Korean Journal of Community Nutrition

Volume 30(3); June 2025

Review

[Korean]
Current status of nutrition education media and its utilization in providing customized nutrition information for older adults in Korea: a scoping review based on the transtheoretical model and food literacy: Seojin Yun, Jiwon An, Kirang Kim; Korean J Community Nutr 2025;30(3):175-182. Published online June 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00094

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Objectives
This study analyzes the status of nutrition education media among Korean older adults based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) and their food literacy to propose effective strategies for the development and utilization of educational media.
Methods
A literature review was conducted using The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) protocol. The literature search was performed using government and local government agency websites, as well as those of affiliated institutions, health and nutrition-related academic societies, and academic search engines. A total of 144 studies were identified, and after a cross-evaluation by two reviewers based on the literature selection criteria, 73 studies were included in the final analysis.
Results
Among the types of nutrition education media, card news had the highest proportion, followed by video media. The development and distribution of nutrition education media for older adults were primarily carried out by government and local government agencies, as well as related affiliated institutions, accounting for 80.8% (n = 59) of the total. When nutrition education topics in the media were categorized according to the stages of behavior change in the TTM, the largest proportion, 64.6% (n = 61), was applicable to the precontemplation and contemplation stages. When categorized by food literacy domains, all topics fell under the categories of nutrition and safety.
Conclusion
Nutrition education media for older adults were found to be primarily focused on knowledge acquisition and information delivery, making them mostly applicable to the precontemplation and contemplation stages of behavior change. The concept of food literacy addressed in the different types of media was limited to the domains of nutrition and safety, with no content covering the cultural and relational domains or the social and ecological domains. For tailored nutrition education, it is necessary to develop diverse educational materials that comprehensively reflect each stage of the TTM and all aspects of food literacy.

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Research Articles

[English]
The impact of flash continuous glucose monitoring and nutrition coaching on dietary self-efficacy and weight management in university students in Korea: a pre-post intervention study: Soojin Park; Korean J Community Nutr 2025;30(3):183-196. Published online June 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00073

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Objectives
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a 4-week multicomponent intervention combining flash continuous glucose monitoring (flash-CGM), group nutrition education, and personalized nutrition coaching on dietary self-efficacy (DSE) and weight management in healthy university students.
Methods
A total of 27 university students participated in a pre-post intervention study. The intervention included a single 4-hour group-based nutrition education session, flash-CGM usage (FreeStyle Libre; Abbott Diabetes Care), and weekly one-on-one nutrition coaching. Participants wore the CGM device for 28 days (replaced after 14 days), and were guided in using the FoodLens app (DoingLab) for dietary tracking and a mobile app-linked digital scale for weight monitoring. Outcomes measured before and after the intervention included DSE, body mass index (BMI), nutrition quotient (NQ) and glycemic indicators. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U-tests with significance set at P < 0.05.
Results
There was a significant increase in DSE (P < 0.05), particularly in managing eating behavior under stress and fatigue. A modest but significant decrease in BMI was observed in the overall group (P < 0.05), though changes were not significant in the BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 subgroup. Glycemic indicators showed minimal changes. The overall NQ score improved slightly, with significant increases in fruit intake (P < 0.01) and nutrition label checks (P < 0.05). High satisfaction levels (4.52 ± 0.65 on a 5‑point scale) were reported for device usability and coaching services.
Conclusion
The multicomponent intervention improved DSE, NQ scores, and supported modest weight reduction among university students. The combined effect of CGM, nutrition education, and coaching appears promising; however, further studies are needed to isolate the effects of each component and evaluate long-term outcomes. Trial Registration: Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0010255.

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[English]
The dietary factors associated with sleep duration in postmenopausal middle-aged women: a cross-sectional study using 2019–2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data: Eugene Shim; Korean J Community Nutr 2025;30(3):197-213. Published online June 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00052

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Objectives
This study aimed to analyze dietary factors associated with sleep duration in postmenopausal middle-aged women using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), with particular emphasis on the postmenopausal period.
Methods
A total of 3,040 postmenopausal women aged 40–64 years from the 2019–2023 KNHANES were included. Sleep duration was classified into four categories: “appropriate sleep duration” (ASD; 7–9 hours), “short sleep duration” (6–7 hours), “very short sleep duration” (VSSD; < 6 hours), and “long sleep duration” (LSD; > 9 hours). Nutrient and food intake were compared among groups using analysis of covariance. Multinomial logistic and polynomial regression models assessed associations, adjusting for demographic and health covariates.
Results
The VSSD group had higher body mass index and waist circumference than the ASD group, despite lower total energy intake, and also consumed more snack energy and skipped breakfast and dinner more often. This group also had lower intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids and nuts and seeds. In the late menopausal group, greater consumption of cereal grains, fish and shellfish, and beverages was associated with elevated LSD risk. Conversely, higher folate intake in the early menopausal group was inversely associated with VSSD risk. Cholesterol intake was positively associated with LSD risk in both groups. A negative nonlinear association between sleep duration and dietary intake was observed in the early menopausal group when polyunsaturated fatty acid intake exceeded 19.86 g/day and riboflavin intake exceeded 1.76 mg/day. In the late menopausal group, riboflavin intake was strongly correlated with increased LSD risk (odds ratio = 4.776, P = 0.004). Sugar and beverage intake showed a positive linear relationship with sleep duration at average intake levels.
Conclusion
Dietary factors associated with sleep duration differed by postmenopausal period, with specific nutrients and food groups exhibiting variable associations with sleep duration above mean intake levels.meS

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[English]
Shifting social perceptions of dietitians in Korea after the legislation of nutrition teachers: a keyword network analysis of unstructured data: Yunkyoung Oh, Eunsil Her; Korean J Community Nutr 2025;30(3):214-223. Published online June 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00045

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Objectives
In Korea, dietitian licenses began to be issued in 1964, and they have been working to prevent diseases and promote people’s health in various fields according to the times. This study was conducted to compare differences in social perception of dietitian over time by collecting online unstructured data and analyzing the frequency and network structure of nutritionist-related keywords after the deployment of nutrition teachers began.
Methods
Using ‘dietitian’ as a keyword, we collected data from NAVER’s web, blogs, and news provided by Textom (2024, The IMC) and refined the data. We investigated the frequency ranking of keywords related to dietitians for each period, revealed the network structure using UCINET6 (Freeman) and Netdraw, and clustered similar concepts among keywords through CONCOR (CONvergence of iterated CORrelations) analysis to cluster-related concepts.
Results
Frequency analysis revealed that during the first period, keywords such as “School” and “Education” reflecting the institutionalization of nutrition teachers, were highly ranked. However, by the second period, these terms had dropped out of the top 10. Meanwhile, keywords related to healthcare, such as “Hospital”, consistently remained among the most prominent. In the second period, the rankings of the “License” and “University transfer” keywords increased significantly. Centrality analysis showed stronger connectivity between dietitians and keywords such as “Food”, “School”, “Examination”, and “Nutrition” in the second period compared to the first. CONCOR analysis further demonstrated that the “Major education” cluster of the first period was differentiated into the “Major education and qualification” and “professional competency certification process” clusters of the second period. In addition, the “Health and welfare” cluster of the first period was divided into the “Health and welfare regional service” clusters of the second period.
Conclusion
The results of this study will be used as basic data for identifying social perception and trends in the dietitian profession, further providing a scope for their improvement.

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[Korean]
Behavioral intention toward planetary health diet among adult users of government worksite cafeterias in Seoul, South Korea: a mixed-methods study based on the theory of planned behavior and focus groups interviews: Ji-Won Kang, Su-Jin Lee, Sil-Ah Kim, Ji-Yun Hwang; Korean J Community Nutr 2025;30(3):224-236. Published online June 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00108

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Objectives
To reduce urban carbon emissions, in this study, we aimed to suggest strategies for disseminating the planetary health diet (PHD) guidelines to adult cafeterias in a government worksite in Seoul based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and focus group interviews (FGI).
Methods
A total of 132 adults who worked at a government worksite in Seoul and used its cafeteria were included for a TPB-based survey. Factor analyses and multiple regression were used to investigate the relationships between attitude (cognitive•affective), subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC, internal•external) and the behavioral intention to adopt the PHD. To identify the contextual factors related to PHD dissemination, 14 participants underwent in-depth interviews.
Results
Affective attitudes and PBC (internal•external) constructs of the TPB were significantly related with the intention to adopt PHD: external PBC (β = 0.324, P < 0.001), internal PBC (β = 0.269, P < 0.01), and affective attitudes (β = 0.226, P < 0.05). The FGI results highlighted the insufficiency of simply providing healthy meals to encourage the adoption of PHDs, but that menu development and natural acceptance strategies are needed to increase palatability. In addition, the need for strategies to promote PHDs at an organizational level was identified, as it is directly influenced by the company of partners with whom one dines. Furthermore, users' perceptions of how “Meals for the Planet” are delivered and suggestions for its improvement were also interpreted.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that users' beliefs, convictions, and emotions are important while promoting or educating individuals about sustainable PHDs. Our findings are expected to help local governments or private group cafeterias that wish to introduce PHDs in the future, given the growing importance of environmentally conscious eating.

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[Korean]
Adult consumers’ perception of plant-based meat substitutes and related factors in Korea: a cross-sectional study: Yun-A Lee, Mi-Kyeong Choi; Korean J Community Nutr 2025;30(3):237-348. Published online June 30, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2025.00115

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Objectives
We aimed to examine differences in experience, consumption, and perception of plant-based meat substitutes according to consumer characteristics, and to identify associated factors.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, 410 adult consumers were surveyed regarding their eating habits, experience with and consumption of plant-based meat substitutes, and their intentions and perceptions of these products. Statistical analyses were conducted.
Results
Approximately 84% of participants had heard of plant-based meat substitutes, most commonly through mass media and social media. Overall, 65.12% reported having consumed plant-based substitutes, with higher consumption observed among older and more health-conscious individuals. The most common reason for consumption was curiosity about new foods (36.33%), whereas the primary reason for non-consumption was lack of opportunity (61.54%). Additionally, 77.32% of respondents indicated willingness to try plant-based substitutes, with taste identified as the most influential factor in purchasing decisions. Perception of plant-based meat substitutes was rated 3.82 out of 5, with significantly higher awareness among individuals aged 50–64, married individuals, housewives, graduate students or graduates, and those with irregular meal times or infrequent dining out.
Conclusion
Older, married, more educated, and health-conscious individuals who dine out less frequently tend to have higher perception scores for plant-based meat substitutes, along with greater experience and stronger future use intention.

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