• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between (1) differences in parents' interest in their children's weight, appearance orientation, eating habits and appearance evaluation, and depression based on children's gender, and (2) the pathway to children's depression. The participants in this research included 641 fourth-grade children (300 boys and 341 girls) who participated in a Korean Survey on Obesity of Youth and Children in 2009. Data were analyzed through frequency, percentage, Pearson's correlations using SPSS 19.0 and path analysis with AMOS 7.0. The findings are as follows. First, girls demonstrated higher scores in all variables except depression when compared to boys. Second, all variables indicated a direct or indirect influence on boys' depression, and appearance orientation had the greatest total effect on boys' depression. For girls, all variables again indicated a direct or indirect influence on depression, and again appearance orientation had the greatest total effect on girls' depression. However, the pathways to depression were different based on children's gender. The implications for future studies are also discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1079-1087
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• 2021

Gentisic acid (GA), a benzoic acid derivative present in various food ingredients, has been shown to have diverse pharmaceutical activities such as anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects. In this study, we used a co-culture system to investigate the mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic effects of GA on macrophages and adipocytes, respectively, as well as its effect on obesity-related chronic inflammation. We found that GA effectively suppressed lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory responses by controlling the production of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines and modulating inflammation-related protein pathways. GA treatment also inhibited lipid accumulation in adipocytes by modulating the expression of major adipogenic transcription factors and their upstream protein pathways. Furthermore, in the macrophage-adipocyte co-culture system, GA decreased the production of obesity-related cytokines. These results indicate that GA possesses effective anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic activities and may be used in developing treatments for the management of obesity-related chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.sup1
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• pp.102-108
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• 2008

More children today are overweight or obese than ever before. childhood obesity results from an imbalance between the amount of energy consumed and the amount of energy expended. Whether child want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it's important to balance between the calories body takes in and uses. Obesity treatment programs for children and adolescents is to slow or halt weight gain so the child will grow into his or her body weight over a period of months to years. Fasting or extreme caloric restriction is not advisable for children. More physical activity is a key element in the prevention and treatment of obesity. Children can't change their exercise and eating habits by themselves. They need the help and support of their families and parents. Children and adolescents who are just beginning to be physically active should start out slowly and gradually build to higher levels in order to prevent the risk of injury or feel defeated from unrealistic goals. It is important that children and adolescents are encouraged to be physically active by doing things that interest them. FUN physical activities that kids choose to do on their own are often best. Kids need about 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but this does not have to happen all at once. Several short 10- or even 5-minute periods of activity throughout the day are just as good. FUN physical activities will help them establish an active lifestyle early on. Obese people need care not for a short period, but throughout their lives.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.302-312
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• 2004

This study aimed at examine dietary attitude, eating behavior and food preferences of children in child care center. The children involved in this study were 153 boys and 134 girls, aged 3 to 6 years old. The eating frequency of breakfast and the number of meal times a day were significant difference according to sex(P<0.01). Reason for skipping breakfast was ‘no appetite’(49.3%). It was found that 51.5% of the children belonged to ‘fair’ in food habit score, while children in ‘poor’ and in ‘excellent’ were 25.0% and 9.7% respectively. There was no significant difference in food habit score between boys and girls. Their preferred staple foods were ‘cooked rice’ and ‘Chajangmyon’, their preferred soup was ‘seaweed soup’. Also, their most preferred side dishes with animal foods were ‘fried chicken’ and ‘Bulgogi’. The preference of ‘hard boiled soybean curd’ and ‘pan fried soybean curd’ among the side dishes with vegetable foods were significant according to the obesity index(P<0.05). Children preferred side dishes with animal foods to those with vegetable foods. First considered item in meal preparation was child's favorite(58.1%). Mother's response to child's unbalanced diet was ‘trying to persuade the child’(56.6%). It was significant according to mother's occupation(P<0.01). The nutritional management program at child care center is required to enhance the nutritional status of children. Also the nutritional education for the children and their meal planners is required for better growth and health promotion of preschool children.

• Proceedings of KHEA Conference
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• 1997.07a
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• pp.252-252
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• 1997

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.55-64
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• 2011

This study is important in its focus to find key clues in the marketing strategy, consumer behavior, and communication processes that define the infantile obesity market. The study, the first of its kind, surveyed a target audience, purchasing group, and housewives in their quest to determine purchasing decisions and effective branding strategy planning for the infantile obesity market. Another key component of the study was to focus on the key direct and/or indirect distribution channels for the subject market. Recently, obesity has emerged as a major social concern; some studies show that the onslaught of an adverse eating culture in Korea emanates from the prevalence of fast-food dining establishments. Obesity among children leads to adult obesity, especially if the young people's parents are overweight; notably, if either one or both of the parents are obese, the percentage of young people eventually being obese is approximately 80 to 85 percent. Because obesity is the cause of many major health concerns later in life, the struggle for a healthy life is considerably adversely affected by parents' consumer behavior. Infantile obesity, resulting in adult obesity, is also an important national economic and social issue. The sizable direct and indirect economic costs, as well as the tremendous social costs of obesity, cannot be overstated. Effective food branding and advertising centered on food preferences and dietary behaviors, especially to children, creates an effective marketing effort that, ultimately, leads to positive results. Thus, the purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the treatment of childhood obesity in Korea, through the activation of a brand and retail market, can effectively solve social and economic problems that result from infantile and childhood obesity. In this study, obesity markets and distribution channels in the purchase decision-making factors determining factor based on it effective inspection and branding strategies and brand marketing communications strategy proposed measures contribute to the obesity drug market and further enable the childhood obesity problem is intended to assist in solving.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2005

Purpose : Obesity is, along with metabolic syndrome, closely related with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This study tried to evaluate the prevalence of nonalcoholic liver disease in obese children and verify the factors associated with the disease. Methods : Two hundred and seventy nine children who showed a body mass index of 95 percentile over the baseline in health examinations of surrounding schools were evaluated. Questionnaires, body measurements, blood examinations, and ultrasonographic measurements of abdominal fat were examined. Results : Out of 279 children enrolled for the study, 27 children were found to possess nonalcoholic liver disease(9.7%). Among those found to be positive for nonalcoholic liver disease, it's prevalence increased to 15.2%(22 out of 144 children) among children with severe obesity. Factors known to be involved with metabolic syndrome, namely waist/hip circumference ratio and thickness of abdominal fat, were found to be closely related to nonalcoholic fatty liver as well. Conclusion : The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver in obese children was 9.7%, with higher incidence observable in severer obesity. Factors responsible for metabolic syndrome were closely associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and the level of insulin resistance, which is an useful index in both diseases, can be utilized in evaluation of the effect of treatment and control of risk factors.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2013

The food choices in childhood have high a probability of being carried through into their adulthood life, which then contributes to the risk of many non-communicable diseases. Therefore, there is a need to gather some information about children's views on foods which may influence their food choices for planning a related dietary intervention or programme. This paper aimed to explore the views of children on foods and the types of foods which are usually consumed by children under four food groups (snacks, fast foods, cereals and cereal products; and milk and dairy products) by using focus group discussions. A total of 33 school children aged 7-9 years old from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur participated in the focus groups. Focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed according to the listed themes. The outcomes show that the children usually consumed snacks such as white bread with spread or as a sandwich, local cakes, fruits such as papaya, mango and watermelon, biscuits or cookies, tea, chocolate drink and instant noodles. Their choices of fast foods included pizza, burgers, French fries and fried chicken. For cereal products, they usually consumed rice, bread and ready-to-eat cereals. Finally, their choices of dairy products included milk, cheese and yogurt. The reasons for the food liking were taste, nutritional value and the characteristics of food. The outcome of this study may provide additional information on the food choices among Malaysian children, especially in urban areas with regard to the food groups which have shown to have a relationship with the risk of childhood obesity.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2018

Purpose: We observed an association between obesity and UTI in infants and pediatric patients, which we aimed to validate in this study. Method: The medical records of 740 patients (${\leq}24$ months old) hospitalized with fever were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were subdivided into 2 groups, namely, the UTI and control (non UTI) groups. We analyzed the patient's height, weight. Obesity was defined as weight-for-length ${\geq}95^{th}$ percentile, and the association between obesity and UTI was evaluated. Results: Out of 740 patients, 253 and 487 patients were in the UTI group and the control group, respectively. A comparative analysis, based on 3 age groups (0-5 months, 6-11 months, and 12-24 months) showed higher proportion of obesity in the UTI group (26.4%) than in the control group (13.0%) in the 0-5months group. After adjusting for age and gender in the 0-5month group, the obesity group was 3.76 times likely to have an UTI (95% CI 1.419-9.98). Conclusion: Obesity and UTI show strong association, especially in infants aged 0-5 months. Febrile obese infant patients (${\leq}5$ months old) visiting medical centers should be advised urine tests for potential UTI.

• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.182-195
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• 2018

Increasing prevalence of childhood obesity poses threats to the global health burden. Because this rising prevalence cannot be fully explained by traditional risk factors such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, early-life exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is recognized as emerging novel risk factors for childhood obesity. EDCs can disrupt the hormone-mediated metabolic pathways, affect children's growth and mediate the development of childhood obesity. Many organic pollutants are recently classified to be EDCs. In this review, we summarized the epidemiological and laboratory evidence related to EDCs and childhood obesity, and discussed the possible mechanisms underpinning childhood obesity and early-life exposure to non-persistent organic pollutants (phthalates, bisphenol A, triclosan) and persistent organic pollutants (dichlorodip henyltrichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Understanding the relationship between EDCs and childhood obesity helps to raise public awareness and formulate public health policy to protect the youth from exposure to the harmful effects of EDCs.