• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.467-481
• /
• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the biochemical characteristics, intake of energy, and nutrients by household income levels of Korean adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Methods: Data from the 6th (2013 ~ 2015) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) were used for the study. A total of 1,839 (966 boys, 873 girls) subjects were included, and they were divided into four income groups according to their household income level. We examined general characteristics (gender, region of residence, skipping or not-skipping breakfast, lunch, dinner, frequency of eating-out), anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, weight status), biochemical characteristics (fasting plasma glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, hemoglobin, and hematocrit), the quantitative intake of energy and nutrients using the Korean Dietary Reference Intakes (KDRI), and the qualitative intake evaluated by the nutrition adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean nutrition adequacy ratio (MAR) of the four groups. Results: There were significant differences by income group within the region of residence and the rate of skipping breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The low-income group had a higher rate of skipping breakfast, lunch, and dinner. According to the income group, there was a difference in the height of boys, and there was no difference in the weight and obesity of boys and girls. In the biochemical characteristics, only the hematocrit of girls showed differences by income group. The quantitative intake of energy and nutrients compared with KDRI differed by income group. There were differences in energy, carbohydrates, proteins, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and phosphorus levels in boys and protein, vitamin A, niacin, and sodium levels in girls. The qualitative intake of energy and nutrients examined using NAR and MAR also differed according to the income group. The NAR showed differences in calcium in boys and vitamin C and calcium in girls. The MAR revealed differences in both boys and girls by income group. Conclusions: Among adolescents in the low-income group, the rate of skipping meals was high, and the quantitative and qualitative intake of energy and some nutrients was low. It is suggested that the nutritional intake can be improved by lowering the rate of skipping breakfast, lunch, dinner. We suggest that even just providing breakfast in schools can be considered highly effective in improving the rate of avoidance of skipping meals and improving nutrient intake. Also, we suggest that it is necessary to improve the food environment, food availability, and food accessibility through national and social support for low-household income adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.48-60
• /
• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the sex-associated differences in the dietary intake of gastric cancer patients in Korea. Methods: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) the 7^th (2016-2018) were analyzed in the present study. The subjects included 122 gastric cancer patients aged over 40 years (75 male, 47 female). General characteristics (age, marital status, household income, education, food security, comorbidities, alcohol drinking, and smoking), anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, body mass index, and blood pressure), blood biochemical characteristics [fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol)], and quantity and quality of dietary intake were compared between male and female participants. Results: Males had higher rates of having a spouse, prevalence of hypertension, alcohol drinking, and smoking than females. The proportion of males with a normal range of FPG, BUN, and HDL-cholesterol was lower than that in females. The total cholesterol levels above the normal range were higher in females than in males. We also found that females had a higher percentage of intakes below the estimated energy requirement (EER) and intakes below the estimated average requirement (EAR) for carbohydrates, niacin, phosphorus, and iron than males. The index of nutritional quality (INQ) for phosphorus and folate, nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) for vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, folate, calcium, and phosphorus, and the mean adequacy ratio (MAR) were lower in females than males. Conclusions: In Korean gastric cancer patients, management of comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia, lowering FPG, and raising HDL-cholesterol level management is required for males, whereas management of lowering total cholesterol and raising hematocrit is required for females. The quantitative and qualitative nutritional intakes were poor in gastric cancer patients, especially in females, who had a lower nutritional intake than males. We suggest that nutritional interventions are needed to improve the overall nutritional intake in both male and female gastric cancer patients. In particular, we propose that support is urgently needed for females whose nutritional intake is lower than that of males. In addition, family, social, and national support for nutritional management of female gastric cancer patients is highly necessary.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.455-467
• /
• 2022

Objectives: In this study, we suggest a Korean NOVA food classification that can be applied to food consumption among Korean. Based on this suggestion, the nutritional intake of Korean adults from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) was estimated. Methods: Korean commercial food was categorized based on the NOVA food classification criteria through the Korea Food Code and expert meetings. Then, the nutrient intake status of 6,991 participants in the 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed according to the food processing level. Then, 4,152 adult participants (age 19-65) were divided into quartiles on the basis of their intake of UPFs, and the nutrient intakes from UPFs were compared. Results: Korean NOVA Food Classification defines with priority Group I (Unprocessed/ Minimally processed foods) and Group II (Processed culinary ingredients) foods based on the food cooking or consumption. Then, Group III (Processed foods) and Group IV (UPFs) are classified according to whether the characteristics of the raw materials used are maintained or whether the food was consumed before the 1970s. Our analysis results showed that most of the calories in the diet were consumed by Group I (52.7%), followed by Group IV (29.3%). After categorization of the adult participants into four groups according to their energy consumption from UPFs, we found that the highest consumption group (Q4) was younger and had higher percentage of men than women. The comparative analysis of the consumption of ultra-processed foods by Korean adults revealed that participants of a younger age and men consumed higher energy from UPFs than older participants and women, respectively (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the larger intake of UPFs was associated with an increasing trend for a higher intake of energy, sugar, saturated fat (P for trend < 0.001), total fat (P for trend = 0.021), and sodium (P for trend = 0.005), whereas the intake of carbohydrate, protein, and dietary fiber had a decreasing trend (P for trend < 0.001). Conclusions: With the current increase in the consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods, it is important to carefully consider not only nutrient intake but also the level of food processing.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.33-44
• /
• 2023

Objective : The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for shoulder pain in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injuries and to explore the correlation between shoulder pain and quality of life. Methods : Out of 182 participants initially included, 168 were selected for analysis. The questionnaire had 41 questions, with 15 on the Wheelchair User's Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI) and 26 on the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). Results : It was found that participants' scored 50.75 in the WUSPI, whereas they scored higher in mobility and overhead activity. In addition, participants' WHOQOL-BREF scored 70.48, with a mean score of 2.71, which was lower than ordinary adults' WHOQOL-BREF (mean: 3.11) and that of older people suffering from chronic musculoskeletal system pain (total score: 77.92). Conclusion : The participants' WUSPI showed negative correlations with all items, including the total scores on the WHOQOL-BREF. This suggests that the participants' shoulder pain had a negative impact on their quality of life. Therefore, clinical experts, including occupational therapists, should provide manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injuries with programs aimed at preventing and managing shoulder pain, thereby contributing to improving their quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.302-316
• /
• 2023

Objectives: The study aim was to identify changes in the nutritional status of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic according to household income and demographic characteristics. Methods: Study participants were 2,408 adults aged 65 and over who participated in the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). To examine changes in nutrient intake levels resulting from COVID-19, data of 2019 and of 2020 were compared. Study participants were divided into three groups based on household income level to compare these changes. The changes were compared according to household income level, age group, and household type. Results: Percentages of recommended intakes for energy, protein, and most micronutrients were the lowest for the low-income group of both males and females in 2020. The Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) score was the lowest for the low-income group in both years. When comparing nutrient density for 2019 and 2020 by income group, the male low-income group experienced a decrease in nutrient densities of vitamin A, thiamine, calcium, and iron. For the same group, a decreased percentage for energy intake from protein was noted. Fruit intake was lowest in the low-income group for both males and females. Low-income males had the lowest intake levels for meat, fish, eggs, and legumes in both 2019 and 2020 and the lowest milk and milk product intake levels in 2020. Older adults living alone or single older adults with children had lower MAR scores than those living with a spouse. Older adults living alone experienced decreases in energy and thiamine and iron intake levels in 2020 compared to their intake levels in 2019. Conclusions: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, nutrition intake levels worsened for older adult males in the low-income group and older adults living alone. This finding shows the need for a more systematic nutritional support strategy for the vulnerable older adults population in national disaster situations.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.409-425
• /
• 2007

The purposes of this study were to compare the disability prevalence and its related factors between men and women. The data used for the analysis was the National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2005, and the instrument of measuring disability was the K-ADL which had been developed by Won(2002). Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to test the gender difference. In the bivariate analyses, women had more disabilities than men among the entire elderly and the young elderly. However, there was not gender difference of disability among the old elderly. After controlling for age and other factors related to disability, no gender differences in the prevalence of disability were found. However, in the same analyses for the individual activities of daily living, men had more disabilities than women for all the activities except bathing and incontinence control. In conclusion, women's higher prevalence of disability in the univariate and bivariate analyses were spurious, because it was disappeared when other related factors to disability were controled for and women's disability became lower than men for some activities of daily living.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.53-67
• /
• 2024

Objective : This study aimed to identify common activities with similar participation levels between community-dwelling individuals in the United States (US) and South Korea (Study 1), and analyze the changes in activity participation patterns across the adult lifespan in South Korea (Study 2). Methods : We administered the online survey-based Activity Card Sort version 3 (ACS-3) to adults living in the US and South Korea. In Study 1, we computed the average participation level and visualized 100 activities of the ACS-3 from both the US and Korean samples. The average participation level across the four age groups in Study 2 was calculated and visualized to understand the changes in patterns of involvement across the four ACS-3 domains in a Korean sample. Results : In Study 1, data from 161 Americans and 163 Koreans were analyzed. Of the 100 activities, 48 (instrumental: 20; leisure: 13; fitness/health: 6; social: 9) demonstrated similar levels of participation between the two samples. In Study 2, data from 420 Koreans were analyzed and a tendency for decreased participation with age was found in all domains, except for the instrumental domain. Conclusion : Common daily activities may be used as a means of intervention across cultures in occupational therapy. Protective approaches and support are recommended to optimize older adults' participation in daily life.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.234-252
• /
• 2024

Objectives: This study examined the intake of energy and macronutrients among elementary, middle, and high school students according to household income before the COVID-19 pandemic (2016-2019), during the social distancing period (2020-2021), and after the social distancing measures were lifted (2022). Methods: We included 5,217 students aged 5-18 from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted between 2016 and 2022. Dietary intake was assessed using one-day 24-hour dietary recalls. We estimated the least squares means (LS-means) of intake according to household income for each period using a weighted linear regression model, adjusted for age and sex. Differences in LS-means between the periods were analyzed using the t-test. Results: During the social distancing period, the LS-means of energy intake among students decreased significantly by 143.2 kcal/day compared to pre-pandemic levels (P < 0.001). Students from low-income households experienced a more pronounced decrease in energy intake (-379.1 kcal/day, P < 0.001) and macronutrient intake compared to those from other income groups. Energy intake at school significantly declined for all income groups during the social distancing period compared to before the pandemic. No significant changes in home energy intake were observed among low-income students, whereas there was an increase for students from higher-income groups. Before the pandemic, 8.5% of students from low-income households reported insufficient food due to economic difficulties; this figure rose to 21.3% during the pandemic. Conclusions: During the pandemic, students from low-income families experienced significantly lower intake of energy and macronutrients compared to pre-pandemic levels. The most substantial reductions were noted among low-income students, largely due to the lack of compensation for decreased school-based intake with increased intake at home.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.59-65
• /
• 2012

Objectives : The present study takes part of the agricultural district cohort study of a certain county located in Gyeonggido and aims to investigate the difference of the heart rate variability(HRV) according to the social support level. Methods : We used data from 1727 participants of a health promotion program who are older than 40 years old. A physical examination, as well as a one-to-one interview to obtain sociodemographic characteristics, was performed with each participant. In addition, the participants completed the Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Survey(MOS-SSS) for their the social support level to be assessed, and their HRV were measured to evaluate their autonomic function. The entire group was divided in two groups according to its MOS-SSS points to facilitate the research. Those who were evaluated as the high 25%(432 persons) were denominated as high social support (HSS) group and those who were evaluated as the low 25%(425 persons) were denominated as poor social support(PSS) group. Results : The two groups showed significant differences on the sociodemographic factor such as mean age and gender composition(p<0.05). Comparing the indices related to the HRV, the HSS group had the following values higher than the PSS group : SDNN(F=4.938, p=0.027), TP(F=8.088, p=0.005), VLF(F=6.220, p=0.013) LF (F=3.873, p=0.049). Conclusion : According to the research, the PSS group showed dysfunction on their autonomic nervous system comparing to the HSS group. The social support helps an individual overcome difficulties, helps the adaptation during the changes of circumstances and in stressful situations it serves like a buffer. Based on that, it's possible to define that a low social support level gave an impact on the autonomic function. Also, using the fact that the HRV can evaluate the autonomic function in an objective view, it was possible to visualize that it has a potential to be used as an assistant factor to evaluate the social support.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.142-150
• /
• 2013

The aim of this study was to analyze the factors related to self-reported halitosis. This study performed a questionnaire survey, targeting at 450 adults who lived in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. Main results of this study were as followings. Relationships between socio-demographic characteristics and halitosis showed no significant difference. Relationships between subjective oral health and halitosis, the groups that were treated dental prosthesis, aware of periodontal disease and dry mouth symptoms reported more halitosis (p<0.05). The group that brushed teeth less than twice a day, did not brush teeth after having a snack, and had frequent sweet treat reported more halitosis (p<0.05). The group that more experienced limitation, discomfort, discomfort reported more halitosis (p<0.05). Based on the results derived as above, the self-reported halitosis was shown to be related to periodontal disease, dry mouth, oral hygiene care and quality of life. Therefore, it is considered that preventing periodontal disease and oral dryness as well as reinforcing the oral hygiene care will contribute to prevention of halitosis and enhancement of quality of life.