A study for development of a food exchange guide for Koreans to reduce energy, cholesterol and sodium, and to increase calcium consumption using one portion sizes of dishes frequently consumed by Korean adults

Abstract

To help people achieve a balanced diet, various nutrition education tools have been developed and used. Among them, the food exchange system is most common and has been introduced to provide flexibility, balance and variety to a diet. It is based on the macronutrient value and serving size of each food. Foods are usually consumed by not a single item but by a dish cooked with various food items. And the cooking method and food combination can change energy and nutrient contents in a wide range. Also, the increase of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis has been important public health issue in Korea, so it is very important not only for energy consumption but also the consumption of other nutrients related to these chronic diseases. Considering these, the current food exchange system has certain limitations. In this study, we developed a food exchange guide using one portion size dishes frequently consumed by Korean adults. This is composed of four categories: 1) the food exchange list for reducing energy, 2) cholesterol, and 3) sodium, and 4) the food exchange list for increasing calcium. These results can be conveniently used by the general public, people who need diet therapy to manage chronic diseases or their dietary planners when making food selections for a nutritionally balanced diet.«This study was financially supported by the National Academy of Agricultural Science of Rural Development Administration»