• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.24 no.3 s.35
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• pp.356-362
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• 1991

This study was performed to identify the maternal risk factors for the low birth weight. During the period from February to June in 1991, the medical record review and questionnaire interview were conducted upon the 465 pregnant women who were admitted to and delivered a baby in 3 general hospitals and an obstetric hospital in Kwangju area. The health and other related information from women who bore the low birth weight infant was compared with those from women who bore the normal birth weight infant. The results obtained were as follows : 1. Maternal age, low body weight at term, illegitimate birth, and maintaining work activity during pregnancy were positively associated with low birth weight. 2. The positive association was revealed between low birth weight and the previous abortion, short gestational weeks, anemia, low maternal weight gain during pregnancy, the obstetric present illness and hypertension. 3. Some maternal working conditions were associated with low birth weight although statistically not significant. 4. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, gestational weeks and maternal weight gain during pregnancy were related with low birth weight.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.251-257
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• 1984

Low birth weight baby, defined as the baby born with less than or equal to 2,500g of body weight by WHO has been a great concern in the fold of maternal and child health since the low birth weight is a major cause of high perinatal mortality. Any measure to prevent the low birth weight baby is most desirable not only for saving the life of a baby but also for levelling up the health of the whole society. The authors attempted to figure out how some known maternal risk factors are related to the low birth weight and to measure their strengh of associations in terms of relative risk using hospital birth records. For this study, hospital birth records of 66 low birth weight cases and sex-parity matched 198 normal controls were chosen from Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical Center, and the data were analyzed in regards to several maternal factors. The risk factors studied were mother's age, mother's ABO blood type, previous histories of abortion, low birth weight baby, fetal wastage, and maternal diseases represented by anemia, hypertension, proteinuria, and glucosuria. The results obtained in this study were as follows: 1. The mean body weight of the cases and controls were 1,955g and 3,251g, respectively, and the heights were 41cm for cases and 50cm for controls. Mean gestation periods of cases and controls were 34 weeks and 39 weeks, respectively. 2. Young mother(less than or equal to 20 years of age) or old mother(more than or equal to 30 years of age) experienced more frequently the delivery of low birth weight babies than mothers in between 21 and 29 years of age. But the difference was not statistically significant. 3. Mothers whose blood type was O tended to have slighty higher frequency of low birth weight babies while B mothers have lower frequency. But the difference was not statistically significant too. 4. Those mothers who had experienced low birth weight baby in the past tended to give more births of low birth weight babies. This factor is even statistically significant and the relative risk of the prior experience of low birth weight was 6.7. 5. Mothers with experience of fetal losses and mothers of more than two pregnancies had higher frequency of low birth weight than the mothers with no fatal losses and of first pregnancy, but the difference was not statistically significant. 6. Statistically significant higher frequency of low birth weight were found in mothers with hypertension(odds ratio=4.07), anemia(odds ratio=22,33), and proteinuria(odds ratio=2.79). In summary, these study results strongly suggest that in order to prevent the low birth weight, special care should be made when the mother is too young or too old, and when the mother has experienced deliveries of low birth weight and fetal deaths. Medical control for the maternal diseases such as anemia and hypertension is also needed before or during the pregnency.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.233-236
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• 2008

In recent years, Korea has experienced a steadily declining birth rate, which is a serious social problem in the country. Although living conditions have improved, the birth rates for low birth weight infants and preterm babies has increased because more and more women choose to give birth later in life and the social environment has changed. The rise in low birth weight infants may increase infant mortality rates and morbidity rates. However, the recent improvements in neonatal care has elevated the survival rate of low birth weight infants up to 90 percent and lowered the weight of the very low birth weight infants that can now be saved. In this study, we used dynamic population statistics from the Korea National Statistical Office, which represents the current trend of social stratification and the population of this period. We analyzed birth records for a seven-year period and studied the changes in the delivery rate of preterm and low birth weight infants and the problems related to those changes. The results show that the rate of low birth weight infants has increased from 3.79% to 4.35% for the past seven years. The rate of preterm babies rose from 3.79% to 4.89%. The number of babies born from mothers aged 35 or more went up from 6.69% to 11.83% of the total number of the babies born. As maternal age has risen, the risks of delivering a preterm or low birth weight infant have also increased.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 2011

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of low weight and to investigate related factors contributing to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: From the database of the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-IV), the researchers selected 2,964 older adults aged over 65. The original study was a population-based epidemiological survey of health and nutrition with a stratified multistage clustered probability design. Data were analyzed using ${\chi}^2$-test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: The prevalence of low weight in older adults was 4.7%. The prevalence of low weight was different according to demographic characteristics. That is, the rate was higher in male elders, older ones, and rural residents. In the cases of current smoking, frequent alcohol consumption and no chronic disease, the prevalence of low weight was higher. Age, gender, area of residence, and current smoking were found to be contributing factors to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. Conclusion: The result of this study provides important insights into possible reasons for low weight in community- dwelling older adults and suggests that low weight should be considered in promoting older adults' health.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.580-590
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• 2003

Purpose: The study investigates the degree of maternal self-esteem, postpartal depression, and family function in mothers of normal and of low birth-weight infants. Method: A retrospective cohort design was applied to compare the variables of interest between a group of 73 mothers with normal birth weight infants and a group of 45 mothers with low birth-weight infants, using the maternal self-report inventory(MSRV), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale(EPDS) and Family APGAR(FAPGAR). Result: The total mean score was 82.57 for MSRV, 8.45 for EPDS, and 6.83 for FAPGAR with no differences between two groups. A positive correlation was found between MSRV and FAPGAR, while a negative correlations between MSRV and EPDS, and FAPGAR and EPDS. Regardless of the direction of the relationship, the degrees of the correlations were stronger in low birth-weight mothers group than in normal group. Conclusion: No differences in MSRV, EPDS and FAPGAR between the normal and the low birth-weight group considered as beneficial effects of the follow-up management which low birth-weight group was engaged in. This suggested the early intervention(follow-up) for the family with risk factor(low birth-weight) could reduce negative outcomes such as the impaired maternal self-esteem and family function, and the occurrence of postpartal depression, retrospectively.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 1993

This study examines the high school girls in Inchon area dividing them into three groups according to their weight, the low-weight group, the normal weight group and the overweight group to find out their food habit and food preference. The result reveals that more students from the low-weight group have breakfast regularly than those from the other two groups, and more students from the low-weight and normal weight groups always have lunch. However, none of the students from those three groups skip their suppers. This study also shows that there are more students from the overweight group having snacks, and more students from the low-weight have the unbalanced diet problem than those from the other two groups. Next, this study examines their attitude toward breakfast. It seems that all the students from three different groups similarly regard breakfast as a very important meal. Additionally in deciding what to eat, the taste of food is considered as the most important factor for them all. In their preference of food taste, there seems to be a slight difference. The students from the low-weight and normal weight groups prefer hot food to sweet food, but those from the overweight group prefer sweet food to hot food. Also in food preference the difference among the groups is that the students from the low-weight and normal groups prefer favorite food and snacks. While those from the overweight groups prefer cereals and noodles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of weight-bearing distribution between subjects with low back pain and healthy subjects. Fifty-one subjects (22 men, 29 women; mean age = 42.9 years) with low back pain and 31 healthy subjects (11 men, 20 women; mean age = 35.4 years) were evaluated. The weight-bearing distribution was measured by two commercial scales during comfortable standing. The difference of weight-bearing distribution between right and left side was calculated for each subject. The differences of weight-bearing distribution in subjects with low back pain and healthy subjects were 6.0 kg and 4.5 kg, respectively. However, there were no significant differences in the weight-bearing distribution between subjects with low back pain and healthy subjects.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.388-393
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• 2015

Low molecular weight species were extracted from PC and SAN by a solvent extraction method in order to investigate the effect of low molecular weight species on interfacial tension and affinity between PC and SAN. From the analysis of molecular weight distribution by the GPC, it was confirmed that the low molecular weight species were effectively eliminated by the solvent extraction. Interfacial tension measurements and morphological observation were carried out with the PC and SAN of which the low molecular weight species were extracted. Interfacial tension was increased and the infinity was decreased for the extracted PC and SAN pair. This result implied that the low molecular weight species play a role as a compatibilizer between two polymers. Among two polymers, low molecular weight SAN contributes more in the compatibilization. Thus, it is favorable to use SAN containing a larger amount of low molecular weight species in fabrication of PC/ABS blend.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2010

Objectives The study was designed to find out the relationships between low weight and growth, skeletal maturity among children by analyzing body composition and bone age. Methods Subjects were composed of 336 children from six years to seventeen years of age, without any other diseases related to growth, who visited the department of oriental pediatrics East West Neo Medical Center at Kyung Hee University and were measured their body composition and bone age. Results There were significant correlations between decreasing of RH-MPH(%) and low weight. 1. As obesity index decreased, the RH-MPH was also decreased. 2. The RH-MPH(%) of the low weight group according to the obesity index classification was significantly decreased than that of the normal weight group. 3. The skeletal maturity was more decreased in the low weight group. However, the differences between the two group was not significant. 4. The RH-MPH(%) was increased in children who developed secondary sexual character. Skeletal maturity was decreased in children who developed secondary sexual character. 5. The RH-MPH(%), and skeletal maturity was not significantly different between males and females. 6. Only in the case of children without development of secondary sexual character, low weight caused significant RH-MPH(%) decrease. Conclusions Low weight children might be smaller than what it supposed to be. Also, low weight could affect body development more to the children than to the teenager.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.51-67
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• 2007

Objectives The study was designed to find out the relationships between short stature and low weight among children and teenagers. Methods This research was performed in 21 children and teenagers from August 2006 to June 2007. We measured height, weight, body mass index, obesity rare, bone age, and HTMA. Moreover, we analyzed correlation with height, weight, mineral concentrations and ratios obtained from HTMA. Results There were significant correlations between HTMA and short stature and low weight. 1. Most subjects(76%) had slow metabolic types. 2. Ca, Mg, Zn, Ca/P, and Cr had significant differences between high bone age group and high chronological age group. 3. Fe/Cu had significant differences between a group that recent height is more smaller than inherited height and a group that recent height is more taller than inherited height. 4. Ca, Mg, Ca/P had significant differences between a low weight group and a normal weight group classified by obesity rate. Conclusions Children and teenagers with short stature and low weight have specific mineral characters.