• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.826-835
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of stress on the relationship between oral health behaviors and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the elderly. We analyzed 8148 subjects aged 65 or older who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2015). All individuals were asked about their socioeconomic history, general health, and oral health behaviors (the frequency of tooth brushing, regular dental check-ups, and use of interdental cleaners). In the results, HRQOL was low in the elderly from a low socioeconomic class, or with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or poor oral health behaviors. A partial mediating effect from stress was confirmed on the relationship between oral health behaviors and HRQOL. In conclusion, HRQOL was associated with oral health behaviors, with a mediating effect from stress. Therefore, it is necessary that a convergence health promotion program should be planned with an oral health education program and a stress management program for the elderly.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.16 no.sup1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) were revised in 2020. Due to the rapidly aging Korean population, special consideration was given to reclassify the KDRI age group categories of older adults. This article examines the evidence for modifying the current KDRI age group ranges of older adults (65-74 and ≥ 75 yrs). SUBJECTS/METHODS: We first reviewed the domestic and international data on the elderly, following which we received expert opinions on age classification from the KDRI Advisory Committee. Finally, the 6th and 7th (2013-2017) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data were used to analyze the nutritional intake statuses by considering the age of older adults. RESULTS: According to the review results of domestic and international data and the inputs received from the expert advisory committee, the minimum age considered for the elderly was maintained at 65 yrs. However, the KNHANES data was analyzed to review whether there was a need to subdivide the later periods. Examining the differences in nutrient intakes by age group through the interaction effect term of the piecewise linear regression model revealed the interaction effect was maximum in the groups divided by 65 yrs (50-64 and 65-80), as compared to the groups divided by 70 yrs (50-69 and 70-80) and 75 yrs (50-74 and 75-80). The mean adequacy ratio was calculated per 1 yr of age, and a 3-yr (age) moving average analysis was performed to examine the change in the trends of overall nutrient intake. However, it was challenging to secure a scientific basis for subdivision into age groups in older adults from the results obtained. CONCLUSIONS: This study could not find any scientific evidence for modifying the KDRI age groups for older adults.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.95-104
• /
• 2020

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs is currently pushing forward policies targeting the Rural Convergence Industry initiative to incubate the front-runners of the '6th industry', to increase off-farm income, to create rural jobs for elderly, and to create women-based farms. As a result, in 2017, a total of 11,604 Rural Convergence Industries were in business, and the goods produced from those industries were diverse. However, the quality and safety of those products are not being checked and managed thoroughly, which has caused consumers to not trust products made from the Rural Convergence Industries. Through a survey and the ordering logit model, this study analyzed consumer perception of the safety and quality of goods from the Rural Convergence Industries. The analysis revealed that we must first raise awareness of the importance of rural agriculture areas and the products of the Rural Convergence Industries to uplift consumer perceptions regarding the products produced by the industries. The analysis also revealed that diverse points of distribution (sellers), education on the importance of rural and urban areas, and marketing Rural Convergence Industry products within suburban consumer populations are necessary to increase the consumption of these products.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.374-385
• /
• 2020

Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the status of foodservice management, with special interest on sanitary and nutritional food service in elderly day care centers. Methods: A total of 79 employees who managed foodservice facilities in elderly day care centers were included in the survey. The contents of the questionnaire consisted of general characteristics, importance and performance of sanitary and nutrition management, the reasons for poor performance, factors necessary for improvement, and the employee's demand for support. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS v25.0. Results: Sanitary management showed an average importance score of 4.84 ± 0.40 and a performance score of 4.70 ± 0.61 (t-value: 8.260). The item with the lowest performance score was personal sanitary management (4.58 ± 0.71). In nutrition management, the average importance score was 4.52 ± 0.68, and the performance score was 4.20 ± 1.00 (t-value: 9.609). There were significant differences between the average score of importance and performance in both areas. As a result of an Importance-Performance Analysis, items that were recognized as important but had relatively low performance was "personal hygiene", "ventilation" and "food storage". Also in the nutritional management area, "menu planning for disease management" and "checking the saltiness in the soup" etc. had very low performance with low importance recognition. The items shown in the "low priority" quadrant were those that required professional management skills. In the areas that demanded support in foodservice management, education about sanitary and safe institutional food service had the highest score (4.42 ± 0.74), and all other items showed a demand of 4 points or more. Conclusions: Foodservice managers recognize the importance of foodservice facility management but performance is relatively low. Institutional support is, therefore, needed to improve performance. For items with low importance, it seems necessary to improve awareness of the necessity of these items and to provide education in this regard. To gradually improve foodservice management, continuous provision of education and training in these areas are of great importance.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.47-60
• /
• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate dietary protein intake and its adequacy among Korean adults during recent 10 years. Methods: Based on the 2010 ~ 2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data, a total of 51,296 adults aged 19 years old or more who participated in a one-day 24-hr dietary recall were included. Dietary protein intake was estimated as percentages of total energy (% of energy) and grams per body weight (g/kg/day) and compared with the 2020 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans to evaluate the adequacy of protein intake. In addition, proportions of people whose protein intakes were less than the estimated average requirement (EAR) and above the upper limit of the acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) (> 20% of energy) were calculated according to sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Protein intake was increased from 14.7% of energy in 2010 to 15.6% of energy in 2019 among Korean adults. However, there was no increase in protein intake relative to the recommended nutrient intake (% RNI) during the recent 10 years. Protein intake relative to the RNI was decreased from 130.2% in 2010 to 121.1% in 2019 (P for trend < 0.0001) among total participants, and a significant decreasing trend was observed in all age groups except for over 65 years old. However, protein intake relative to the RNI was lowest in the elderly (98.6%). Proportions of low protein intake (< EAR) and high protein intake (> AMDR) increased in the past 10 years (P for trend < 0.0001 for all), and these were associated with socioeconomic statuses, such as education and household income levels. Conclusions: These findings suggest that protein adequacy in Korean adults has not been improved over the past decade compared with recommended levels. Nutritional education and intervention programs should consider different intake levels according to sociodemographic characteristics.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.49-58
• /
• 2003

The Transport policies in Korea have been planned and implemented as a part of a larger economy policy based on the achievement of economic growth. As a result, previous transport policies have been focused mostly on the supply of transport infrastructure. The average annual economic growth of six percent and a twelve percent growth in motor vehicles until the late 90s led to the acceleration of the imbalance between the supply and demand of infrastructure. As such, there is a need to establish an innovative transportation policy in order to increase national competitiveness and provide momentum for national growth in the Twenty one century. This research has developed strategies and policies based on interviews that were carried out with specialists in transport field. Moreover, some transport policies have been established for the year 2020 through the conducting of a survey. The survey was conducted by interviewing respondents on making the priority of transport policies. which was then analyzed using the Data Envelopment Analysis with ranked voting data. The results are as follows. The most urgent matter was considered to be the development of a inter-modal transport system, followed by an integrated service system for public transport, and the need to increase the competitiveness of the transport and logistics industries and to further transport safety. Meanwhile, the provision of transportation for disabled people as well as the elderly was considered to be less important in Korea than in welfare nations. This stems from the belief as further attention needs to be paid to the construction of a public transport system, the establishment of transportation networks construction in preparation for reunification and the North-East Asian era, as well as the privatization of the transport infrastructure.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.141-155
• /
• 2024

Background: This study aimed to identified the relationship between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea, subjective health, and health-related quality of life among the middle-aged and elderly population in Korea. Methods: Adults aged 40 or older were extracted from the total 22,559 respondents to the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VIII, and secondary analysis was conducted on a total of 6,659 middle-aged and elderly people with no missing values. Logistic regression analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to examine the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea risk factors and subjective health as well as quality of life. Results: The subjective health status decline in the high-risk group compared to the non-risk group for obstructive sleep apnea was statistically significantly higher, with an odds ratio of 1.84 (p<0.001). The health-related quality of life was also statistically significantly lower by 0.02 points (β, -0.02; p<0.001). As a result of subgroup analysis on specific variables, the association between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea and subjective health and health-related quality of life was statistically significant depending on gender, sleep time, presence of depression, household income, and number of household members. Based on the obstructive sleep apnea risk group, women had a higher correlation with low subjective health and lower health-related quality of life scores than men. Sleeping time of more than 8 hours or less than 6 hours was more associated with low subjective health and lower health-related quality of life score than sleeping time of 6-8 hours. Patients with depression were more likely to have low subjective health than those without depression. The lower the household income level and the smaller the number of household members, the higher the association with low subjective health and the lower the health-related quality of life score. Conclusion: It is essential to recognize that the risk of obstructive sleep apnea not only directly affects sleep disorders but also impacts individuals' subjective health and quality of life. Consequently, social support and education should be provided to raise awareness of this issue. Particularly, programs for preventing and managing obstructive sleep apnea should target vulnerable groups such as women, individuals in single-person households, low household income, and those with depression, aiming to improve their subjective health and quality of life.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.419-429
• /
• 2022

Water accounts for the largest proportion of body weight and is an essential element for the physiological functioning of the human body. According to 2013-2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data, the average water intake of Koreans was 2,167.3 mL/day and 62% of them did not meet the Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) for water. However, the consumption of beverages is continuously increasing. KDRIs sets the adequate intake (AI) for water, but tolerable upper intake level (UL) and chronic disease risk reduction intake (CDRR) are not provided. Compared to 2015, the AI of total water from both food and fluids in the 2020 KDRIs slightly increased or decreased according to age. The AI for children 1-2 years old, boys 6-8 years and 9-11 years old, and girls 6-8 years old decreased by 100 mL/day, while that of boys 12-14 years old increased by 100 mL/day. The AI of total water was the sum of the water intake from food and fluids reported by the KNHANES, with an extra milk intake of 200 mL/day. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use the AI of total water intakes for the reference of beverage intakes. It is preferable to consume water or milk rather than beverages containing sugar and others including caffeine, sodium, etc. when drinking fluid water. We suggest the following improvements in the future KDRIs for water: improving the adequacy of the water content ratio of Korean conventional foods, supplementing the fluid water intake survey, reflecting the current water intake status by life cycle, setting KDRIs for water for the elderly considering the physiological changes, health status and dietary habits, and promotion of research on the relationship between water intake and health for Koreans.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.33-49
• /
• 2020

This study was conducted to examine the latent classes in social exclusion and to analyse empirically the effects on the economic instability of old age by this type. And it also sought to look at whether the influence of old age anxiety varies with the subjective class consciousness of the elderly. Using the 14th data from the Korea General Social Survey (KGSS) in 2016, 1,041 adult males and females aged 18 years old were analyzed at the time of the survey. T-test, potential layer analysis (LCA), and multinomantic analysis of potential groups were conducted using the STATA14 and MPLUS 7 statistical programs. Finally, multi-regression analysis was performed to identify the moderate effect and effects among variables. According to the research, the types of social exclusion were three groups, followed by social exclusion group (49.3%), Multi-dimensional exclusion group (30.9%), and active social participation group (19.7%). The social exclusion group has the lowest possibility of economic, employment, and health exclusion, but the exclusion of formal and informal social activities seem to prominent, and the multi-dimensional exclusion group is more than 50% likely to experience exclusion in all areas. Active social participation are characterized by very active participation in informal social activities. By conducting multinominal logistic regression, it was observed that the social exclusion group included more young people than other groups, and that the multi-dimensional exclusion group included many elderly women without spouses. Finally, multiple regression analysis showed that social exclusion type interacts with subjective class consciousness and affects economic anxiety of old age.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.336-347
• /
• 2024

Objectives: This cross-sectional study examined sex differences in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among seniors with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2020) were analyzed. The EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), a measure of HRQoL, was used. It comprises five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression, each with three levels. Results: Analysis of 3,826 older adults with T2DM showed a significant increasing trend in the EQ-5D Index from the 4th survey phase onwards (P for trend < 0.001 for both men and women). Men consistently reported higher EQ-5D levels than women across all survey years. Women's EQ-5D levels remained lower than men's, maintaining a decade-old disparity (P < 0.05). Men scored significantly higher (P < 0.05) in most EQ-5D domains, except for self-care and anxiety/depression, resulting in a higher total EQ-5D Index (P = 0.001). Increased comorbidities were strongly associated with lower EQ-5D levels in both sexes. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between the EQ-5D Index and refined grain intake for both sexes (P for trend < 0.001), with high-EQ-5D groups consuming fewer refined grains. Women in the high-EQ-5D group consumed more nuts, vegetables, and meat compared to men (P for trend < 0.05). Conclusions: Our study highlights the sex disparities in HRQoL among older adults with T2DM. The findings suggest the need for tailored treatment guidelines aimed at improving the HRQoL of elderly T2DM patients, with a focus on their sex-specific characteristics. Implementing these tailored guidelines could enhance the HRQoL of older women with T2DM and promote more equitable healthcare outcomes. This underscores the importance of considering sex differences to comprehensively improve the well-being of this population.