The Effects of Dietary Habit of Korean Style on Obesity and Nutrient Intake

Abstract

This study attempts to investigate the effects of rice-based traditional dietary habit on health in terms of obesity and balanced nutrient intake. We define the people that have Korean dietary as a consumer group that consumes two rice-based meals a day. Propensity score matching method is used to analyze whether this group shows different levels of obesity and nutrient intake compared to non-Korean dietary group. Analytical results based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show that the Korean dietary group maintains a normal weight and the consumption of nutrients which is closer to what has been recommended compared to the non-Korean dietary group. This can be interpreted as that the rice-based Korean dietary plays a positive role in maintaining or improving health of people. The results of this study suggest that if the government encourages Korean food a policy, it will have a very positive effect not only on the consumption of domestic agricultural products but also on consumers' health.