조은별, 박현아, 강재헌, 김경우, 조영규, 최동현

인제대학교 의과대학 서울백병원 가정의학과

Background: This study aims to evaluate the importance of
snacks to a balanced diet by assessing snack consumption
patterns and factors associated with eating snacks of
Korean elders of 60 years or more.
Methods: This analysis is based on participants from the
2013-2014 Korea National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey. Meal or snack consumption was based
on a 24 hours recall data, and the adequacy of
each nutrient intake was based on the Dietary Reference
Intakes by the Korea Nutrition Society. The cutoff for
snack consumption valued as meaningful was more than
200 kcal/day of snack energy intake.
Results: Korean male elders of age 60 years or more are
consuming 333.6±11.1 kcal of snack and 271.7±7.4
kcal for females. When consumed together with meals,
snack consumption increased the adequacy of all nutrients
intake, except sodium. Based on energy contribution, male
Korean elders are consuming snack food
group in order of beverage and alcohols, grains, and fruits,
while for females the order was grains, fruits, and
dairy. Older age (men and women), joblessness (men), and
chronic disease (women) were positively associated
with having snack of 200 kcal or more per day, whereas
‘living with a partner (men)’, alcohol intake frequency
of more than twice per week (men), and ‘doing regular
aerobic physical activity (women)’ showed negative
association.
Conclusions: Snack consumption of Korean elders
contributed to more adequate nutritional status, but
improvement
of food groups is needed because they were mainly
concentrated on grains.
Korean J Health Promot 2017;17(2):80-90
Keywords: Snack eating, Snack, Elders, Nutritional status