting strategic goals, Phase 4 Identifying critical success factors (CSFs), Phase 5 Developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Phase 6 Extracting cause and effect relationship, and Phase 7 Completing a preliminary BSC. The preliminary BSC was turned into a survey, which was administered to food service related people working at the Office of Education and School Food Service including 16 offices, 209 dietitians, 48 school administrators both from self-operated and contract-managed, and 9 experts in areas related to school food service. They were asked questions about strategics from 4 different perspectives, 12 CSFs, 39 KPIs, and the cause and effect relationships among them. As a result, among the CSFs based on 4 different perspectives, all factors other than "zero sum on profit/loss" from the financial perspective turned out to be valid. In terms of KPIs, manufacturing cost percentages, casualty loss count/reduction rates, school foodervice participation rates, and sales goal achievement rates were found to be valid from the financial perspective, while student satisfaction index, faculty satisfaction index, leftover ratio, nutrition educational performance count, index of evaluating nutrition education, customer claim count/reduction rate, handling customer claim count/reduction rate, and parent satisfaction index were found to be valid from the customers' perspective. Besides, nutritional requirement sufficient ratio, nutritional management score, food poisoning outbreak count, employee safety accident count, sanitary inspection assessment index, meals per labor hour (productivity index), computerization ratio, operational management index, and purchase management assessment index were also found to be valid from the perspective of internal business processes. From the perspective of innovation and learning, employee turnover ratio/rate of absenteeism, annual education and training count, employee satisfaction index, human resource management assessment index, annual menu-related customer feedback, food service information index for employees and parents/schools were also found to be valid. The significance of this study is to present indices for measuring overall performance of school lunch food service operations without putting any limitation on types of school food service management, and to help correctly assess the contribution of the current types of school food service management to schools and students.

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[English]
A Study on the Nutrient Intake, Health Risk Factors, Blood Health Status in Elderly Korean Women Living Alone: Hwa Young Kim, Myung Hwan Kim, Seong Gil Hong, Sung Joo Hwang, Mi Hyoun Park; Korean J Community Nutr 2005;10(2):216-223. Published online April 30, 2005

Abstract PDF: This purpose of this study was to investigate the nutrient intake, the health status as determined self-assessment checklist, biochemical indicators of elderly Korean women. We interviewed and 55 female subjects living alone in the Urban aged over 65 years. Information on their dietary intake was collected by 24-hour Recall method. Their health status was determined by a NSI checklist. Biochemical indicators were performed in whole blood and plasma of subjects. Except for protein, Fe, all of the elderly subjects belonged to over moderate nutritional risk. The average daily nutrient intake of the elderly was below the level of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for Koreans. A relationship between their health risk score and nutrient intake was observed negatively (not significantly). They had a risk of anemia as hemoglobin and hematocrit of subjects were under the normal value. Therefore, the reason that health risk score and health status badly was thought for lower nutrient intake.

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[English]
Anthropometric and Biochemical Indicators and Related Factors for the Community Dwelling Elderly Living Alone: Jin Kyung Park, Sook Mee Son; Korean J Community Nutr 2003;8(5):726-735. Published online October 31, 2003

Abstract PDF: In this study, anthropometric and biochemical indicators and related factors for community dwelling elderly living alone (ELA). as well as for elderly not living alone (ENLA) were explored. The subjects were 140 elderly females (70 living alone, 70 not living alone) residing in Bucheon. Anthropometric measurements revealed significant differences between the two groups (ELA/ENLA) for height, weight, BMI, triceps skinfold thickness, suprailiac skinfold thickness, subscapular skinfold thickness, and body fat percentage. The ELA showed significantly lower data for most of the anthropometric indices, except PIBW. Biochemical indicators of iron status (hemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation) were significantly lower for the ELA, whereas the total serum cholesterol, LDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, for the ELA were significantly higher. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (240 mg%) was 30%. The latter three are not in accordance with general malnutrition among the ELA. The hemoglobin of the ELA was positively correlated with energy, fat, iron and cholesterol intake, but negatively correlated with height. The serum cholesterol of the ELA was positively associated with most of their nutrient intake.

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