Integration of a New Food into Daily Food Systems: A Story of Almond in South Korea

It has been suggested that new foods get adapted and diffused more early by the young, if the new food is not a core food with a high replacibility. This study examined whether the similar trend existed when almond, a new food, was introduced to food enviornments in South Korea, using 1998-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Almond consumer was defined as individuals with any amount of almond consumption on the day of 24-hr recall. Almond consumption increased (0.2% in 1998 to 6.3% in 2012, p=0.000), although the consumption amount remained low (6.06+1.24g/d in 1998 to 6.59+0.73g/d in 2012). Women (p=0.006), middle-age groups (p=0.000), better educated (p=0.000), higher income (p=0.035), and occupation (p=0.000) was significantly associated with almond consumption. Among adult almond consumers, 64.3% reported having almond during meal times, while 33.7% as snack. Only 23.8% consumers had almond as a sole food, while 74.9% reported having almond mixed in a dish. Three consumption t...