Table 4.
The life style practices of students in Japan and Korea. Table 4 shows the results of questions related to dietary practices with special reference to eating habits. Meal patterns, consumption of fruits and vegetables, consumption of fried foods, consumption of alcohol were assessed for Japan and Korean students. Behavioral differences between two countries were compared using chi-square analyses. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05.
| Questions | Levels | Total (%) | Japan (%) | Korea (%) | p values |
| Do you take your meals regularly | always regular | 120 (45.3) | 74 (59.7) | 46 (32.6) | ** |
| irregular | 145 (54.7) | 50 (40.3) | 95 (67.4) | ||
| Do you always take breakfast | daily | 149 (56.2) | 98 (79.0) | 51 (36.2) | ** |
| three or four times per week | 22 (8.3) | 3 (2.4) | 19 (13.5) | ||
| once or twice per week | 37 (14.0) | 12 (9.7) | 25 (17.7) | ||
| rarely | 57 (21.5) | 11 (8.9) | 46 (32.6) | ||
| How many times do you eat meals except snacks | one time | 19 (7.3) | 5 (4.1) | 14 (9.9) | ** |
| two times | 100 (38.2) | 17 (14.0) | 83 (58.9) | ||
| three times | 141 (53.8) | 98 (81.0) | 43 (30.5) | ||
| four times | 2 (0.8) | 1 (0.8) | 1 (0.7) | ||
| How often do you take snacks apart from regular meals | daily | 92 (34.7) | 41 (33.1) | 51 (36.2) | n.s |
| three or four times per week | 70 (26.4) | 28 (22.6) | 42 (29.8) | ||
| once or twice per week | 64 (24.2) | 34 (27.4) | 30 (21.3) | ||
| rarely | 39 (14.7) | 21 (16.9) | 18 (12.8) | ||
| How often do you eat green, red or yellow colored vegetables | daily | 126 (48.1) | 70 (56.5) | 56 (40.3) | * |
| three or four times per week | 46 (17.6) | 18 (14.5) | 28 (20.1) | ||
| once or twice per week | 76 (29.0) | 30 (24.2) | 46 (33.1) | ||
| rarely | 14 (5.3) | 5 (4.0) | 9 (6.5) | ||
| How often do you eat fruits | daily | 62 (23.6) | 18 (14.5) | 44 (31.7) | ** |
| three or four times per week | 85 (32.3) | 44 (35.5) | 41 (29.5) | ||
| once or twice per week | 62 (23.6) | 21 (16.9) | 41 (29.5) | ||
| rarely | 54 (20.5) | 41 (33.1) | 13 (9.4) | ||
| How often do you eat fried food | daily | 12 (4.6) | 9 (7.3) | 3 (2.2) | n.s |
| three or four times per week | 137 (52.1) | 67 (54.0) | 70 (50.4) | ||
| once or twice per week | 47 (17.9) | 29 (23.4) | 18 (12.9) | ||
| rarely | 67 (25.5) | 19 (15.3) | 48 (34.5) | ||
| How often do you take alcohol | daily | 2 (0.8) | 1 (0.8) | 1 (0.7) | ** |
| two or three times per week | 63 (24.2) | 18 (14.5) | 45 (33.1) | ||
| rarely | 195 (75.0) | 105 (84.7) | 90 (66.2) | ||
| How often do you eat with friends and family | daily | 183 (69.8) | 91 (74.0) | 92 (66.2) | n.s |
| three or four times per week | 29 (11.1) | 14 (11.4) | 15 (10.8) | ||
| once or twice per week | 31 (11.8) | 5 (4.1) | 26 (18.7) | ||
| always alone | 19 (7.3) | 13 (10.6) | 6 (4.3) | ||
| Please state your smoking history | current smoker | 37 (14.2) | 24 19.8 | 13 9.4 | ** |
| never smoke | 223 (85.8) | 97 80.2 | 126 90.6 | ||
| What type of food do you think you should eat to have a balanced nutrition | mainly meat | 2 (0.8) | 1 (1.4) | 1 (0.7) | n.s |
| mainly vegetable | 46 (18.0) | 21 (9.1) | 25 (18.0) | ||
| meat, vegetable and other variety of food | 181 (70.7) | 78 (87.8) | 103 (74.1) | ||
| others | 27 (10.5) | 17 (1.7) | 10 (7.2) | ||