임신부의 건강기능식품 소비실태 및 인식에 관한 기초연구: 충남 일부지역을 중심으로

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate pregnant women’s consumption and perception of functional foods in Korea. A survey was conducted among 112 pregnant women in Chungcheongnam-do Province and 110 responses were included for final analyses. Results revealed that vitamin D, folic acid, and iron were the most frequently consumed functional foods. Of these respondents, 73.6% had experience in counseling with experts including doctors, pharmacists, and dietitians about functional food intakes. With such counseling experience, pregnant women were more likely to purchase functional foods at hospitals, to take two different kinds of them at the same time, and to spend about 50,000 to 100,000 won each month to purchase them. Those with counseling experience were also more likely to perceive effects of functional foods on diseases, but less likely to worry about their side effects. They tended to take functional foods for fetal health, although they have concerns about the quality and the high price of functional foods. These results could be used for future studies and policy development to promote and support healthy consumption of functional foods among pregnant women.