• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2001

Obesity is a metabolic disease associated with multiple hormonal abnormalities. Therefore, obesity management aims at balancing these endocrine malfunctions nowadays. Although many studies proved interactions of hormones related with obesity, there are still lots of controversies. Most of these malfunctions are more pronounced in central, visceral obesity than in peripheral obesity. Recently, it is revealed that a central lesion of endocrine malfunction in human visceral obesity is probably related with a hypersensitivity of hypothalamopituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis. Probably associated with this axis, Insulin and cortisol promote lipid accumulation by expressing lipoprotein lipase activity, while sex hormones and growth hormone exert the opposite effects. Also reviewed was thyroid hormone which is closely related with thermogenesis. Serotonin is prescribed as antidepressant and it is applied to some eating disorders. Recently, leptin made in fat deposit also took attentions in terms of regulator of appetite and messenger of sex signal.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.253-259
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• 2016

Objectives: Central obesity plays a major role in the development of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Chronic stress may be involved in the pathophysiology of central obesity. Although several large-scale genome-wide association studies have reported susceptibility genes for central adiposity, the effects of interactions between genes and psychosocial stress on central adiposity have rarely been examined. A recent study focusing on Caucasians discovered the novel gene early B-cell factor 1 (EBF1), which was associated with central obesity-related traits via interactions with stress levels. We aimed to evaluate EBF1 gene-by-stress interaction effects on central adiposity traits, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT), in Korean adults. Methods: A total of 1467 Korean adults were included in this study. We selected 22 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the EBF1 gene and analyzed their interactions with stress on central adiposity using additive, dominant, and recessive genetic modeling. Results: The four SNPs that had strong linkage disequilibrium relationships (rs10061900, rs10070743, rs4704967, and rs10056564) demonstrated significant interactions with the waist-hip ratio in the dominant model ($p_{int}$<0.007). In addition, two other SNPs (rs6556377 and rs13180086) were associated with VAT by interactions with stress levels, especially in the recessive genetic model ($p_{int}$<0.007). As stress levels increased, the mean values of central adiposity traits according to SNP genotypes exhibited gradual but significant changes (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that the common genetic variants for EBF1 are associated with central adiposity through interactions with stress levels, emphasizing the importance of managing stress in the prevention of central obesity.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2007

Backgrounds: Obesity and depression are serious health problem and also constitute cardiovascular disease risk factors. Some studies found an association between obesity and higher rates of depression in women but not in men. The current study examined the association between depressive symptoms and obesity, especially central obesity in Korean women. Methods : The participants were 4,609 Korean women aged 20-85 years. Each individual was assessed for the presence of obesity and central obesity using the criteria suggested by WPRO(World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific). Depressive symptomatology was measured by Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). Results : In obese women, rate of depressed women is significantly higher compared normal group(27.6% VS. 23.2%, p<0.01). The rates of depressed women is higher in women who had central obesity(26.9% VS. 22.7%, p<0.01). Depressed women had higher rates of central obesity(93.2% VS.86.9%, p<0.01). Conclusion Our findings show obesity especially central obesity is associated with depressed women and suggests that further investigation for interaction between depression and obesity is needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.80-99
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• 2024

Objectives: The objective of this study was to review clinical studies conducted over the last ten years that investigated weight or fat loss interventions that can preserve muscle or fat-free mass in Sarcopenic obesity Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Research Information Sharing Service (RISS) and Korea Studies Information Service (KISS) were searched for Randomized clinical trials that had investigated all-type of interventions on the management of sarcopenic obesity from October 2013 to September 2023. Results: A total of 14 studies met all the inclusion criteria. Interventions that increase muscle mass while reducing body fat at the same time included resistance training (including using elastic bands) and whole-body electromyostimulation(WB-EMS) in exercise intervention and Hypocaloric high-protein diet in nutritional intervention, exercise and nutritional combined intervention, and combination intervention of electrical acupuncture and amino acid supplementation. Among them, the most positive method of changing the body composition in sarcopenic obesity was the electric acupuncture and amino acid supplements. Conclusion: Varying diagnostic criteria and management interventions for sarcopenic obesity in the included studies made it hard to maintain homogeneity across the studies. Well-defined criteria for diagnostic sarcopenic obesity should be considered. In addition, since all of the interventions examined did not show sufficient clinical effectiveness, follow-up studies are needed to confirm effective interventions for sarcopenic obesity patients in the future.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1294-1302
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• 2019

Objective: Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), one of the gut peptide hormones, has an action to induce satiety, and its effect as an anti-obesity agent is known. Recently, it has been reported that many herbal medicines have an anti-diabetic effect through inhibition of DPP-4 enzyme and inducing of GLP-1 secretion. It is therefore suggested that GLP-1 may be effective for the treatment of obesity. In this study, we report a case of male obese patients treated with herbal medicine as a GLP-1 secretagogue. Methods: In this study, the patient took a fixed prescription of herbal medicine for 10 weeks and recorded his weight at each visit. Results: This prescription produced significant weight loss (BMI loss>5%). In the follow-up period after two weeks, the trend of weight loss was observed continuously. Conclusion: This prescription can be an alternative to ephedra herba-based obesity treatment.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2020

Objectives: Obesity is becoming more popular disease worldwide. Because of the side effects of conventional obesity treatment modality, herbal medicine treatment is becoming more preferred. Gambihwan which including Ephedra sinica Staph is widely used in traditional Korean Medicine practice for obesity treatment. Garcinia cambogia is a kind of health functional food that has body fat reducing effect. Nowadays, ephedra and Garcinia cambogia are often used simultaneously in clinical practice of Korean Medicine. However, the effectiveness and safety of combination therapy in obesity treatment is not well established. Methods: We conducted retrospective observational study to explore effectiveness and safety of combination therapy. We evaluated effect of combined treatment of Gambihwan and Garcinia cambogia on body weight, body mass index, body fat mass, and waist hip ratio reduction. We also assessed safety via liver function test and adverse event. Results: Finally, 23 patients were included. In paired t-test, body weight significantly decreased from 64.50±14.50 kg to 62.94±13.85 kg (P<0.001) and body mass index were also significantly decreased from 24.43±3.79 kg/㎡ to 23.83±3.59 kg/㎡ (P<0.001). Body fat mass was also reduced. Aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase were not significantly increased. There were no drug-induced liver injury and no severe adverse event. Conclusions: In our retrospective review, we found combination therapy of Gambihwan and Garcinia cambogia reduce body weight, body mass index and body fat mass. There were no severe adverse event and drug induced liver injury which indicated safety of combination therapy in obesity treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.11
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• pp.425-431
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• 2016

The waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), calculated by dividing the waist circumference (WC) by height, has recently gained attention as an anthropometric index for central adiposity. It is an easy-to-use and less age-dependent index to identify individuals with increased cardiometabolic risk. A WHtR cutoff of 0.5 can be used in different sex and ethnic groups and is generally accepted as a universal cutoff for central obesity in children (aged ${\geq}6$ years) and adults. However, the WHtR has not been validated in preschool children, and the routine use of WHtR in children under age 6 is not recommended. Prospective studies and meta-analysis in adults revealed that the WHtR is equivalent to or slightly better than WC and superior to body mass index (BMI) in predicting higher cardiometabolic risk. In children and adolescents, studies have shown that the WHtR is similar to both BMI and WC in identifying those at an increased cardiometabolic risk. Additional use of WHtR with BMI or WC may be helpful because WHtR considers both height and central obesity. WHtR may be preferred because of its simplicity and because it does not require sex- and age-dependent cutoffs; additionally, the simple message 'keep your WC to less than half your height' may be particularly useful. This review article summarizes recent publications on the usefulness of using WHtR especially when compared to BMI and WC as a screening tool for obesity and related cardiometabolic risks, and recommends the use of WHtR in clinical practice for obesity screening in children and adolescents.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.279-289
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the physical characteristics and risk factors for hyperchol-esterolemia (HC) in Korean. 344 adult men who took the annual health check-ups at D or J hospitals were participated in this cross-sectional study. The subjects were grouped by plasma total cholesterol level in to three groups: normal cholesterolemic (n=139) borderline hypercholesterolemic(n=93) and hypercholesterolemic (n=112) groups. The data of height weight and plasma cholesterol level were col-lected from medical records. Body circumferences(midarm, waist, hip, and thight) skinfold thicknesses (biceps, triceps, subcostal, abdomen, and suprailic), and body composition (fat mass and fat free mass) were measured. Body mass index (BMI) height/weight ratio (HWR) waist/hip circumference ratio (WHR) waist/ thigh circumference ratio (WTR) central skinfold thickenss (CSF) and peripheral skin-fold thickness were calculated. The subjects with HC had significantly higher weight BMI waist cir-cumference skinfold thickness and body fat mass than those of the normal subjects. The relative and attributable risks on HC were 1.61 and 0.17 for obesity (BMI$\geq$25) 1,30 and 0.11 for upper body obesity (WTR$\geq$1.30) and 1.54 and 0.18 for central body obesity (CSF$\geq$95.7). Plasma total cholesterol level was positively correlated with several antropometric parameters: BMI (p<0.001) weight(p<0.001) waist circumference(p<0.001) and skinfold thickness of abdomen (p<0.001) spraillic (p<0.01) triceps(p<0.01) subcostal (p<0.01) and biceps (p<0.05) In conclusion the major influencing factors to plasma cholesterol level was BMI. Among the each physical parameters the circumference of waist the skinfol-d thickness of abdomen and the percentage of body fat were closely related to plasma cholesterol level. The important risk factor for hypercholesterolemia was obesity specially upper body obesity and central body obesity.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.137-172
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• 2013

Globally, awareness about obesity is increasing rapidly. In Korea, obesity is recognized as a disease and steps are being taken to treat it. From the health governance point of view, such standardized measures amplify the risk of obesity and thus play an important part in the prevention of the disease. In this context, various obesity treatments act as a medium for the problem-solving process. In recent years, obesity surgery has been viewed as a rational solution to the problem of obesity. In the context of standardization of treatment, Callon's "Process of Translation" in STS theories highlights the importance of the central actor (Obligatory Passage Point; OPP). However, in the case of obesity, it is difficult to identify a single OPP to project different perspectives of an actor's needs. "Lapband surgery" often acts as a "boundary object" in this context. This article assesses this absence of central actors in the process of problem solving through a case study of adoption of Lapband surgery in Korea. Further, we attempt to suggest an analytical framework with a boundary object and multiple translation concepts to aid solving the problem of obesity.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.266-275
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic obesity on the components of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in adolescents. Methods: This study used the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2010 to 2011. The study included 859 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Descriptive statistics and simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using SAS 9.2. Results: Based on the results, adolescents with sarcopenic obesity had a higher risk of central obesity (AOR: 23.41, 95% CI: 12.76-43.97), high triglyceride (OR: 4.58, 95% CI: 2.69-7.79), low HDL-cholesterol (AOR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.74-4.05), high blood pressure (AOR: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.37-8.68), and high fasting glucose (AOR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.13-4.96) than their normal counterparts. Adolescents with non-sarcopenic obesity had a higher risk of central obesity (AOR: 19.75, 95% CI: 9.73-44.67), high triglyceride (OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.22-7.81), and low HDL-cholesterol (AOR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.37-5.45) than normal youths, and these were not significantly related to high blood pressure and fasting glucose. Conclusion: Sarcopenic obesity was more related to the components of MetS than non-sarcopenic obesity. Since adolescents with sarcopenic obesity are a more vulnerable population, a prevention and management program for MetS and cardiovascular risk should be implemented in this population.