Kim Ji Yoon, Lee Soo-Kyung, Kim Sin Gon
Department of Food and Nutrition, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea.
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Inchon-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
Nutr Res Pract. 2020 Apr;14(2):134-142. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2020.14.2.134. Epub 2020 Mar 3.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: North Korean refugees (NKRs) in South Korea are a unique population as they must adapt in a new country with similar cultural traits but different social, political, and economic systems, but little research has been conducted on diet and nutrition in this population. This study examined food security, dietary behaviors, and nutrient intakes among adult NKRs living in South Korea and compared them to those of South Koreans.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: The subjects were 139 adult NKRs (25 men, 114 women) living in the Seoul metropolitan area, and 417 age- and sex-matched South Korean controls (SKCs; 75 men, 342 women) selected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Food security and dietary behaviors (meal skipping, eating-out, meals with family, nutrition education and counseling, and nutrition label knowledge and utilization) were obtained using self-administered questionnaires. Nutrient intakes were assessed by 24-hr recall. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS ver. 23.0.
In South Korea, food security had improved over the previous 12 months, but remained significantly poorer for NKR women than SKC women. Meal skipping was three times more frequent than for SKCs and eating-out was rare. Average energy intake was 1,509 kcal for NKR men and 1,344 kcal for NKR women, which was lower than those of SKCs (2,412 kcal and 1,789 kcal, respectively). Significantly more NKRs (men 24.0%, women 21.9%) showed simultaneously deficient intake in energy, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and riboflavin than SKCs (men 2.7% ( = 0.003), women 7.0% ( < 0.001)). NKR women had a significantly higher index of nutrient quality (INQ) for some nutrients than SK women.
This study reports significant differences in food security, dietary behaviors, and nutrient intakes between NKRs and SKCs. Generally, NKRs reported lower intakes despite improved food security, but relatively good INQs across nutrients. Further research is needed to understand processes of food choice and consumption among NKRs to provide appropriate support aimed at improving diets.
背景/目的：在韩国的朝鲜难民是一个独特的群体，因为他们必须在一个文化特征相似但社会、政治和经济制度不同的新国家中适应，但针对这一群体的饮食和营养研究很少。本研究调查了居住在韩国的成年朝鲜难民的食品安全、饮食行为和营养素摄入量，并将其与韩国人进行比较。
对象/方法：研究对象为居住在首尔大都市区的139名成年朝鲜难民（25名男性，114名女性），以及从韩国国家健康与营养检查调查（KNHANES）中选取的417名年龄和性别匹配的韩国对照者（SKC；75名男性，342名女性）。通过自填问卷获取食品安全和饮食行为（不吃正餐、外出就餐、与家人一起用餐、营养教育与咨询以及营养标签知识与使用）信息。通过24小时回顾法评估营养素摄入量。使用IBM SPSS 23.0版进行统计分析。
在韩国，过去12个月食品安全状况有所改善，但朝鲜难民女性的食品安全状况仍显著差于韩国对照女性。不吃正餐的频率是韩国对照者的三倍，外出就餐很少。朝鲜难民男性的平均能量摄入量为1509千卡，女性为1344千卡，低于韩国对照者（分别为2412千卡和1789千卡）。与韩国对照者（男性2.7%（P = 0.003），女性7.0%（P < 0.001））相比，同时能量、钙、铁、维生素A和核黄素摄入量不足的朝鲜难民显著更多（男性24.0%，女性21.9%）。朝鲜难民女性某些营养素的营养质量指数（INQ）显著高于韩国女性。
本研究报告了朝鲜难民与韩国对照者在食品安全、饮食行为和营养素摄入量方面的显著差异。总体而言，尽管食品安全有所改善，但朝鲜难民的摄入量较低，但各营养素的营养质量指数相对较好。需要进一步研究以了解朝鲜难民的食物选择和消费过程，以便提供旨在改善饮食的适当支持。
