• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the influences of hospital employees' daily life posture habits and work-related factors upon musculoskeletal subjective symptoms. Methods: This study was a descriptive survey study. Data were collected using structured a self-report questionnaire between April 1 and May 31, 2015. One hundred and ninety two employees were recruited in three hospitals. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, t-test, and binomial logistic regression. Results: The habit of leaning on one side and the habit of bending the back in an improper posture are key postures based on lifestyle affecting musculoskeletal subjective symptoms in neck, shoulders, arms, waist, and legs. Labours accompanying repeated arm movements for a long time are key work-related risk factors affecting musculoskeletal subjective symptoms in arms. Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that, to prevent musculoskeletal diseases, it is necessary to identify and mediate personal factors like daily life posture habits as well as work-related risk factors. They may be utilized as basic materials for education of musculoskeletal health promotion and development of life guidance programs.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for the development of general and oral health improvement programs for the elderly by analyzing the effect of health risk factors on the remaining teeth of the elderly in day care centers. Methods : The subjects were 294 elderly people who used day care centers in Seoul. Results : In terms of health risk factors, the elderly who did not have diabetes or smoke had more remaining teeth. In terms of oral health risk factors, the elderly with no dental caries, periodontal disease and dental pain had more remaining teeth. Conclusions : It is necessary to activate systematic welfare services for the elderly that fit their lifestyle in the light of the health and oral health risk factors of the elderly who use day care centers.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.225-235
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and factors associated with it among elders in a rural community. Methods: Data were collected from 683 subjects with a questionnaire, physical measurement, and blood test. The prevalence of the MS was determined by AHA/NHLBI and waist circumference cutoff points for Koreans. Results: The prevalence of the MS was 50.5% in total (41.6% in men, 56.3% in women) while the prevalence of 5 metabolic risk factors was 67.7% for elevated blood pressure, 51.0% for low HDL-cholesterol, and 50.2% for abdominal obesity. Risk factors associated with the prevalence of the MS included family history, BMI, and physical activity; significant factors associated with that of metabolic components included family history, BMI, smoking, drinking, and physical activity. Especially, a higher BMI was a strong risk factor of the prevalence of abdominal obesity as well as the MS and its components. Conclusion: The findings indicate that nurses should care for elders based on each metabolic component regarding its prevalence level and concentrate primarily on reducing elevated blood pressure, low HDL-cholesterol by controlling the main risk factor, abdominal obesity through lifestyle modification.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.423-432
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• 2014

Objective and Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of individual characteristics, work-related factors, lifestyle factors, and health problems with work ability among aging workers in Korea. Method: In this cross-sectional survey, the study population consisted of 1,594 workers who had participated in a voluntary health promotion center and private workplace. Participants completed the work ability index. Results: The mean WAI score was 37.4, while the mean age of the sample was 43.25. In the age group over 50 showed 36.26. The majority of participants rated their work ability as 'good' to 'excellent', one-third moderate and about 7.5% poor. Work ability decreased significantly with age among the men. The younger group had higher scores on the work ability index than the age group over 50, except for mental resources. By work characteristics, work ability was analyzed to be the lowest in the case of work handling heavy stuff. Lastly, as a result of health factors analysis, the good management and retention of current health status can be the measure helpful to the improvement of work ability. Conclusion and Application: According to the results, it can be a basic principle to devise and enforce preventive measures on the factors for which improvement or action is possible, together with workplace-level systematic approach, in order to improve work ability. For such measures to be realized, it is necessary to check trends in change for several years.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.218-222
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• 2023

A holistic approach to diabetes considers patient preferences, emotional health, living conditions, and other contextual factors, in addition to medication selection. Human and social factors influence treatment adherence and clinical outcomes. Social issues, cost of care, out-of-pocket expenses, pill burden (number and frequency), and injectable drugs such as insulin, can affect adherence. Clinicians can ask about these contextual factors when discussing treatment options with patients. Patients' emotional health can also affect diabetes self-care. Social stressors such as family issues may impair self-care behaviors. Diabetes can also lead to emotional stress. Diabetes distress correlates with worse glycemic control and lower overall well-being. Patient-centered communication can build the foundation of a trusting relationship with the clinician. Respect for patient preferences and fears can build trust. Relevant communication skills include asking open-ended questions, expressing empathy, active listening, and exploring the patient's perspective. Glycemic goals must be personalized based on frailty, the risk of hypoglycemia, and healthy life expectancy. Lifestyle counseling requires a nonjudgmental approach and tactfulness. The art of diabetes care rests on clinicians perceiving a patient's emotional state. Tailoring the level of advice and diabetes targets based on a patient's personal and contextual factors requires mindfulness by clinicians.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.67-75
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the clinical factors that contribute to age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass (ALSMM) among young Korean male adults. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 955 men aged between 20-29 years. They underwent screening to assess the ALSMM. The study examined a variety of factors, including age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), lifestyle-related habits such as smoking and drinking status, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, as well as the serum triglyceride and total cholesterol (TC) levels. RESULTS: The variables that displayed significant associations with ALSMM were height, weight, BMI, WC, SMI, FBG, TC, DBP, and alcohol consumption (p < .05). Serum triglyceride levels, SBP, and smoking status did not exhibit statistical significance (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The study identified the contributing factors associated with the ALSMM in community-dwelling young adult males. These findings would enrich the current body of literature on ALSMM and provide potential risk factors associated with its development in young Korean males.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.43-58
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• 2012

This study was designed to investigate the impact of a 12-week nutrition education program on 32 male industrial workers (average age: $44.5{\pm}3.8$ yrs, work duration period: $20.1{\pm}5.6$ yrs) diagnosed as having dyslipidemia in a medical checkup at their workplace. This program was implemented with a conceptual framework on strengthening self-efficacy for the improvement of the health conditions of the workers. Most of all, the study exhibited benefits in the industrial workers by ameliorating the risk factors associated with dyslipidemia via changes in dietary behaviors, nutritional knowledge, and attitudes, as well as anthropometric and biochemical parameters. After the nutrition education, overall lifestyle, including the ratios of smoking (P<0.05) and drinking (P<0.01), significantly improved. Exactly 65.6% of the subjects reported that their dietary habits changed. Body weight, BMI, percentage of body fat, and waist circumference all significantly decreased (P<0.001). The systolic (P<0.01) as well as diastolic blood pressures (P<0.001) decreased. Moreover, the degree of increase in serum HDL-cholesterol was appreciable (P<0.001), and the atherogenic index also decreased (P<0.01). Further, risk factors related to metabolic syndrome in subjects significantly decreased (P<0.001). The average scores for nutrition knowledge increased from 9.3 to 17.7 points (P<0.001). All of the participants agreed on the need for a nutrition education program at their workplace. Further, it should be pointed out that the participants strongly indicated the need for continuing nutrition intervention.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.531-541
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• 2007

This study was conducted to determine factors affecting detection threshold and the optimally-preferred concentration for sweet taste, since investigation into factors decreasing sensitivity or increasing preference for sweet taste is important to prevent overconsumption of simple sugar. Subjects were 70 first-grade middle school students in the Gyeonggi-Do. The detection threshold concentration of sucrose solution and the optimally-preferred sucrose concentration of omija jelly were determined by sensory evaluation. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the information regarding health-related lifestyle practices, dietary habits, preference for and eating frequency of Westernized foods and frequencies of eating foods other than home-made. The detection threshold concentration of sucrose solution and the optimally-preferred sucrose concentration of omija jelly of the subjects were 0.204% and 14.44%, respectively. Subjects who exercise less (< 30 minutes/week except PE class), skipping meals (${\geq}$ 3/week), type of breakfast rather than traditional Korean meal and frequent eating out and buying foods from school tuck-shop tended to have higher sweet taste threshold. There was significant positive correlation between the sucrose threshold concentration and fried chicken preference or eating frequency of hamburger. Those who exercise less (< 30 minutes/week except PE class) did have significantly higher optimally-preferred sweetness of omija jelly, which tended to be higher in the subjects who had more (${\geq}$ 4 out of 10) behavioral or psychological stress symptoms and who had early getting-up time (before 7 am). There was significant positive correlations between the optimally-preferred sweetness of omija jelly and pizza preference, instant noodle eating frequency or sum of eating frequencies of five fast foods. From the results of this study, it was suggested that middle school students should make efforts to stop skipping meals, exercise more, eat Korean traditional breakfast and reduce the frequencies of eating out and using instant/fast foods in order to prevent overconsumption simple sugar.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 2016

Purpose: Only a few studies have explored nationwide trends in lipid profiles among Asian adolescents. We aimed to assess trends in lipid profiles and the associated lifestyle factors among Korean children. Methods: We analyzed data for 2,094 adolescents who were aged 10-18 years and had participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 1998 and 2010. Results: During 1998-2010, the prevalence of obesity significantly increased in boys, but no changes were observed in girls. Over this period, there was a small but significant decrease in the mean lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol level in boys (1998, 87.5 mg/dL; 2010, 83.6 mg/dL; P=0.019) and mean triglyceride levels in girls (1998, 90.8 mg/dL; 2010, 85.8 mg/dL; P=0.020). There were no significant changes in the prevalence of dyslipidemia in boys, but a modest decrease was noted in girls (1998, 25.1%; 2010, 18.3%; P=0.052). During the study period, the prevalence of breakfast skipping decreased, whereas that of regular exercise increased in both groups. Daily total energy intake did not change between these years. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, breakfast skipping was associated with increased risk of hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia in boys (odds ratio [OR], 5.77) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR, 2.27) in girls. Regular exercise was associated with decreased risk of hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia (OR, 0.40) in boys. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of obesity in boys increased, favorable or constant trends in lipid profiles were observed among Korean adolescents during 1998-2010. Decrease in breakfast skipping and increase in regular exercise may have contributed to these trends.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2007-2017
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• 2016

Background: Modifying lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can reduce the risk of cancer. Psychological stress (PS) might be indirectly associated with cancer because it alters lifestyle factors. However, the relationship among these variables has not been fully investigated. Thus, we examined interactions between self-reported PS (SRPS) and habitual exercise on diet. Materials and Methods: In all, 5,587 men and 2,718 women were divided into "exerciser" and :non-exerciser" groips, based on whether they exercised reguarly, and classified into three SRPS levels: low, moderate and high. Diet was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Using a general linear model, food and nutrient consumption was estimated for each SRPS level in the 2 exercise groups, and the interactions between SRPS levels and exercise were calculated. Results: In women, the intake of pork and beef, low fat milk and yogurt, natto (fermented soybean), carrots and squash, other root vegetables, mushrooms, seaweeds, and wine along with the nutrients vegetable protein, soluble, insoluble and total dietary fiber, daidzein, genistein, carotene, retinol equivalents, vitamin B2, pantothenic acid, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron demonstrated significant interaction with SRPS and habitual exercise (p for interaction <0.05). In men, raw and green leafy vegetable and fruit and vegetable juice significantly interacted with SRPS and habitual exercise (p for interaction <0.05). Conclusions: We suggest that certain foods and nutrients, which are thought to have a protective effect against cancer, interact with SRPS and habitual exercise, especially in women. This information is valuable for understanding and improving interventions for cancer prevention.