• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.561-572
• /
• 2008

Currently, Korea is facing dramatic nutrition transition among children, which may increase risk of degenerative diseases due to excessive intakes of fats, sugars and sodium. Promotion of eating healthier foods among children is difficult because the present nutrition label is not easily understood. Therefore, to promote healthier foods this study was aimed at developing guidance of standard amounts of high, medium and low levels of sugars, sodium, fats and other components contained in foods or drinks that are promoted to or formulated for consumption by children. Multipronged approach was used to collecting information, including key word searches in Medline and other databases, internet searches, reports from world organization, and contact of key individuals who work in organizations. We reviewed dietary reference intakes for Koreans, nutrient reference values, nutrient content claims of nutrition labeling, guideline daily amounts of United Kingdom, dietary guidelines and consumption data of nutrients, and selected components for labeling. And we decided goals of guideline daily amounts for children and nutrient criteria to underpin the high, medium and low content of each component. Then we collected data on processed foods sold at 12 middle schools and 11 high schools in Seoul, and classified processed foods into food category. Sales per one student per day were in the order of snacks, breads, and non-carbonated drinks. One hundred forty five mostly consumed products were selected and classified into criteria of high, medium and low total fat or sodium. Eighty five(58.6%) were classified into high fat food and only 11(7.6%) into high sodium food, in case that the base is chosen per 100 g or 100 mL. In conclusion, the nutrient criteria and choice of 100 g base, which we suggest in this study, need to be tested by simulation with more processed foods and refined in view of the practical issues suggested by stakeholders in future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.205-213
• /
• 2002

Objective : Whether exposure to chronic noise induces an increase in blood pressure, or the development of hypertension, has not been established. A cohort study was performed to identify the effects of chronic noise exposure on blood pressure. Methods : 530 males working at a metal manufacturing factory in Busan, Korea were enrolled for the study. They were monitored for 9 consecutive years, from 1991 to 1999, with an annual health check-up. The subjects were divided into 4 groups, which were determines by noise level categories(NLC) according to noise intensity ; NLC-I: office workers, exposed to noise a level below 60dB(A) ; NLC-II: field technical supporters or supervisors, frequently exposed to workplace noise, wearing no hearing protection device; NLC-III: workers, exposed to workplace noise below 85dB(A), wearing ear plugs or muffs; NLC-IV: workers, exposed to workplace noise over 85 dB(A), wearing both ear plugs and muffs. Results : After controlling possible confoundens, such as baseline age, smoking, alcohol intake, exercise, family history of hypertension, systolic(SBP) of diastolic blood pressure(DBP) and changes in BMI (body mass index), the pooled mean for the systolic blood pressures, over the duration of the study period, were 3.8mmHg, 2.0mmHg and 1.7mmHg higher in NLC-IV, NLC-III NLC-II groups, respectively, than in the NLC-I group. There were no significant differences in the diastolic blood pressures between the groups. Conclusion : This study suggests that chronic noise exposure increases systolic blood pressure independently, among male workers.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.2951-2957
• /
• 2015

The development of worldwide harmful algal blooms(HAB) is a serious problem for public health and fisheries industries. To evaluate the algicidal impact on the HAB species, algicide thiazolidinedione derivative (TD49) and yellow clay were examined, which is focus on assess the algicidal effects and inhibition to photosynthesis of HAB species. To obtain the detailed information, we analyzed the viability of target species related to activity Chl. a, photosynthetic efficiency($F_v/F_m$), and electron transport rate(ETR). Culture experiment was conducted to evaluate the algicidal effects of three harmful species(raphidophyceae Heterosigma akashiwo, Chattonella marina, and dinophyceae Heterocapsa circularisquama) and one non-harmful species (cryptophyceae Rhodomonas salina). Our experiments revealed that three HAB species were easily destroyed of the cell walls after TD49 dosing. Also, they had significantly reducing values of active Chl. a, $F_v/F_m$, and ETR, due to the damage of photosystem II by inter-cellular disturbance. As a result, the algicidal effect(%) for the three HABs were as follows, in the order of greatest to the least: H. circularisquama> C. marina> H. akashiwo. However, the algicidal effect for yellow clay remained to be <30% (p>0.01), implying that it may not have damaged the photosystem II. On the other hand, non-HAB R. salina was promoted at both TD49 and yellow clay treatments. Our results demonstrated that the TD49 is a good agent for the control of HABs H. akashiwo, C. marina, and H. circularisquama, whereas the yellow clay would not be suitable for the field application based on our experimental results.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.235-243
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the oral symptoms, self-rated systemic health state and oral health status of industrial workers in a bid to provide some information on oral health education geared toward industrial workers. The subjects in this study were 294 workers who got a medical checkup in Korea Industrial Health Association in North Gyeongsang Province. Those who felt less inconveniences in the oral cavity led a better quality of life related to oral health in every area except physical handicaps (p<.001, p<.01). The men's OHIP-14 was higher than the women's, and the younger workers led a better quality of life related to oral health in the area of social separation(p<.01), and the married ones did in the area of physical handicaps, mental disorder and social separation(p<.05). And the workers whose household income was larger lived a better quality of life related to oral health in the areas of Psychological discomfort, physical handicaps, mental disorder, social disorder and social separation(p<.05). Those who found themselves to be generally in good health(p<.001, p<.05) and whose subjective oral health state was led a better quality of life in every area(p<.001, p<.05). The findings of the study showed that there were differences in the quality of life according to awareness of oral symptoms, general health status and oral health state.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.12 no.11
• /
• pp.4985-4994
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of knowledge, health belief and sick role behavior, and the influencing factors on them among the patients with coronary artery disease. The study subjects were 168 patients diagnosed as having coronary artery disease at a university hospital during the period from July 1st, to August 31th, 2010. As a results, Based on the mean scores of knowledge about coronary artery disease according to the general characteristics, they were significantly higher in males than in females(p=0.033). The mean scores of health belief were significantly higher according to age decrease(p=0.043). The mean scores of sick role behaviors were significantly higher in females than in males(p=0.006), with their increasing tendency in the age range from 40's to 60's and decreasing tendency in the age over 70's(p=0.015), the group with religion were significantly higher than the one without(p=0.050). In terms of the mean scores of knowledge and sick role behaviors about coronary artery disease according to the related characteristics, there was a significant difference with the time period elapsed after diagnosed as coronary artery disease, frequency of admissions, perception about the disease, information gathering through mass com. but in terms of those of health belief, there was a not significant difference in all the variables. The significantly influencing factors on degree of knowledge by multivariate regression analysis included degree of perception about a disease, scores of sick role behavior, presence of coronary artery diseases in a family or friends, and the time period elapsed after diagnosed as having coronary artery disease. Those on health belief included age and scores of sick role behavior, and those on sick role behaviors included score of knowledge, perception about a disease, age, BMI, and religion. The results showed a significant difference with their general characteristics or coronary artery disease-related factors.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.824-829
• /
• 2011

In recent years, there has been an increasing public concern about fecal contamination of water, air and agricultural produce by pathogens residing in organic fertilizers such as manure, compost and agricultural by-products. Efforts are now being made to control or eliminate the pathogen populations at on-farm level. Development of efficient on-farm strategies to mitigate the potential risk posed by the pathogens requires data about how the pathogens prevail in livestock manure composts and organic fertilizers. Microbiological analysis of livestock manure composts and organic fertilizers obtained from 32 and 28 companies, respectively, were conducted to determine the total aerobic bacteria count, coliforms, Escherichia coli count and the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Cronobacter sakazakii. The total aerobic bacteria counts in the livestock manure composts and organic fertilizers were in the range of 7 to $9log\;CFU\;g^{-1}$ and 4 to $6log\;CFU\;g^{-1}$, respectively. In the livestock manure composts, coliforms and E. coli were detected in samples obtained from 4 and 2 companies, respectively, in the range of 2 to $5log\;CFU\;g^{-1}$ and $2log\;CFU\;g^{-1}$. In the organic fertilizers, coliforms and E. coli were detected in samples obtained from 4 and 1 companies, respectively, in the range of 1 to $3log\;CFU\;g^{-1}$ and $2log\;CFU\;g^{-1}$. In 3 out 32 compost samples, B. cereus was detected, while other pathogens were not detected. In 28 organic fertilizers, no pathogens were detected. The complete composting process can result in the elimination of pathogens in livestock manure compost and organic fertilizer. The results of this study could help to formulate microbiological guidelines for the use of compost in environmental-friendly agriculture. This research provides information regarding microbiological quality of livestock manure compost and organic fertilizer.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.83-101
• /
• 1981

Under the full consideration of the growing need and importance of population education in the field of home economics in Korea, the study was carried out to verify and assess the following facts on the current issues of population education of home economists who are presently engaging in teaching professions as the teachers of middle and high school and professors of college and universities by setting its primary objectives of the study as followings; 1) to assess the degree of general knowledge and attitudes of home economists toward population education in the field of home economics, 2) to verify the problems encountered in implementing population education by home economists in its field, 3) to find an existing status of previous trainings received and other activities of population education of home economists aimed at utilizing these findings as a part of reference materials when the population education is conducted in the field of home economics. In order to attain these objectives described above, the questionnaire was carefully designed to house a total of 40 questions with good combination of multiple-choice and the simple answer questions. The mail questionnaire survey was conducted by establishing teachers of home economics at middle/high schools and college/universities as Senior Home Economists(SHE) who are from public, private liberal arts and vocational schools. The rate of response observed during the survey was 45.6 percent and the findings of the survey research are as follows: 1) Examining the status of the respondents by residence and religion, it was found that 45 percent of middle & high school teachers ar.d 59. 1 percent of college professors are residing in Seoul city area and that the largest percent of them are christian in their religion. Analyzing respondents by their ages, 56 percent of middle/high school teachers are in their 30s, 45 percent of college professors are in their 40s, and 37 percent of college teachers are in their 30s. In addition, 13 percent of the total respondents are found to be unmarried. The study also revealed that 71 percent of the college professors finished Master Degree course and 82 percent of middle/high school teachers are graduated from college level lasting 4 years. Looking over the status cf major fields of respondents, 68.4 percent of middle/high school teachers are specialized in home economic education and the college professors, on the other hand, show relatively even prortion by specializing in the order of food & nutrition science, clothes & textile science and home managerial science. As far as the length of teaching experience is concerned, a relatively longer period of teaching experience is observed in the college professors in comparison with that of middle/high school teachers. In other words, 33.3 percent of middle/high school teachers are experienced in teaching from 6 to 10 years on average while 43.9 percent of college professors show more than 16 years of experience. 2) Examining the status of existing number of children cf the respondents, one boy and one daughter pattern is predominant, showing 28.5 percent in middle/high school teachers and 21.1 percent in college professors. As for the desired number of children of unmarried respondents, it is observed that 43.8 percent of middle/high school teachers desire to have one boy and one girl, and 31.3 percent of college professors want to have one child regardless of the sex. By assessing the degree of awareness of the population education through their students, it is observed that 53 percent of middle/high school teachers and 50 percent of college professors are aware of population education in some extent and that a majority of respondents took the positive attitudes toward an inclusion of family planning components into the formal school education. Another noteworthy to observe is that a total of 84.8 percent out of middle/high school teachers pointed that the population education currently conducted at schools as a part of home economics are less sufficient than it should be. 3) Analyzing the tendency as to whether the respondents were experienced in receiving population education during the time when they were students, 75 percent of college professors and 59 percent of middle/high school teachers responded negative answers in the survey. In the mean time, a total of 50 percent of the respondents replied that they began to acknowledge the importance of population education mainly through the participation of some sort of population-education orientend seminars, experienced by 40 percent of college professors and 80 percent of middle/high school teachers. 4) What it calls attention in this study was to find that 96.5 percent of middle/high school teachers and 72 percent of college professors conduct population education to some extent during their lecture hours and that more than 80 percent of them are never experienced in teaching population and family planning contents in their regular classes. It is, on the other hand, found that no more than once was the response of those who believe themselves that they are experienced in teaching these relevant components to their students. Analyzing the contents of the subjects being taught in the class, a large percent of them are found to be consisted of population and family planning contents. According to this study, the current population education through the formal school is quite inactive. Analyzing the facts, 44.9 percent of the college professors responded that the population and family planning components are quite apart from their specialization which eventually generates lack of interest in the field. 5) It is also noticed through the study that the degree of frequency of commenting on population and family planning contents during the classes was depending significantly on their specializations which means that the degree of frequency varies from a major to another. Those who majored in home managerial science was the first one, as compared to others who majored in different specializations. Glancing over the status of correlations between ages of the respondents and numbers of seminar paticipation, it is quite clear that the aged group participated more than the younger group did, and that the most highest number of participations made by college professors were those who are in 50s. In addition, it is also found that those who are aged 20s and 60s of the respondents were the group who comments least on the contents of population and family planning at their classes. The suggestions and recommendation made through this survey research are as follows. 1) No one denies that the rapid increase of population, as compared to the limited size of land and resources, will certainly affect adversly to an enhancement of individual life quality which will, eventually, bring forth the poverty of the nation. This is the reasson why we are insisting that the world population be controlled up to an optimum level with a matter of global concerns. It is our understading that the primary aim for reducing number of population is believed to be attained only by conducting the systematic and comprehensive population education through the formal schools. Therefore, the role of home economists in the field of population/family planning education is considered very importment due to the fact that an ultimate goal of population education is placed in elevating the quality of family life by having optimum number of children through family planning program. 2) It is quite clear that home economists as teachers of formal school in all level are invited to pay their attention on redefining the ultimate goal of education and that of population education. We also understant that the primary objective of population education is to change the norm and value of the clients by replenishing the students with pertinent knowledge and attitudes on population and its related problems through a sort of education in order to attain the ultimate goal for enhancing the quality of life. There is no exception in the theory of home economics. An altimate goal of home economics is to elevate the general quality of life through an establishment of value existed in daily life. Considering the relations between population education and home economics, it is quite indespensable to bandle population components as an integral part in the field of home economics. We believe, therefore, that the senior home economists positive participation in the effort population control is more needed than it has been. 3) It is also strongly urged that population education should be a part of instructor training course for home economics. In other words, the teacher of home economics should be well aware of population and its problems by teaching interrelationship between population education and home economics, needs, contents and methods of population education during the instructor training courese for home economics. In addition, the senior home economists should be encouraged through positive participation on the short term training by types of domestic and international seminar, workshop, etc. 4) We certainly believe that the population education can not sustain itself without any backing-up of information and findings' of various and comprehensive researches of natural and social sciences. Accordingly, every senior home economist is invited to exert their maximum effort to conduct systematic study with an aim to utilize these findings and information at best in population education in the field of home economics. Therefore, we consider that the development of training material is imminent in order to provide effective and efficient population education through the for training of home economies. It should be noted that these training materials must be carefully designed, tailored and developed to meet the different classes of trainees under the considerations as to whether it is easily adaptable and infusable into the curricula of every field of home economics, and it is acceptable in the degree of difficulty and quality in its contents. 5) It is true that there are many domestic and international research rapers, reports and findings in the field of population education and family planning. However, there is a tendency that the most of research papers are heavily relying on the authors intension and preferences in its expression and publication. Under these circumstances, it is urged that the home economists should aware of the growing need of the technical training in order to keep these available information and research findings reprocessed and redesigned to insure the practical application into the population education in the field of home economics in Korea.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.118-126
• /
• 2014

A survey was conducted on perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of elementary, middle, and high school students, who will lead public opinion in the future, regarding irradiated food, nuclear power generation, and medical radiation. These topics urgently require general social acceptability among various fields in which radiation is used. Educational methods to enhance social acceptability were partially discovered. First, it is necessary to implement different strategies when designing courses for female and male students. Male students have higher levels of objective knowledge (p<0.039) of irradiated food, necessity (p<0.001) and objective knowledge (p<0.001) of nuclear power generation, approval of building a nuclear power plant in the nation (p<0.001), necessity (p<0.001) and objective knowledge (p<0.001) of medical radiation, and attitudes regarding using medical radiation (p<0.007, p<0.001). Second, the educational effect of explanations to help increase national understanding of the necessity and safety of nuclear power generation will increase if information on the necessity and safety of medical radiation is provided as well. Both male and female students perceived that medical radiation is the most necessary (p<0.001), medical radiation is the safest (p<0.001), and nuclear power generation is the least safe (p<0.013). Moreover, the correlation between medical radiation and nuclear power generation was the highest. Third, there is a need for different lectures between classes, since the patterns of perception vary according to the field of radiation use among elementary, middle, and high school students. Elementary school students had high interest in education on nuclear power generation (p<0.005), perceived that irradiated food is safe (p<0.001), and had the most positive attitude toward consuming irradiated food (p<0.001). Middle school students had high interest in education on nuclear power generation (p<0.018), perceived that nuclear power generation (p<0.001) and medical radiation (p<0.002) are safe, and had the most positive attitude toward using radiation for treatment (p<0.001). High school students had the highest level of objective knowledge on nuclear power generation (p<0.001) and medical radiation (p<0.001), and perceived that medical radiation is the most necessary (p<0.017); however, they perceived that nuclear power generation is the least safe (p<0.001). Attitudes toward irradiated food intake (p<0.001) and approving construction of a nuclear power plant in their neighborhood (p<0.001) were both low. Fourth, it is necessary to provide educational programs to change perceptions and improve attitudes rather than providing education focused on objective knowledge. There was no correlation between objective knowledge and necessity of irradiated food, objective knowledge and safety and interest in education on nuclear power generation, and objective knowledge and interest in education and information acquirement regarding medical radiation. In particular, high school students had the highest level of objective knowledge and yet had the least positive attitudes toward approving construction of nuclear power plants in their neighborhood and intake of irradiated food. Therefore, to increase the social acceptability of using nuclear energy and radiation in Korea, it is desirable to provide strategic educational programs to improve perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes regarding the necessity and safety of their use.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.280-294
• /
• 2001

Despite to the reality that the outbreaks from flood poisoning in Korea have been continuously increasing in the last two decades, it was very much neglected even in the public health field in Korea. Food poisoning outbreaks resulted in many cases not only in the damage of health but also in the death of many lives. However, this problem can be effectively solved by effects through health education activities, but not solely by the legal measures. This study was carried out to provide information that can be used in planning health education programs and proposing new rules to prevent any possible outbreaks from flood poisoning. The main problems contributing to flood poisoning outbreaks in an institutional setting or school catering and at home were reviewed and analyzed through the epidemiological investigations and articles related to flood poisoning in the last a decade (1991 ∼ 2000). Accordingly, the data presented in this study are sufficient to show and prove the significant trends in food poisoning accidents in Korea. The major findings investigated in this study are as follows. The frequency of food poisoning accidents as well as the number of victims have continuously increased in Korea. The number of victims per food poisoning accident is also increased from 20 persons in 1990 to 69.8 persons in 2000. Therefore, we should realize that the group poisoning outbreaks occur more frequently and the size of group poisoning accidents is getting larger. Among four seasons, the food poisoning accidents occurred more frequently in the summer (May ∼September) until 1997, However, after 1997, the food poisoning accidents occurred evenly in three seasons except the winter. The most important bacteria that cause food poisoning in Korea were Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. They occupied 85∼90% of the rates of accidents and the number of victims.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.16-22
• /
• 2009

Purpose: To update the epidemiologic information of hepatobiliary diseases in pediatric inpatients using cross-sectional survey data throughout the Republic of Korea. Methods: Nationwide cross-sectional survey was obtained from the 85 residency training hospitals in Korea to gather the final diagnosis on discharge. The surveyed periods were from 2004 to 2006. All the reports regarding the diagnosis were based on ICD-10 system. In this study, we focused on hepatobiliary diseases. Results: A total of 826,896 cases with discharge data were collected, of which 4,151 (5.0%) hepatobiliary cases were identified; 2,385 cases (57.4%) of hepatobiliary disease were hepatitis, which was the most common hepatobiliary disease. Other diseases included congenital hepatobiliary diseases (524 cases [12.6%]) and biliary diseases (315 cases [7.6%]). The prevalence of hepatobiliary disease according to age differed. Biliary atresia was the most common hepatobiliary disease in the neonatal period, whereas the prevalence of hepatitis increased in adolescents. The total number of hepatobiliary operations was 416 cases. With the comparison of annual data, there was no definite difference in the total number of hepatobiliary cases. The average duration of hospital stay appeared to decrease gradually. Conclusion: In this study, we have summarized the recent epidemiology of hepatobiliary disorders in Korean children based on discharge data. Hepatobiliary disorders in pediatric inpatient units consisted of diverse disorders with a low prevalence, so multi-center approaches should be considered to enhance the clinical and public health outcomes. To improve this nationwide survey, a new data collecting system should be developed.