Abstract

A survey was conducted to investigate the intake pattern of health supplements and health foods by using questionnaire. The data were collected from 395 adults over middle age and analyzed with SAS program. The natural foods were most frequently taken among health supplements and health foods for health. There was no difference in pattern of health supplements or health foods intake between male and female. The item taken over 20% of subjects was health drinks, green tea, ginseng product, dietary fiber drink, honey, general tea, tonic medicine from natural foods, vitamin B, vitamin C from nutrition supplements, and Lactobacillus product from health supplements. As the main reason for taking health supplements or health foods, the male indicated recovery of fatigue and improvement of health, but the female indicated recovery of fatigue and protection or treatment on disease(p<0.001). The frequency of taking health supplements or health foods was once a day. About the effect of health foods 70.1%, of subjects answered not bad and 25% responded very helpful for their health. Twenty percent of subjects experienced side effects such as diarrhea. The results showed that the proper education program should be developed for consumer to choose suitable health supplements or health foods according to their dietary life and health condition.

Keywords

• adults health;
• natural foods;
• nutrition supplements;
• health supplements

• 성인 건강;
• 자연식품;
• 영양보충제;
• 건강보조식품;