Journal List > Korean J Community Nutr > v.18(6) > 1038440

Jiang and Lee: Comparison of Salty Taste Assessment and High-Salt Dietary Behaviors among University Students and Chinese Students in Daegu, South Korea and University Students in Shenyang, China

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the assessment of salty taste and high-salt dietary behaviors of Korean university students and their Chinese counterparts. The researchers developed a taste assessment computer program focusing on preference for salty taste, and it was applied to 300 university students, including 100 Korean students, and 100 Chinese students in Daegu of South Korea, and 100 Chinese students in Shenyang of China (144 males and 156 females). The results of the taste assessment of Chinese and Korean university students are as follows. Among males, Koreans (36.0%), Chinese students in Korea (36.2%), and Chinese (40.4%) scored highest in the "a bit salty" followed by "normal." Among females, Koreans (36.0%), Chinese students in Korea (49.1%), and Chinese (28.3%) scored highest in the "normal". In terms of salt concentration in solution, among the male subjects, most Koreans favored the salt concentration of 0.31%, which is considered to be a "normal" concentration; most Chinese students in Korea favored 0.63%, which is considered to be "a bit salty", and most Chinese favored the concentration of 1.25%, which is considered to be "salty". As for the female subjects, Koreans, Chinese students studying abroad, and Chinese favored 0.31%, the "normal" level of concentration. Korean students scored higher than Chinese students in Korea and Chinese students both in males and females (p < 0.001, p < 0.01), in terms of high-salt dietary behaviors favored salty taste. This study suggests that Chinese university students need nutrition education in terms of modifying eating behaviors to reduce dietary salt intake.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Comparison of salty taste assessment scores between Korean university students and Chinese university students.
Chinese 1: Chinese living in Korea, Chinese 2: Chinese living in China
kjcn-18-555-g001
Table 1
Anthropometric characteristics of Korean and Chinese groups
kjcn-18-555-i001

1) Chinese 1: Chinese living in Korea

2) Chinese 2: Chinese living in China

3) Mean ± SD

4) BMI: Body Mass Index, [weight(kg)/height(m2)

5) SBP: Systolic Blood Pressure

6) DBP: Diastolic Blood Pressure

***: p < 0.001

ab: Values with the different small letter are significantly different among 3 groups by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.001

NS: not significant

Table 2
Comparison of the intensity1) of saltiness between male and female groups
kjcn-18-555-i002

1) Unsalty; 1, slightly unsalty; 2, neither unsalty nor salty; 3, slightly salty; 4, salty; 5

2) Chinese 1: Chinese living in Korea

3) Chinese 2: Chinese living in China

4) Mean ± SD

***: p < 0.001

ABC: Values with the different capital letter are significantly different among concentrations by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.001.

ab: Values with the different small letter are significantly different among 3 groups by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.001.

Table 3
Comparison of taste preference1) between male and female groups
kjcn-18-555-i003

1) Dislike; 1, Slightly dislike; 2, Ordinary; 3, Sightly like; 4, Like; 5

2) Chinese 1: Chinese living in Korea

3) Chinese 2: Chinese living in China

4) Mean ± SD

**: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001

ABC: Values with the different capital letter are significantly different among concentrations by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.001.

abc: Values with the different small letter are significantly different among 3 groups by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.001.

Table 4
Comparison of high-salt eating behavior related to salty foods between Korean and Chinese groups
kjcn-18-555-i004

1) Chinese 1: Chinese living in Korea

2) Chinese 2: Chinese living in China

3) Mean ± SD

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001

abc: Values with the different letter are significantly different among 3 groups by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.001

Table 5
Comparison of the salty taste assessment, nutrition knowledge, high-salt dietary attitude and high-salt dietary behaviors between Korean and Chinese students groups
kjcn-18-555-i005

1) Chinese 1: Chinese living in Korea

2) Chinese 2: Chinese living in China

3) Mean ± SD

*: p < 0.05, ***: p < 0.001

abc: Values with the different letter are significantly different among 3 groups by Duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.001

NS: not significant

Table 6
Correlation between salty taste assessment, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, high-salt dietary attitude, and high-salt dietary behaviors
kjcn-18-555-i006

1) Chinese 1: Chinese living in Korea

2) Chinese 2: Chinese living in China

*: p < 0.05

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