국민 식생활 변화가 비만에 미치는 영향 : 외식 소비 확대를 중심으로

An Impact of Changes in Korean Adults’ Dietary Life on Obesity: Focusing on Expansion in Eating Away from Home

The Increase in eating away from home has been reported to be associated with obesity rates in many countries. Using individual dietary data from Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we examine the impact of eating away from home on Korean adults’ obesity. The impact on obesity was evaluated by individual Body Mass Index (BMI) available from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. To measure its effect, we use a matching method to control heterogeneity of socio-economic backgrounds, observable dietary patterns and health conditions between eating out groups and not eating out groups, or more frequently eating out group and less frequently eating out group. In addition, we conduct a quantile regression analysis to go beyond its mean effect, looking at distributional effect of eating out. The difference of BMI between eating out group and non-eating out group was found to be positive and significant, although the magnitudes are relatively small ranging between 0.156 and 0.362. The quantile regression results show that impacts of eating away from home are different across the frequency of eating out and the quantiles of BMI distribution. When they are not much frequently eating out (for example, 1~3 times per month), the impact of eating out are larger for persons at lower quantile BMI rather than those who being at higher quantile BMI. On the other hand, the impact of eating out more frequently, which amounts to be 1~6 times per week are larger for persons at higher quantile BMI rather than lower quantile BMI. The most popular among policy options to reduce obesity rate is to provide nutritional information on food items people choose to eat. However, for making menu labeling launched in food away from home sectors contribute to improve Korean adults dietary life, other nutrition educational programs, public health campaigns on healthy eating, changing food serving-related environments in the food service establishment should be combined with the nutritional labeling schemes.