• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 2023

Background: Some working conditions may pose a higher physical or psychological demand to pregnant women leading to increased risks of pregnancy complications. Objectives: We assessed the association of woman's employment status and the industrial classification with obstetric complications. Methods: We conducted a national population study using the National Health Information Service database of Republic of Korea. Our analysis encompassed 1,316,310 women who experienced first-order live births in 2010-2019. We collected data on the employment status and the industrial classification of women, as well as their diagnoses of preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) classified as A1 (well controlled by diet) or A2 (requiring medication). We calculated odds ratios (aORs) of complications per employment, and each industrial classification was adjusted for individual risk factors. Results: Most (64.7%) were in employment during pregnancy. Manufacturing (16.4%) and the health and social (16.2%) work represented the most prevalent industries. The health and social work exhibited a higher risk of PE (aOR = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.21), while the manufacturing industry demonstrated a higher risk of class A2 GDM (1.20, 95% CI: 1.03-1.41) than financial intermediation. When analyzing both classes of GDM, women who worked in public administration and defense/social security showed higher risk of class A1 GDM (1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07). When comparing high-risk industries with nonemployment, the health and social work showed a comparable risk of PE (1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.07). Conclusion: Employment was associated with overall lower risks of obstetric complications. Health and social service work can counteract the healthy worker effect in relation to PE. This highlights the importance of further elucidating specific occupational risk factors within the high-risk industries.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.125-139
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• 2024

This study assessed the beauty care behavior and the dietary attitudes, eating behaviors, and dietary quality related to beauty care in accordance with the level of interest in beauty care by examining 558 female high school subjects in the Incheon area. The study aimed to identify the interest in beauty care on the part of adolescent girls that impacts their dietary life and provide basic data for nutrition education forming desirable dietary habits. The interest in beauty care on the part of female high school students is relevant to dietary life and dietary attitude, with the high-level interest group attempting to use diet foods more frequently and attempting weight control because of their low satisfaction with their body type. On the other hand, a high level of interest in appearance failed to lead to the practice of a varied and balanced dietary life. Therefore, nutritional education is necessary to avoid a high level of interest in beauty care, leading to an incorrect perception of body shape and excessive weight control. Furthermore, nutrition education is necessary to link interest in appearance to the beauty of a healthy body based on nutritional balance by connecting the interest in appearance to a varied and balanced dietary life that goes beyond the category of practice.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.218-227
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• 2024

Objective: The aim of this research was to explore the effects of dietary substitution of alfalfa hay by amaranth hay on production performance, rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical parameters and antioxidant ability in dairy cows. Methods: A total of 45 healthy Holstein cows with same parity and similar milk yield and body weight were randomly divided into 3 groups: control diet without amaranth hay (CON) or 50% and 100% alfalfa hay replaced by an equal amount of amaranth hay (dry matter basis, AH1 and AH2, respectively). All the cows were fed regularly 3 times a day at 06:30, 14:30, and 22:30 and had free access to water. The experiment lasted for 60 d. Results: The dry matter intake of CON and AH1 groups was higher (p<0.05) than that of AH2 group. Compared with AH1 group, the milk yield of AH2 group was reduced (p<0.05). Moreover, dietary substitution of alfalfa hay by amaranth hay increased (p<0.05) milk fat, ammonia nitrogen and acetate concentrations. However, the crude protein digestibility of AH2 group was lower (p<0.05) than that of CON group, while an opposite tendency of serum urea nitrogen was found between two groups. The neutral detergent fiber digestibility of AH1 group was increased (p<0.05) when compared to AH2 group. Amaranth hay treatment increased (p<0.05) the serum concentration of glutathione peroxidase in dairy cows. Compared with CON group, the malonaldehyde activity of AH1 group was decreased (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dietary replacing alfalfa hay with amaranth hay (50% ratio) in dairy cows did not affect production performance but improved their antioxidant ability.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.353-373
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• 2023

Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made with salted fermented vegetables and contains various nutrients and functional substances with potential health benefits. The fermentation process used to make kimchi creates chemical changes in the food, developing nutrients and functional substances that are more easily absorbed and enhanced by the body. Recent studies have shown that several lactic acid bacteria strains isolated from kimchi exhibit probiotic properties and have several health benefiting properties such as such as anticancer, anti-obesity, and anti-constipation; they also promote colon health and cholesterol reduction in in vitro and in vivo experiments, as well as in epidemiological cohort studies. Kimchi contains prebiotics, non-digestible fibers that nourish beneficial gut bacteria; therefore, its intake effectively provides both probiotics and prebiotics for improved gut health and a fortified gut-derived immune system. Furthermore, fermentation of kimchi produces a variety of metabolites that enhance its functionality. These metabolites include organic acids, enzymes, vitamins, bioactive compounds, bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides, and γ-aminobutyric acid. These diverse health-promoting metabolites are not readily obtainable from single food sources, positioning kimchi as a valuable dietary option for acquiring these essential components. In this review, the health functionalities of kimchi ingredients, lactic acid bacteria strains, and health-promoting metabolites from kimchi are discussed for their properties and roles in kimchi fermentation. In conclusion, consuming kimchi can be beneficial for health. We highlight the benefits of kimchi consumption and establish a rationale for including kimchi in a balanced, healthy diet.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Happiness is an important factor in life, and food literacy (FL) has been emphasized as a core concept for a happy and healthy life. This study examined the level of happiness of Seoul citizens according to their sociodemographic factors and their association with FL. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study used the data from the Seoul Food Survey, a cross-sectional study conducted on 4,039 Seoul citizens from September to October 2021. FL was measured using a validated questionnaire consisting of 33 items from 3 sub-domains: 14 items in the nutrition and safety domain, 8 items in the cultural and relational domain, and 11 items in the socio-ecological domain. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Various sociodemographic factors, such as household income, subjective health status, and food insecurity, were found to be associated with the level of happiness. The level of FL was also associated with the happiness scores. After adjusting for variables associated with happiness, the participants with the highest quartile FL scores were 7.32 times more likely to respond that they were happy than those with the lowest FL score. Three FL domains and total FL showed linear increases in overall happiness after controlling for subjective health status and sociodemographic factors (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for the related covariates, higher levels of FL were associated with higher scores in happiness. Based on this study, it would be meaningful to evaluate ways to intervene in FL to improve the level of happiness among the general population.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.614-629
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• 2024

Hanwoo beef is in high demand because of its unique flavor, freshness, and high-fat content. However, the longer rearing period required to enhance marbling in Hanwoo cattle has adverse environmental consequences, such as greenhouse gas emissions and overall rearing costs. To address consumer preferences for leaner and healthier meat, the Korean meat industry has recently introduced Hanwoo heifer meat as an alternative source, but its quality traits are still unclear. Nevertheless, there is a limited body of research exploring the impact of Hanwoo gender (steer, heifer, and cow) and their corresponding slaughter ages on meat quality traits. This study looked into how gender affected the physicochemical and qualitative features of Hanwoo striploin at their respective slaughter ages. Results revealed that cow striploin has higher levels of moisture (66.81%) and protein (20.76%), whereas it contains lower levels of fat (10.66%) and cholesterol (34.66 mg/100 g). Regarding the physicochemical properties, cow striploin exhibited significantly lower shear force, color indexes, and soluble collagen (p < 0.05). However, chondroitin (1.19%) and muscle fiber area (1,545.23 ㎛²) were significantly higher in steer striploin than in heifer and cow (p < 0.05). Cow striploin exhibited significantly higher levels of oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) while having lower levels of eicosadienoic acid and atherogenic index compared to the other two groups. Cows and heifers had higher concentrations of amino acid metabolites than striploin from steers. Furthermore, bioactive metabolites such as carnitine and carnosine content were found higher in cow and heifer respectively. Overall, Hanwoo cattle gender influences the qualitative attributes of striploin; nevertheless, compared to steer and heifer striploin, cow striploin is a relatively good source of protein, fatty acid content, and metabolites conducive to a healthy diet.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2009

Purpose: Lymphonodular hyperplasia of the colon (LNHC) is a rare finding in children and its significance as a pathologic finding is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of LNHC by analyzing clinical and histopathologic findings in children with LNHC. Methods: We analyzed data from 38 patients who were confirmed to have LNHC by colonoscopy. We checked age, birth history, past history, family history, and clinical symptoms. A hematologic exam, stool exam, and image studies were performed and biopsy specimens were examined by a pathologist. All patients were asked to have short- and long-term follow-up. Results: The mean age of the patients was 12.5${\pm}$14.4 months. All patients presented with complaints of bloody stool. They appeared healthy and the hematologic findings were within a normal range, with the exception of one case. There was no other identified source of bleeding. On histologic exam, 36 patients (94.7%) had lymphoid follicles and 34 patients (84.5%) fulfilled the criteria of allergic colitis. Regardless of diet modification and presence of residual symptom, there was no recurrence of bloody stool through long-term follow-up in all patients. Conclusion: LNHC is more common in infants who are affected by allergic colitis, but it can appear even after infancy. LNHC should be regarded as the etiology when there are any other causes of rectal bleeding, especially in healthy children. We suggest that LNHC has a benign course regardless of diet modification and it might not require excessive concerns.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.742-755
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of the dietary guidelines for Koreans (DGK) among Korean adults based on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Methods: A total of 514 Korean adults aged 19-64 years completed a self-administered online questionnaire assessing their perceptions of DGK, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, and subjective assessments regarding the importance of 11 nutrients and 16 food groups. The differences in the perceptions of DGK according to the characteristics of the participants were analyzed using t-tests or ANOVA. Additionally, the differences in the subjective assessments of nutrients and food groups according to the perceptions of DGK were examined using t-tests. Results: The awareness of DGK was significantly higher among participants aged 50-64 years, living in single-person households, who were physically active, with a lower frequency of eating out, and with a higher interest in dietary information (p < 0.05 for all). The understanding of DGK was significantly higher among participants aged 19-29 years, females, individuals who were under or normal weight, non-smokers, those who self-evaluated their diet as healthy, and those with a high interest in dietary information (p < 0.05 for all). Additionally, the applicability of DGK was significantly higher among participants aged 50-64 years, who were physically active, who self-evaluated their diet as healthy, and who had a high interest in dietary information (p < 0.05 for all). Participants with a higher perception of DGK tended to attribute greater importance to most nutrients and food groups compared to those with a lower perception level. However, processed meat and foods, beverages, and alcoholic drinks consistently received lower importance ratings compared to other nutrients and food groups, regardless of the perception level. Conclusion: This research suggests that the perceptions of DGK among Korean adults may vary depending on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Consequently, there is a need to customize and diversify the methods for providing dietary guidelines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.862-870
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to verify the relation between vegetarian diet and the risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The subjects of the study were 127 Buddhist nuns (age:23～79y) from Oonmoon Temple in Choungdo District Gyeongsang Bookdoo Province and 118 Buddhist nuns practicing Zen meditation at Soodeok Temple in Yeosan District Chongcheong namdoo Province. For control subjects, 235 healthy female adults (age:23～79y) were selected. They were the teachers, the nurses of the hospital of Gyeongsang National university and the housekeepers living in chinju Gyeongsang Namdoo Province. The period of this study was from October 1996 to February 1997. The contents were consisted of food consumption survey, anthropometric measurement, estimating amount of energy expenditure, physical activity and clinical examination. Results were summarized as follows: The mean ages of the subjects were 44.2y for vegetarians and 40.5y for non-vegetarians, respectively. average body mass index (BMI) of vegetarians and non-vegetarians were 22.47 adn 21.08, WHR 0.85 and 0.84, percentage of body fat 28.79 and 26.55 respectively. The average duration of vegetarian diet of the vegetarians was 13.16 years. Levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index (AI), diastolic blood pressure, blood sugar and HDL-cholesterol of non-vegetarians were significantly higher (p<0.01) than those of vegetarians, but ration of HDLcholesterol/total-cholesterol was lower in non-vegetarians. In both of subjects, BMI, WHR, RBW, %BF had sig-nificant positive correlations with triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and AI. BMI, WHR had sig-nificant positive correlation with systolic blood pressure. BMI, WHR had significant negative correlation with HDL-cholesterol. In summary, vegetable diet can contribute to lowering serum lipid level, atherogenic index (AI),systolic blood pressure, blood sugar.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.337-346
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• 2010

We report non-specific immune responses and disease resistance against Vibrio anguillarum, Streptococcus iniae and Edwardsiella tarda by dietary supplementation of fermented garlic powder (FGP) in olive flounder for the first time. Four isonitrogenous (45% crude protein) and isocaloric (17.1 MJ/kg) diets were formulated to have 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% of the FGP (G-0, G-0.5, G-1 and G-2). The experimental diets were fed to juvenile olive flounder averaging 23.4 g in triplicate groups (90 fish/group) in a flow-through system. After a five-week feeding trial, healthy fish with similar sizes from each tank were selected and injected with 1 ml of three bacteria each to evaluate disease resistance of the fish. During the 5-week feeding trial, the weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, and survival of the fish were not significantly affected by the experimental diets. However, feed intake was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the fish fed the G-2 diet compared with the control group. Hemoglobin, myeloperoxidase activity, cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were not different between the dietary groups. However, hematocrit, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) activity, and lysozyme activity were increased (P<0.05) with an increment of dietary FGP. Plasma triglyceride of the fish fed the G-0.5 diet was significantly lower than that of fish fed the control diet. The cumulative mortality was lower in the fish fed diets containing FGP compared with the control group in the challenge test except for the bacteria Edwardsiella tarda. The results in this study indicate that dietary supplementation of FGP can enhance the non-specific immune responses and disease resistance of olive flounder against V. anguillarum and S. iniae.