A comparative study of food habits and body shape perception of university students in Japan and Korea

South Korea has experienced rapid and varied socioeconomic change during the past three decades. Similar to the experience of Japan, the South Korean nutritional transition has also been very rapid. A large increase in the consumption of animal food products and a reduction in total cereal intake have been reported [1]. Also, incidence of metabolic syndrome is now more than 15% in South Korea despite a low prevalence of obesity [2]. Previously, we studied the health related attitudes and body shape perceptions of female Japanese and Chinese university students and compared them with those of other Asian populations [3, 4]. Our results showed that despite a very low prevalence of overweight students, the majority of female subjects in both countries have a desire to be thinner.

Nutritional knowledge, food habits, and body-shape preferences vary across cultures. While information about these health-related factors are important for health educators when implementing health-related education programs, little is known about these factors in Korean University students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify and to compare nutritional knowledge, food habits, and body-shape preferences among female university students in Japan and Korea.

In 2004, a cross-sectional study was carried out on 150 female Japanese students in Kitakyushu and 130 female Korean students in Seoul. A self-reported questionnaire was administered to 280 students from 19 to 25 years of age. The questionnaire was comprised of three major sections regarding eating, drinking and smoking habits (19 questions), with an additional 4 questions related to body weight. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI (kg/m²). In the present study, we used the BMI classification of the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity (2000) [5] since use of the BMI classification according to the World Health Organization is based on Caucasian populations and is therefore the subject of debate [6, 7]. For reference, a comparison of BMI classification according to the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity and the WHO are shown in Table 1. The questionnaire was designed by the authors and is based on a national dietary survey conducted by the Health and Labor Ministry of Japan. Some of the authors also traveled to Korea to investigate the dietary life of Korean people in order to facilitate questionnaire design. The questionnaire was first written in Japanese and then translated to Korean by a native Korean who teaches the Japanese language in Korea. The translated Korean version was then back-translated to insure accuracy. Informed consent was obtained from all participants of this study, according to the Declaration of Helsinki. The statistical software package SPSS 10.0 was used for all data analysis [8]. Parametric variables were analyzed using the Student's t-test while chi-squared analyses were conducted for non-parametric variables. All analyses were two-tailed, and 'p' values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

This study aimed to determine and compare the dietary behavior and body shape perception of university students in Japan and Korea. Accordingly, we recorded the distribution of BMI among Japanese and Korean students and found a significantly low prevalence of obesity, a finding that is consistent with a study of Chinese and Japanese students (BMI ≥ 25 overweight 5.8%; BMI > 30 obese 0%) [4]. Previous reports [9, 10] have also indicated a low prevalence of obesity in South Korean adults. As South Korea's economic growth accelerated during the past 3 decades, life style changes have included a unique nutrition transition [9]. Although fast food has become very popular among young Koreans, the traditional dietary patterns and intake of staple foods have been maintained at a higher rate than other Asian countries. A report from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1998) indicated that the rate of overweight (BMI ≦ 25.0 to < 30.0) and obese (BMI ≦ 30) individuals were low among Korean adults; 23.4% and 1.7% in men and 24.9% and 3.2% in women, respectively. However, high rates of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were noted in middle-aged and elderly Koreans, even among individuals with relatively low BMI [10]. According to The National Nutrition Survey in Japan (J-NNS), Japan also experienced dietary change from 1950 to 1970 as a result of rapid economic growth. During the past 50 years, the diet of Japanese people has changed remarkably, with the proportion of fat intake in total energy rising to more than 25% [11]. Our results show a low prevalence of overweight and obese conditions among young female subjects in Japan and Korea; however, health issues related to these conditions certainly exist in the middle-aged and elderly generations. Thus, the importance of health promotion at the disease prevention stage can not be overstated, and similar health education programs should be implemented for university students.

The present research shows that meal patterns for the two countries were significantly different. Japanese students reported eating meals regularly and eating breakfast daily. In contrast, Korean students were significantly less likely to eat breakfast daily and ate meals less frequently. South Korea has shown a unique nutrition transition. A range of government and nutrition specialists have made efforts to retain the traditional diet in Korea. This has resulted in a high consumption of vegetables and low level of fat intake [1]. However, few reports have been published to date regarding the food habits and nutrition knowledge of young adults. Publicity and education programs at schools should also emphasize that a healthy eating pattern parallels the beneficial effects of traditional foods.

Our results revealed that Japanese and Korean students desire body weights that are lower than their actual body weight, with Japanese students desiring thinner figures than Korean students. Similarly, previous research on young Japanese women reported that an ideal weight for their current height was an average of 5.2 kg less than current weight [12]. Body shape perception and ideal body shape are strongly influenced by socioeconomic factors. In western society, many young females are extremely concerned with their body weight and shape. Mass media and pictures in fashion magazines have a strong impact on girls' perceptions of their weight and shape [13]. In addition, weight concern is a predictor of the development of eating disorders of at least subsyndromal severity in young females [14]. Therefore, it is vital that educators guide their students to understand that an ideal weight should take into account optimal physiological function. Instilling young women with this knowledge is of particular importance because excessive weight reduction adversely affects their health and reproductive systems.

The findings of the present study show that BMI distributions of female students in both Japan and Korea have the highest values in the normal BMI category, together with very low obesity rates. In terms of eating patterns, significant differences were observed between the two countries, with more Japanese students reporting eating meals regularly and eating breakfast daily than Korean students. A difference was also observed in meal frequency, where Korean students reported eating meals two times per day and the majority of Japanese students reported eating meals three times per day. Although most subjects belonged to the normal BMI category, their ideal BMI values were classified into the underweight category. Little research has been carried out comparing the dietary habits and body figure perceptions of Japan and Korean students. The present results and previous data from female Chinese university students show a desire for a thinner figure similar to that observed in western society. These findings suggest the need for improved nutrition education for female students, especially education regarding body weight management.