Trends in nutritional inequality by educational level: a case of South Korea.
OBJECTIVE
There is much evidence of a cross-sectional relation between socioeconomic position and dietary intakes but the trend of this relation is little studied. This study aimed to examine the extent and trend of nutritional inequality by educational level based on the prevalence of inadequate nutrient intakes.


METHODS
Three cross-sectional nationwide surveys (1998, 2001, 2005) of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. A total of 20 777 participants > or = 20 y old were included. The socioeconomic position indicator was educational level. Dietary nutrient intakes were assessed by a 24-h recall and inadequacy of intake for nutrients was assessed on the basis of the percentage of attainment of the dietary reference intakes for Koreans. To assess nutritional inequality by educational level, the prevalence ratio, relative index of inequality, and slope index of inequality were used.


RESULTS
Poorer dietary intakes and higher estimated prevalence of nutrient inadequacy were more apparent in the lower education group than the higher education group for both genders and each survey year. Graded patterns of inequalities in nutrient intakes by educational level were generally clear at each survey year. The trend of the relative nutritional inequalities in Korean men and women remained unchanged from 1998 to 2005, with some exceptions.


CONCLUSIONS
The inequality in nutrient intakes by educational level was persistently apparent for both genders in the Korean adult population, although the relative inequalities did not increase over time.
Kim
Kirang
K
Department of Preventive Medicine, Hanyang University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Hong
Seo Ah
SA
Kim
Mi Kyung
MK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004522:Educational Status; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult