• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.151-158
• /
• 2020

Alcohol, which can easily be obtained in the same way as ordinary beverages, is harmful enough to cause death due to excessive drinking and chronic alcohol intake, so it is important to maintain a proper amount of drinking and healthy drinking habits. In addition, the incidence of behavioral disturbances and impaired judgments that can be caused by chronic alcohol drinking of more than adequate amounts of alcohol is also significant. Accordingly it is very useful for forensic science to check whether the person involved is drunken or is alcoholism state in various accidents. Currently, in Korea, alcohol consumption is determined by detecting the level of alcohol or alcohol metabolism 'ethyl glucuronide (EtG)' in blood or urine samples. However, analysis of alcohol or EtG in blood or urine can only provide information about the current state of alcohol consumption because of a narrow window of detection time. Therefore, it is important to analyze the EtG as a long-term direct alcohol metabolite bio-marker in human hair and to investigate relationship between alcohol consumption and EtG concentration for the evaluation of chronic ethanol consumption. In this study, we established an analytical method for the detection of EtG in Korean hair efficiently and validated selectivity, linearity, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), matrix effect, recovery, process efficiency, accuracy and precision using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, the assay performance was evaluated in Korean social drinker's hair and the postmortem hair of a chronic alcoholism. The results of this study can be useful in monitoring the alcohol abuse of Korean in clinical cases and legal procedures related to custody and provide a useful tool to evaluate postmortem diagnosis of alcoholic ketoacidosis in forensics.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.543-554
• /
• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The elderly are reported to have a high prevalence of nutritional anemia when they have lower intakes of nutrients or chronic diseases. This study was conducted to compare nutritional status according to nutritional anemia and to determine associations between nutritional anemia and chronic diseases in Korean elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study utilized data on 3,258 elderly aged ${\geq}65$ years gathered during the $6^{th}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2015. Subjects were divided into nutritional anemia (NA) group (n = 415) and non-NA group (n = 2,843) by hemoglobin concentration. Nutrient intakes were assessed using dietary intake data obtained using the 24-hour recall method. The odds ratios (ORs) for nutritional anemia by chronic diseases were determined. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Ver. 23.0. RESULTS: Of 3,258 subjects, 12.7% had nutritional anemia. Intakes of potatoes, pulses, and mushrooms by males and potatoes, fruits, meats, eggs, and seafood by females were significantly lower in NA group than in non-NA group. The proportion of the subjects whose intakes of protein, vitamin A, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, niacin, and iron less than estimated average requirement (EAR) were significantly higher in NA group compared to non-NA group. After adjusting for age, the number of family members, energy intake, and alcohol drinking, ORs for nutritional anemia in the subjects with diabetes and myocardial infarction or angina pectoris were significantly higher by 1.74 times and 1.59 times as compared to the subjects without those diseases, respectively. However, ORs for nutritional anemia in the subjects with obesity, abdominal obesity, and hypertriglyceridemia were significantly lower by 0.64 times, 0.60 times, and 0.59 times as compared to the subjects without those diseases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that nutritional management should be done to enable the Korean elderly to consume foods with high hematopoietic nutrients density to prevent nutritional anemia. Korean elderly need to make regular efforts to check for nutritional anemia.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.175-181
• /
• 1999

The prevalence of alcoholism among elderly population is reported to be high in rural areas in Korea. Chronic abuse of alcohol can lead to the development of vitamin B deficiency through inadequate intake, altered absorption and metabolism, and increased excretion. The present study was conducted to assess vitamin B1 and B2 status in seventeen alcohol dependent subjects who do not exhibit any clinical neurological symptoms. Vitamin B1 and B2 nutritional states were determined enzymatically by measurement of transketolase and glutathione reductase activities in erythrocytes, respectively. And dietary intakes of nutrients were determined by a 24-hr recall method. The mean percent activation of erythrocyte transketolase was significantly higher in alcoholics than in alcoholics than in control (p<0.05). The proportion of subjects with a low and borderline status of vitamin B1, was significantly higher in alcoholics than in control (p<0.05). The mean percent activation of erythrocyte glutathione reductase was not different between alcoholics and control. And the proportion of subjects with low and borderline status of Vitamin B2, was higher in alcoholics than in control (p<0.1). Vitamin B1 and B2 status were significantly decreased in alcoholics who were smoking cigarettes compared to non-smoking and non-alcoholic subjects(p<0.05). Whether vitamin supplementation improves the vitamin status of alcohol dependent subjects remains to be researched.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.308-319
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to assess risk factors associated with food insecurity in the Korean elderly aged over 65 years using data from the Korea National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey 2013 (KNHANES VI). A total of 1,200 subjects were analyzed among the participants of the KNHANES 2013 by using SPSS statistics complex samples (ver. 21.0). Food insecurity was measured by using the modified US Household Food Security/Hunger Survey Module. Thirteen percent of subjects lived in food insecure households. There were differences in the prevalence of food insecurity according to sex, educational level, income level, and household structure. Mean age of the food insecurity group was significantly higher than that of the food security group. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that food insecurity was significantly associated with alcohol intake (OR: 1.82), prevalence of melancholy (OR: 2.07) and suicidal thoughts (OR: 2.67), and intake deficiency of energy (OR: 1.60), calcium (OR: 1.97), iron (OR: 1.97), potassium (OR: 1.96), riboflavin (OR: 1.76), and niacin (OR: 1.64), while not with smoking, physical activity, chronic diseases including obesity, anemia, diabetes, and osteoarthritis, and deficiency of protein, vitamin A, thiamin and vitamin C. These findings suggest that food insecurity is strongly related to mental health and certain nutrient intakes. Prospective research is needed to establish the effects of food insecurity on chronic diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.344-360
• /
• 2018

This study examined the sociodemographic factors, health-related habits, chronic diseases, dietary habits, and nutrient intake according to the self-rated health status in a group aged over 65 years by analyzing the nationally representative Korean survey data. A total of 1,510 subjects were analyzed among the participants of the 2016 Korean National Health and Examination Survey (KNHANES). Statistical analyses for complex samples were performed using the SPSS software package (version 19.0) The study subjects were divided into two groups (healthy group vs. unhealthy group) based on their self-rated health status. The percentage of the healthy group was 66.5%. Gender, age, education level, household income, job (P<0.001, respectively), marital status, and basic living allowance (P<0.05, respectively) were significant sociodemographic variables of the self-rated health status. Alcohol consumption (P<0.01), aerobic physical activity, stress, quality of life, not feeling very well, depression and activity restriction (P<0.001, respectively) were also significant health-related variables of the self-rated health status. Blood glucose, anemia (P<0.05, respectively), and chewing problems (P<0.001) were significant chronic disease-related variables of the self-rated health status. Adequate intakes of protein, dietary fiber, phosphorus, thiamin, niacin, vitamin C (P<0.001, respectively), calcium, sodium, potassium (P<0.01, respectively), iron, vitamin A, and riboflavin (P<0.05, respectively) were also significant variables of the self-rated health status. In complex samples multiple logistic regression analysis, the self-rated health status was influenced significantly by the aerobic physical activity (P<0.01), stress level (P<0.05), depression (P<0.001), quality of life (P<0.001), not feeling very well (P<0.001), activity restriction (P<0.001), chewing problem (P<0.05), and adequate intake of iron (P<0.05). These results suggest that activity restriction, mental health, adequate iron intake, and physical activity may be associated with the self-rated health status in the elderly.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.8-14
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to obesity of mid-age women and to examine the relationship between obesity and chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Methods: Using data from Korean American adults living in California, we analyzed the health behavior (diet, exercise, smoking, and binge drinking) and psychological stress of obese women with body mass index ${\geq}25$ by using chi-square test. Logistic regression was used to investigate independent effects of obesity on chronic diseases, after controlling for risk factors. Results: The prevalence of obesity appeared about 16.9%. The Obese group was less likely than the non-obese group to eat vegetables and more likely feel psychological stress. There were no significant differences in smoking, alcohol intake, and physical exercise between the two groups. Obesity was strongly related to chronic diseases (OR=4.642, 95% CI=1.328-16.222). Conclusion: This study suggests that obesity of mid-age women could be reduced by encouraging health behavior such as eating vegetables daily, performing physical exercise regularly, and taking care of emotional stress. Diet and physical activity interventions and emotional supports should be developed for weight loss and prevention of weight gain in mid-age women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.390-397
• /
• 2015

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic alcohol and excessive iron intake on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and the progression of alcoholic liver injury in rats. Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into four groups (Control, EtOH, Fe, and EtOH + Fe), and fed either control or ethanol (36% of total calories) liquid diet with or without 0.6% carbonyl iron for eight weeks. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, liver malondialdehyde concentrations were measured by colorimetric assays. Liver histopathology was examined by Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the fixed liver tissues. The integrity of the hepatic mtDNA and nuclear DNA was measured by long-range PCR. The gene expression levels of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (Nd4) were examined by real-time PCR. Results: Serum ALT and AST activities were significantly higher in the EtOH+Fe group, as compared to the Control group. Similarly, among four groups, liver histology showed the most severe lipid accumulation, inflammation, and necrosis in the EtOH + Fe group. PCR amplification of near-full-length (15.9 kb) mtDNA showed more than 50% loss of full-length product in the liver of the EtOH + Fe group, whereas amounts of PCR products of a nuclear DNA were unaffected. In addition, the changes in the mtDNA integrity showed correlation with reductions in the mRNA levels of mitochondrial gene Cox1 and Nd4. Conclusion: Our data suggested that the liver injury associated with excessive iron and alcohol intake involved mtDNA damage and corresponding mitochondrial dysfunction.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.87-94
• /
• 2015

Objectives The power spectral analysis of electroencephalogram has been widely used to reveal the pathophysiology of the alcoholic brain. However, the results were not consistent and the three dimensional study can be hardly found. The purpose of this study was to investigate characteristics of the three dimensional electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of alcohol dependent patients using standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA). Methods The participants consisted of 30 alcohol dependent patients and 30 normal healthy controls. All the participants were males who had refrained from alcohol at least one month and were not taking any medications. Thirty two channel EEG data was collected in the resting state with eyes-closed condition during 30 seconds. The three dimensional data was compared between two groups using sLORETA for delta, theta, alpha, beta1, beta2, and beta3 frequency bands. Results sLORETA revealed significantly increased brain cortical activity in alpha, beta1, beta2, and beta3 bands each in alcohol dependent patients compared to normal controls. The voxels showing the maximum significance were in the left transverse temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left anterior cingulate, and left fusiform gyrus in alpha, beta1, beta2, and beta3 bands respectively. Conclusions These results suggest that chronic alcohol intake may cause neurophysiological changes in cerebral activity. Therefore, the measuring of EEG can be helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of cognitive impairements in alcohol dependence.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.137-142
• /
• 2013

Arsenic (As) is a well-known human carcinogen and its dietary exposure has been found to be the major route of entry into general population. This study was performed to assess the body levels of As and their associated factors in Korean adults by analyzing total As in urine. Urine and blood samples were collected from 580 adults aged 20 years and older, who had not been exposed to As occupationally. Demographic information was collected with the help of a standard questionnaire, including age, smoking, alcohol intake, job profiles, and diet consumed in the last 24 hrs of the study. Total As, sum of As(III), As(V), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), in urine was determined using atomic absorption spectrometer involving hydride generation method. The geometric mean concentration of total As in urine was $7.10{\mu}g/L$. Urine As was significantly higher in men ($7.63{\mu}g/L$) than in women ($6.75{\mu}g/L$). Age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and job profiles of study subjects did not significantly affect the concentration of As in urine. No significant relationship was observed between body mass index (BMI), Fe, and total cholesterol in serum and urinary As. Urine As level was positively correlated with seaweeds, fishes & shellfishes, and grain intake. A negative correlation between urinary As level and HDL-cholesterol in serum and meat intake was observed. Overall, these results suggest that urinary As concentration could be affected by seafood consumption. Therefore, people who frequently consume seafood and grain need to be monitored for chronic dietary As exposure.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.230-247
• /
• 2023

This study aimed to investigate the association between awareness of having a chronic disease with food habits and dietary quality among 320 male manufacturing workers in their 40s. Participants were categorized into groups. The first group comprised workers who were aware of having chronic diseases (ACD, n=160) and had been diagnosed with any one or more of the following major chronic diseases: Metabolic syndrome, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The second group comprised those who had experienced none of the above diseases were classified as a group of people who were a ware of not having chronic diseases (ANCD, n=160). The mean age of the subjects was 44.2 years. The mean weight (P<0.001) and body mass index (BMI; P<0.01) were significantly higher in the ACD than in the ANCD group. The frequency of alcohol consumption and the number of current smokers were not significantly different between the two groups. Dietary attitudes were not significantly different between the two groups. The frequency of egg consumption was significantly higher in the ACD group (P<0.05). Picky eating, vegetable intake, checking nutrition labels, and healthy eating behavior were not significantly different between the two groups. The frequency of exercise was significantly lower in the ACD group compared to the ANCD group (P<0.05). The mean nutrition quotient (NQ) score was 51.9, with no significant difference between the two groups. Based on these results, the awareness of suffering from chronic diseases was not significantly related to dietary attitudes, food habits, and overall dietary quality among production workers. Therefore, there is a need to develop and implement nutrition education programs to inculcate an awareness of health status that can lead to dietary changes.