The purpose of this study was to examine the dietary life and depression of middle-aged married women in an attempt to provide some information on how to lead a sound dietary life and promote mental health. The subjects in this study were the married women in Seoul who were in their 30s, 40s and 50s. After a survey was conducted in July and August, 2011, the answer sheets form 367 respondents were analyzed. The questionnaire used in this study covered general characteristics, dietary habits, dietary intake, stress and depression, and the statistical package SPSS was employed to make a statistical analysis. The major findings of the study were as follows:
As for age, the women who were in their 30s made up the largest age group(27.1%, 100 women), followed by those in their 40s(37.9%, 139) and those in their 50s(34.9%, 128). Concerning obesity by age, the obese women who were in their 30s accounted for 8.0 percent of the overall obese women, and those in their 40s accounted for 10.1 percent. The women who were in their 50s represented 42.2 percent. The rate of obesity increased with age. By academic credential, those who received college or higher education accounted for 42.2 percent, and 69.8 percent were working. 27.8 percent of the women had a lot of interest in health, and 58.9 percent worked out at present. The most common exercise they got was walking(32.7%). The rate of having three meals all the time without skipping meals was highest among the women in their 30s (19.0%), followed by those in their 40s(41.7%) and those in their 50s (50.0%). The older women had meals more regularly(p<0.001). 56 percent of the women had one or more cup(s) of coffee everyday, and 33.1 percent drank once or more per week. 11 percent smoked once or more per week. Concerning the intake of nutrients, fat intake was smaller among the older women(p<0.01). The average calcium intake of the women in their 30s and 40s respectively accounted for 71 percent and 79 percent of the dietary reference intake, and that of those in their 50s represented 73 percent of it. All the women's average calcium intake fall short of the dietary reference intake. The average iron intake of those in their 30s and 40s respectively accounted for 82 percent and 89 percent of the dietary reference intake, which implied that their iron intake was not sufficient. That of the women in their 50s accounted for 156 percent. The average iron intake was sufficient among the older women(p<0.001). The average intake of vitamin C was 74㎎, which accounted for 74 percent of the dietary reference intake and showed that the women's vitamin C intake fall short of the dietary reference intake. The vitamin C intake of the women in their 30s was significantly lower than that of the women in their 40s and 50s(p<0.05). The average intake of folic aid was 237㎍, which accounted for 59 percent of the dietary reference intake. The women's folic acid intake was especially insufficient, and that of the women in their 30s was significantly lower than that of the women in their 40s and 50s(p<0.001). They intended to take in less than 300㎎ of cholesterol to prevent cardiopulmonary diseases, and the average cholesterol intake was 292㎎. The average cholesterol intake of the women in their 30s was higher than that of the women in their 40s and 50s(p<0.01). 90.1 percent of the women were under stress, and the level of stress they usually felt was significantly higher with age(p<0.05). As a result of measuring their stress by utilizing a stress inventory, they got a mean of 1.8/5.0 in stress, which indicated that they weren't under heavy stress in general. The women in their 30s felt significantly less stress about children than the other age groups(p<0.05), and there was a significant decrease in stress about workplace with age(p<0.05). The biggest stressor was family economy(27.8%), followed by family relations (26.2%) and health(16.1%). Their food intake was on the rise when they were stressed out. They had the biggest liking for spicy taste when they felt stress, and the most common way to relieve stress was sleeping. When their depression was compared, 32.2 percent were classified into a depression group, and the depression group found themselves to be under heavier stress than the normal group. Actually, the former scored higher in stress(p<0.01).
The above-mentioned findings illustrated that the rate of obesity was higher in the older group, and that the older women had meals on a regular basis. As to the state of nutrient intake, the intakes of protein, phosphorus and vitamin A were large, but the intakes of calcium, iron, riboflavin, vitamin C and folic fall short of the dietary reference intakes. They took in sodium too much to the extent that the intake of it was 2.5-fold larger than enough. Vitamin C was one of vitamin that Korean people are likely to take in excessively, but the intake of vitamin C was insufficient among the middle-aged women who were investigated in this study. It seemed that they should take in more vitamin C to improve bone density and prevent cardiopulmonary diseases. Since lack of calcium might be one of the causes to provoke osteoporosis, the women in their 40s and 50s who were soon going to be at menopause should take in more calcium. In particular, folic acid intake should be increased in the periods of pregnancy and lactation where cell division is especially prevailing, but the folic acid intake of the women in their 30s was lowest than that of the other age groups. Lack of folic acid is likely to detract from the nutritional status of women who are in the child- bearing period, and women who are in this period should be advised to eat a lot of folic acid-containing food. In this study, the mental health of the women was under the influence of the level of stress they usually felt, and those who felt more stress scored higher in stress and depression. So middle-aged women should be stimulated to participate in all sorts of workout, yoga and meditation programs to promote their mental health, and they should be given more chances to do that as well. The intake of food was on the increase when they were under stress, and they had the biggest preference for spicy taste when they suffered stress. An increase in food intake that is attributed to stress is likely to lead to obesity, and it is likely to have an adverse impact on health when one looks for spicy food in case of being stressed out. Therefore how to manage one's dietary life in a sound manner to get rid of stress should carefully be considered, and it's actually required to make an effort to lead a sound dietary life.

본 연구에서는 중년기혼여성을 대상으로 일반적인 식생활과 스트레스와 우울에 대한 실태를 파악하여 올바른 식생활 형성과 효율적인 정신건강 관리를 위한 기초자료를 제공하고자 하였다. 본 연구는 서울지역 30~50대 기혼여성을 대상으로 2011년 7월부터 2011년 8월까지 설문조사를 실시하였고 367명의 자료를 분석하였다. 설문지는 연구 대상자들의 일반사항, 생활습관, 식이섭취조사, 스트레스와 우울 척도에 관한 내용으로 구성하였으며, 조사 자료는 SPSS 프로그램을 이용하여 통계 분석하였다. 본 연구에서 얻어진 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다.
대상자의 연령은 30대가 전체의 27.2%(100명), 40대 37.9%(139명), 50대 34.9%(128명)이었다. 연령대별 비만율은 30대가 전체의 8.0%, 40대가 10.1%, 50대가 15.6%이고, 연령대가 높은 군일수록 비만율이 높았다. 학력은 대졸 이상이 42.2%이었고, 69.8%가 취업 중이었다. 전체의 27.8%가 건강에 많은 관심을 보였으며 현재 운동을 하고 있는 대상자는 58.9%였고, 가장 많이 하는 운동은 걷기(32.7%)였다. 항상 끼니를 거르지 않는 비율이 30대의 경우 19.0%, 40대 41.7%, 50대 50.0% 순으로 연령대가 높은 군일수록 규칙적인 식사를 하는 것으로 나타났다(p<0.001). 전체의 56%가 매일 하루 1잔 이상 커피를 마시고 있었으며, 주 1회 이상 음주율은 전체의 33.1%, 흡연율은 11%였다. 대상자의 영양소 섭취 실태에서 지방 섭취량은 연령대가 높은 군일수록 적게 나타났고(p<0.01), 칼슘의 평균 섭취량은 30대와 40대는 영양섭취기준의 71%, 79%, 50대는 73%로 영양섭취기준 이하로 섭취하고 있었다. 철의 평균 섭취량은 30대와 40대는 영양섭취기준의 82%, 89%로 부족한 섭취율을 보였고 50대는 156%로 연령대가 높은 군일수록 충분한 섭취율을 나타냈으며(p<0.001), 비타민 C의 평균 섭취량은 74mg으로 영양섭취기준의 74%로 영양섭취기준 이하로 섭취하고 있었고, 40대와 50대에 비해 30대의 섭취량이 유의적으로 낮게 나타났다(p<0.05). 엽산의 평균 섭취량은 237㎍ 으로 영양섭취기준의 59%에 미치는 불량한 섭취 상태였으며, 40대와 50대에 비해 30대의 섭취량이 유의적으로 낮게 나타났다(p<0.001). 콜레스테롤은 심혈관질환 예방을 위하여 1일 목표섭취량이 300㎎ 미만이고 평균 섭취량은 292mg 으로 40대와 50대에 비해 30대의 섭취량이 높은 것으로 나타났다(p<0.01). 대상자의 90.1%가 스트레스를 받고 있었으며, 평소에 스스로 느끼는 스트레스 정도는 연령대가 높을수록 유의적으로 높게 나타났다(p<0.05). 스트레스 측정도구를 이용하여 측정한 결과 스트레스 평균 점수는 1.8/5.0점으로 전반적인 스트레스 수준은 높지 않았다. 그 중 자녀에 대한 스트레스는 다른 연령대에 비해 30대가 유의적으로 낮게 나타났고(p<0.05), 직장에 대한 스트레스는 연령이 증가함에 따라 유의적으로 감소하는 것으로 나타났다(p<0.05). 스트레스를 가장 많이 받는 원인으로는 경제력(27.8%), 가족관계(26.2%), 건강(16.1%)의 순으로 나타났고, 스트레스를 받았을 때 식품섭취량은 더 증가하였다. 스트레스를 받았을 때 선호하는 맛은 매운 맛에 대한 선호도가 가장 높았으며, 스트레스를 극복하는 방법으로는 수면이 가장 많았다. 대상자의 우울 정도를 비교한 결과 전체 대상자 중 32.2%가 우울군으로 분류되었고 우울군이 정상군보다 스트레스를 더 많이 받는다고 느끼고 있었으며, 실제 총 스트레스 점수도 높게 나타났다(p<0.01).
이상의 연구 결과로 볼 때, 연령대가 높은 군일수록 비만율이 높았고, 규칙적인 식사를 하고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 영양소 섭취 실태에서는 단백질, 인, 비타민A는 높은 섭취량을 보였으나, 칼슘, 철, 리보플라빈, 비타민 C, 엽산은 영양섭취기준에 미달되는 섭취수준을 보였다. 나트륨의 경우는 충분 섭취량의 2.5배 이상 과잉섭취하고 있었으며, 비타민 C는 한국인에게 과다복용이 염려되는 비타민 중 하나이지만, 본 연구의 중년여성에게서는 부족한 섭취율을 나타내어 골밀도와 심혈관계 질환의 예방을 위한 비타민 C의 섭취를 증가시킬 필요가 있을 것으로 보인다. 칼슘 부족은 골다공증 발병의 원인이 될 수 있으므로 폐경을 앞두고 있는 40대와 50대의 여성에게 골다공증의 예방과 치료를 위해 적극적인 칼슘 섭취가 필요할 것으로 보인다. 특히 엽산은 세포분열이 활발하게 일어나는 임신기 및 모유가 분비되는 수유기에 그 필요량이 더욱 증가하는데 다른 연령대에 비해 30대의 섭취량이 가장 낮은 것으로 나타나 가임기 여성에게서 영양적인 문제가 나타날 수 있으므로 충분한 급원식품의 섭취를 권장할 필요가 있을 것이다. 또한 평소에 스스로 느끼는 스트레스 정도는 실제 정신건강에도 영향을 미치며, 스스로 느끼는 스트레스 정도가 높을수록 스트레스 점수와 우울정도도 높게 나타났다. 따라서 중년기 여성들의 긍정적인 정신건강의 관리를 위하여 이미 개발되어 널리 보급된 각종 운동, 요가, 명상 등의 건전한 프로그램을 적극 활용할 수 있는 동기 유발 및 기회부여가 필요할 것으로 보인다. 스트레스를 받았을 때 식품섭취량은 더 증가하였고, 스트레스를 받았을 때 선호하는 맛은 매운 맛에 대한 선호도가 가장 높았다. 스트레스로 인한 식품섭취량 증가는 비만으로 이어질 수 있으며, 스트레스를 받을 때 매운 맛 등의 자극적인 맛의 선호는 건강에 나쁜 영향을 미칠 수 있으므로 스트레스를 해소하기 위한 건전한 식생활 관리방법을 살펴보고, 실천에 옮길 수 있는 적극적인 노력이 필요할 것으로 사료된다.