• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.364-378
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the distribution of the body mass index (BMI) according to gender and age among Korean children and adolescents to compare the distributions of being underweight, normal, overweight, and obese using both Korean and international criteria. Methods: This secondary data analysis utilized the data of the 2016 Korean National Health Examination for School Students Height, weight, and BMI distributions among children and adolescents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the differences in BMI distribution according to gender and age were analyzed using chi-square tests. Differences in the mean BMI according to the Korean Centers for Disease Control (KCDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria were analyzed using ANOVA. Results: Using the IOTF criteria, the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity among grades 1-12 students was 6.7%, 20.8%, and 7.1%, respectively; 1.6%, 21.3%, and 11.8%, respectively, according to the WHO criteria; and 5.8%, 10.1%, and 13.0%, respectively, according to the KCDC criteria. Conclusion: It is recommended to use the IOTF criteria for health promotion programs to target underweight children and adolescents while the WHO and KCDC criteria should be used for health programs for treating obese people.

• Korean journal of health promotion
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.159-168
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• 2018

Background: Strategically improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL) should be discussed among overweight middle-aged women who are vulnerable to low HRQOL. We examined firstly if overweight middle-aged women would have significantly lower levels of HRQOL and health-promoting behaviors than normal-weight middle-aged women, and to examine secondly if health-promoting behaviors would be significantly associated with generic and obesity-specific HRQOLs within the overweight middle-aged women. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, comparative study. Participants were 119 women aged 30-49 years who were recruited from a community in Seoul, South Korea; 63 women for the overweight group who were recruited from a baseline sample of the Community-Based Heart and Weight Management Trial, while 56 for the normal-weight group who were recruited separetely. Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP II), World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) of a generic HRQOL measure, and Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite (IWQOL-Lite) of an obesity-specific HRQOL measure were used. Results: Compared to the normal-weight group, the overweight group showed significantly lower scores of total WHOQOL-BREF as well as some HPLP II subscales including stress management (P=0.029). Among the HPLP II subscales, stress management was significantly and positively associated with total WHOQOL-BREF (${\beta}=1.58$, P=0.003) and self-esteem IWQOL-Lite (${\beta}=11.58$, P=0.034) among the overweight group. Conclusions: Among middle-aged overweight women, low levels of health-promoting behavior for stress management were shown, which should be strategically increased for improving their generic and obesity-specific HRQOLs.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.225-235
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and factors associated with it among elders in a rural community. Methods: Data were collected from 683 subjects with a questionnaire, physical measurement, and blood test. The prevalence of the MS was determined by AHA/NHLBI and waist circumference cutoff points for Koreans. Results: The prevalence of the MS was 50.5% in total (41.6% in men, 56.3% in women) while the prevalence of 5 metabolic risk factors was 67.7% for elevated blood pressure, 51.0% for low HDL-cholesterol, and 50.2% for abdominal obesity. Risk factors associated with the prevalence of the MS included family history, BMI, and physical activity; significant factors associated with that of metabolic components included family history, BMI, smoking, drinking, and physical activity. Especially, a higher BMI was a strong risk factor of the prevalence of abdominal obesity as well as the MS and its components. Conclusion: The findings indicate that nurses should care for elders based on each metabolic component regarding its prevalence level and concentrate primarily on reducing elevated blood pressure, low HDL-cholesterol by controlling the main risk factor, abdominal obesity through lifestyle modification.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.705-715
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• 2014

Metabolic syndrome is a major factor for cardiovascular disease that can develop into a variety of complications such as stroke disease. This study utilizes a Bayesian network to model metabolic syndrome. In addition, we tried to find the best risk combinations to diagnose metabolic syndrome. We confirmed that the combinations are difference according to individual characteristics. The paper used data from 4,489 adults who responded to all health interview questions from the the $5^{th}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2010.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2009

Purpose: The survey-based study aimed to determine the distribution and clustering tendency of metabolic syndrome risk factors in urban residents, and cluster odds ratios. Methods: Cluster sampling involved 827 urban participants and analysis of the collected data. Results: Regarding the prevalence of metabolic syndrome risk factors used for diagnosis, abdominal obesity was higher in women(69.5%) than in men(34.3%), high blood pressure was higher in men(57%) than in women(46.5%), and blood sugar was higher in men(6.9%) than in women(5.7%). Clustering increased with increasing body mass index(BMI), weight:height ratio(W/Ht) and abdominal obesity Risk factors for females were 1.7 times higher than for males. Participants with a family history of metabolic syndrome displayed related risk factors 1.5 times more than participants without a family history. Participants having a BMI ranking them as obese were 9.5 times more likely to display metabolic syndrome risk factors than non-obese participants. Obese participants were 20 times more likely to display risk factors than non-obese participants. Conclusion: BMI, W/Ht and abdominal obesity correlate with clustering of metabolic syndrome risk factors. The risk is increased by smoking and family history. Exercise weight control and non-smoking are recommended for comprehensive management of clustering of metabolic syndrome risk factors.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.1037-1041
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• 2006

Purpose : The prevalence of obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) was increased in adolescents. This study was performed to observe the prevalence of elevated aminotransferase levels in adolescents and to assess the correlations between aminotransferase levels and obesity related parameters(body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio and insulin level). Methods : We obtained weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference from 2,417 male and 1,219 female adolescents. Mean age was $15.7{\pm}0.7$ years old. We measured fasting insulin, aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT). Obese and overweight were defined as body mass indices(BMI) of more than the 95th, and 85th-94th percentiles, respectively, for age and sex. Results : The number of adolescents with obesity is 324(8.9 percent). 414(11.4 percent) subjects belonged to the overweight group. The average ALT level of obese, overweight and control groups were significantly different(obese : $32.1{\pm}34.3U/L$, overweight : $19.6{\pm}13.6U/L$, control : $12.7{\pm}6.7U/L$, P<0.001). The average AST level was also different according to group(obese : $27.8{\pm}16.5U/L$, overweight : $22.8{\pm}8.6U/L$, control : $20.8{\pm}8.5U/L$, P<0.001). AST and ALT were correlated with anthropometric parameters and insulin level. After multiple regression analysis, waist circumference was the significant predictive value for AST(r=0.234, P<0.001). Waist circumference, BMI and insulin levels were significant predictive values for ALT(r=0.435, P<0.001). Conclusion : The prevalence of abnormal aminotransferase was higher in the obese and overweight groups than control group. Waist circumference was useful to predict abnormal aminotransferase levels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.318-326
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• 2007

The purpose for this study was to investigate the health status according to the age and BMI by interviewing male workers in their twenties and thirties in the Daegu Gyeongbuk region. The body measurement was assessed by height, weight, BMI, body circumference (waist, hip), waist-hip ratio and body fat mass. The health status has been analyzed and assessed as normal group, health concerned group and health suspected groups. Weight, percent ideal body weight (PIBW), BMI and body circumference (waist, hip) and waist-hip ratio was proven higher according to the order of obese group, overweight group and normal group. Waist-hip ratio was proved to be higher in the thirties group than the twenties. Body fat mass was higher in the obese, overweight and normal groups. In the concerns of health status, the ratio of health concerned group and health suspected group increased according to the increase of BMI. Blood pressure (SBP, DBP) was higher in the obese group than in the normal group and overweight groups, and blood glucose was higher in the thirties than in the twenties. SGOT, SGPT, ${\gamma}-GTP$ has been proven higher in the obese group than in the normal group and overweight group, ${\gamma}-GTP$ was higher in the thirties than in the twenties. Investigating the correlation of the anthropometric characteristics and biochemical characteristics, the heavy weight resulted in heavier BMI, PIBW, body circumference (waist, hip), waist-hip ratio and higher body fat mass. Blood pressure (SBP, DBP), total cholesterol, blood glucose, SGOT, SGPT and ${\gamma}-GTP$ all became higher according to these influences. In conclusion, male workers have to recognize that health status becomes worse and possibilities of chronic disease prevalence rate increases according to aging and the increase of BMI. Accordingly, it is necessary to make an effort to prevent chronic diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.1340-1345
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• 2002

Purpose : We studied the prevalence of snoring and its association with diseases, obesity and environmental factors, as well as sleep disturbance arising from snoring, in school-aged children. Methods : The survey was performed by a special questionnaire on 1,707 children at elementary schools from 1 to 30 July 2001 in Gwangju City. The prevalence of snoring, associated factors, and sleep disturbance were evaluated. Results : 266(16.5%) of the children snored at least once a week. 73(4.3%) of the children snored almost every day. Regarding the associated factors of snoring : There was a statistically significant difference between snoring and nonsnoring groups due to gender, obesity, sinusitis, tonsillar hypertrophy, bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. Of them, male gender, tonsillar hypertrophy, and obesity were significant risk factors for development of snoring. Especially, the odds ratio increased to 1.048(CI, 1.004-1.659), 1.748(CI, 1.175-2.599), and 2.266(CI, 1.300-3.950) in children with an obesity index of 20-29%, 30-49%, ${\geq}50%$, respectively. There was a statistically significant association of snoring with decreased sleep duration, sleep talking, and drowsiness during the day as a result of sleep disturbance. Conclusion : 16.5% of school-aged children snored at least once a week. The association of snoring with tonsillar hypertrophy, obesity and gender as risk factors was demonstrated in this study.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.336-349
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• 2017

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to describe changes in weight, waist circumference (WC), and prevalence of obesity over 8 years as well as investigate demographic and dietary factors associated with weight gain in Korean adults. Methods: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study is an ongoing community-based longitudinal study, which was started in 2001~2002 and repeated every 2 years. Height, weight, and WC were measured, and demographic data and food intake information using the food frequency questionnaire were collected from 10,038 adults aged 40~69 years at baseline. Among those individuals, 3,506 healthy individuals without chronic diseases completed the 4th follow-up survey in 2009~2010. Results: Mean weight decreased by 0.35 kg and 0.65 kg in men and women, respectively, whereas mean WC increased by 1.71 cm and 1.85 cm during the 8-year period. Prevalence of obesity based on body mass index (BMI) decreased from 34.5% to 33.5% in men and from 38.0% to 36.7% in women, whereas abdominal obesity increased from 14.8% to 22.2% in men and from 28.8% to 35.4% in women. Weight change was associated with age and smoking status in men, and residence area, age, education, income, and alcohol drinking in women. Approximately 57.5% maintained their BMI over 8 years (<${\pm}1kg/m^2$, stable weight group), 19.5% showed a BMI increase of ${\geq}1kg/m^2$ (weight gain group), and 23.0% showed a BMI decrease of more than $1kg/m^2$ (weight loss group). There was no significant difference in energy intake calculated as the percentage of estimated energy requirements among the three weight change groups. Intakes of coffee mix and milk were significantly higher in the weight gain group than in the weight loss group in men after controlling for confounding factors. Conclusion: Our results show that higher consumption of coffee mix and milk was associated with weight gain in Korean healthy men.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2008

Purpose: Fatty liver is one of the most commonly found disease by abdominal ultrasonography. The status of fatty liver is classified into mild, moderate and severe degrees. The study was conducted to investigate the clinical significance of fatty liver using ultrasonography. Materials and method: Test set consisted of 2,185 patients who visited D healthcare center in Daejeon to receive an abdominal ultrasonic test from January to December 2007. Out of the 2185 patients, 524 patients was diagnosed as fatty liver (290 male and 234 female patients). They were divided into three groups, group I for mild degree. II for moderate degree, and III for severe degree, depending on the echo of liver parenchyma, the sound attenuation, and the visibility of intrahepatic blood vessels and diaphragm. Then the correlation of obesity indices, liver function tests and metabolic syndrome was analyzed for males and females separately. Results : As for the degree of fatty liver, 350 cases (66.8%) were classified as group I, 153 cases (29.2%) as group II, and 21 cases (4.1%) as group III. In addition, severe degree of fatty liver was more frequently found in males than in females. The mean ages of three groups for males were 46.1, 44.5, and 39.1, and those for females were 48.8, 50.2, 52.4, respectively. Males with lower mean ages have severely of fatty liver for both males and females. Conclusion: The results in this study show that the classification into three degrees of fatty liver in ultrasonography practice is helpful to treat and observe the progress of fatty liver. In addition, careful examination is required to measure the severity of fatty liver as well as detection of it. A standardized method to classify the degree of fatty liver is also needed for more objective measurement.