Journal List > Korean J Community Nutr > v.22(5) > 1038595

Shin, Kim, and Kim: Nutritional Evaluation of Convenience Meals in Convenience Stores near the Universities

Abstract

Objectives

Rapid economic growth and industrial development in South Korea have led to a great change in dietary patterns, and the use of convenience foods has continuously increased. This study was performed to evaluate the energy and nutrient contents of convenience foods at convenience stores near the universities as a meal.

Methods

Data was collected by visiting 22 convenience stores near some universities in Chungbuk and Seoul and by checking nutrition labels on convenience foods at the stores. Data of a total of 338 food items were collected, and divided into five groups according to the food categories; rice products (n=156), noodles (n=101), burger/sandwiches (n=62), Tteokbokkis (n=11), and dumplings (n=8). Further, rice products, noodles, and burger/sandwiches were divided into subcategories.

Results

The proportion of calories from carbohydrates was high in the rice products and tteokbokki, while the rate of calories from fat was high in burger/sandwiches and dumplings. Among the rice products, the proportion of carbohydrate calories was high in a one-dish food, rice with soup, and triangular kimbap, while the proportion of calories from fat in lunch boxes was high. In the noodles category, ramyeon and spaghetti had a high percentage of fat calories, while udong had a high percentage of carbohydrate calories. The ratio of the calorie content in relation to the KDRIs for adults aged 19-29 years, lunch boxes provided about 1/3 of daily required energy. However, the amount of calories as one meal was not enough for other types of rice products except for lunch boxes. Ramyeon was high in calories, fat, and sodium, but low in protein content. The burger/sandwiches had a high percentage of fat and sodium.

Conclusions

Our results showed several nutritional limitations of convenience meals in convenience stores according to the type of food. Therefore, college students should limit excessive intake of convenience meals on a regular basis in order to avoid unhealthy food intake patterns. Our results demonstrate the need for educating college students with regard to checking nutrition labels when choosing convenience meals in order to facilitate the selection of food items that contribute to a balanced diet.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Nutritional evaluation of convenience meals per serving according to the food categories

kjcn-22-375-i001

1) 2,600 kcal

2) 2,100 kcal

3) 65 g

4) 55 g

5) 300 mg

6) 2,000 mg

7) Mean±SD

abc: Values with different superscripts within each row are significantly different at p=0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test.

**: p<0.01, ***: p<0.001 by ANOVA

Table 2

Nutritional evaluation of rice products according to the sub-categories

kjcn-22-375-i002

1) 2,600 kcal

2) 2,100 kcal

3) 65 g

4) 55 g

5) 300 mg

6) 2,000 mg

7) Mean±SD

abc: Values with different superscripts within each row are significantly different at p=0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test.

**: p<0.01, ***: p<0.001 by ANOVA

Table 3

Nutritional evaluation of noodles according to the sub-categories

kjcn-22-375-i003

1) 2,600 kcal

2) 2,100 kcal

3) 65 g

4) 55 g

5) 300 mg

6) 2,000 mg

7) Mean±SD

abc: Values with different superscripts within each row are significantly different at p=0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test.

**: p<0.01, ***: p<0.001 by ANOVA

Table 4

Nutritional evaluation of burgers/sandwiches according to the sub-categories

kjcn-22-375-i004

1) 2,600 kcal

2) 2,100 kcal

3) 65 g

4) 55 g

5) 300 mg

6) 2,000 mg

7) Mean±SD

abc: Values with different superscripts within each row are significantly different at p=0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test.

**: p<0.01, ***: p<0.001 by ANOVA

References

1. Korea Consumer Agency. Lunch box form convenience store, suitable for safety standards. Eumseong-gun: Korea Consumer Agency;2016. p. 1–10.
2. Kang SJ. Off-line infrastructure and use cases of convenience stores. KB Financial Group;2015. 12. Report No. 15-94.
3. Maekyungeconomist. What is the secret of popularity of lunch box at convenience store sales first place. Maekyungeconomist;2016. 02. 29. p. 1323.
4. Statistics Korea. Retail sales and online shopping trends of Dec 2015 and annual [Internet]. 2016. cited 2016 Aug 28. Available from: http://kostat.go.kr/.
5. Terasaka A. Development of new store types: the role of convenience stores in Japan. GeoJournal. 1998; 45(4):317–325.
6. Pae M. Dietary habits and perception toward food additives according to the frequency of consumption of convenience food at convenience stores among university students in Cheongju. Korean J Community Nutr. 2016; 21(2):140–151.
7. Lee KA, Cho EJ, Yoon HS. The study of convenience foods of university students by residing types in Changwon and Masan area. J Korean Diet Assoc. 2010; 16(3):279–290.
8. Kim SJ, Bu SY, Choi MK. Preference and the frequency of processed food intake according to the type of residence of college students in Korea. Korean J Community Nutr. 2015; 20(3):188–196.
9. Kim MH, Kim H, Lee WK, Kim SJ, Yeon JY. Food habits and dietary behavior related to using processed food among male college students residing in dormitory and self-boarding in Gangwon. Korean J Community Nutr. 2013; 18(4):372–385.
10. Kim KH. A study of the dietary habits, the nutritional knowledge and the consumption patterns of convenience foods of university students in the Gwangju area. Korean J Community Nutr. 2003; 8(2):181–191.
11. Consumer Korea. High sodium in lunchbox at convenience store, need attention [Internet]. 2016. cited 2017 Aug 28. Available from: http://consumerskorea.org/%EC%86%8C%EB%B9%84%EC%9E%90%EC%A0%95%EB%B3%B4/%EB%B3%B4%EB%8F%84%EC%9E%90%EB%A3%8C/?amp%3Buid=256&uid=224&mod=document.
12. Sanders-Jackson A, Parikh NM, Schleicher NC, Fortmann SP, Henriksen L. Convenience store visits by US adolescents: Rationale for healthier retail environments. Health Place. 2015; 34:63–66.
13. He M, Tucker P, Gilliland J, Irwin JD, Larsen K, Hess P. The influence of local food environments on adolescents' food purchasing behaviors. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012; 9(4):1458–1471.
14. Laska MN, Hearst MO, Forsyth A, Pasch KE, Lytle L. Neighbourhood food environments: are they associated with adolescent dietary intake, food purchases and weight status? Public Health Nutr. 2010; 13(11):1757–1763.
15. Powell LM, Auld MC, Chaloupka FJ, O'Malley PM, Johnston LD. Associations between access to food stores and adolescent body mass index. Am J Prev Med. 2007; 33(4):S301–S307.
16. Ministry of Health and Welfare. Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans 2015. Sejong: Ministry of Health and Welfare;2015.
17. Han MH, Choi KB, Lyu ES. Study on consumption patterns and degree of checking food-nutrition labeling of convenience foods at convenience stores by young adult workers in Busan. J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr. 2014; 43(2):309–317.
18. World Health Organization. Guideline: Sugar intake for adults and children [Internet]. 2015. cited 2015 Oct 1. Available from: http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/guidelines/sugars_intake/en/.
19. Lee HS, Kwon SO, Yon M, Kim D, Lee JY, Nam J, et al. Dietary total sugar intake of Koreans: Based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2008-2011. J Nutr Health. 2014; 47(4):268–276.
20. Woo KJ, Chyun JH, Choe EO. Food preferences of the elderly living in Incheon area. Korean J Diet Cult. 2002; 17(1):78–89.
21. Yon M, Lee Y, Kim D, Lee J, Koh E, Nam E. Major sources of sodium intake of the Korean population at prepared dish level: based on the KNHANES 2008 & 2009. Korean J Community Nutr. 2011; 16(4):473–487.
22. Jang E, Lee J, Lee S, Kim MH. Short-term effect of convenience meal intake on glycemic response and satiety among healthy college students in South Korea. Clin Nutr Res. 2017; 6(3):215–220.
23. Kim MH, Lee YW, Jung H. Use and awareness of nutrition labeling of snacks based on one serving size among university students in Chungbuk. Korean J Food Nutr. 2015; 28(5):858–865.
24. Kim MH, Kim H, Lee WK, Kim SJ, Yeon JY. Food habits and dietary behavior related to using processed food among male college students residing in dormitory and self-boarding in Gangwon. Korean J Community Nutr. 2013; 18(4):372–385.
25. Won HR. A college students' dietary behavior for processed foods and the level of perception on food labeling system according to residence type in Won Ju province. Korean J Community Living Sci. 2010; 21(4):581–593.
TOOLS
ORCID iDs

Mi-Hyun Kim
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0805-0630

Similar articles