• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.83-95
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• 2017

This study examined the socioeconomic factors that affect self-rated health (SRH) in healthy adults, and the relationship of SRH to health-related habits, serum biochemical indices, and nutritional intakes. Subjects consisted of 1,154 healthy adults without any known disease, aged 19 to 65 years (average age of 36.7), whose information was obtained from the 2013 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey data. Of these subjects, 73 rated themselves as 'very healthy,' 460 indicated that they were 'healthy,' 568 self-identified as 'ordinary', and 53 put themselves in the 'unhealthy' category. The proportion of subjects who chose 'unhealthy' was significantly increased with higher frequencies of disruptions in their daily lives (p<0.05), regret after drinking (p<0.05), smoking (p<0.001), and higher levels of stress (p<0.001). On the other hand, the proportion of subjects reported as 'very healthy' was significantly higher with regular intense (p<0.001) or moderate physical activities (p<0.05), regular walking (p<0.05), a perception of being 'normal' in their body image (p<0.01), a decrease of body weight more than 3 kg in the past year (p<0.05), and without risk factors for metabolic syndrome (p<0.05). Serum triglyceride level was lower, and 25-(OH) vitamin D content was significantly higher, in the 'very healthy' group as compared to the 'unhealthy' group (p<0.05). Dietary fiber and vitamin C intakes were significantly higher in the 'very healthy' group than 'unhealthy' group (p<0.05). The overall results suggest that a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, non-smoking, good stress management, and higher intakes of fiber and vitamin C, may be potential factors that affect one's positive perception of health.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.309-318
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• 2010

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and its related characteristics among healthy adults in some Korean rural areas. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the data from 1352 adults who were over the age 40 and under the age 70 and who were free of diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular diseases and other diseases and who participated in a survey conducted as part of the Korean Rural Genomic Cohort Study. IFG was defined as a serum fasting glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dL. Results: The prevalence of IFG was 20.4% in men, 15.5% in women and 12.7% overall. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the independent risk factors for IFG were male gender, having a family history of DM, the quartiles of gamma glutamyltransferase and high sensitive C-reactive protein and the waist circumference. The homeostatis model assessment for insulin resistance was very strongly associated with IFG. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and MS components was higher in the subjects with IFG then in those with normal fasting glucose (NFG). Conclusions: The result of study could supply evidence to find the high risk population and to determine a strategy for treating IFG. Further research is needed to explain the causal relationship and mechanisms of IFG.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.311-327
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• 2009

This study was performed to determine the health and nutritional risk factors associated with hypertension in Koreans over the age of 50 in a high-income class (more than twice as much family income as the 2005 Korean minimum cost of living, 668,540 Won). A total of 505 subjects aged over 50 from the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were divided into two groups: A hypertension group (HG) (N=151, Systolic Blood Pressure ${\geq}$140 mmHg or Diastolic Blood Pressure ${\geq}$90 mmHg) and normal group (NG) (N=354). Subjects who took hypertension medicines or underwent diet therapy were excluded. In HG, mean daily alcohol intake and the amount of alcohol consumption per one occasion were significantly higher than in NG, respectively. A greater number of hypertension subjects answered that they drank alcohol to reduce stress as compared to normal subjects. HG also took fewer dietary supplements than NG. Mean body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fasting blood sugar level, and 2 hour postprandial blood sugar following a glucose load were significantly higher in HG than in NG, respectively. Also, iron, thiamin, and niacin intakes and the consumption frequency of seaweeds were significantly lower in HG than in NG, respectively. Finally, obesity (BMI ${\geq}$25 $kg/m^2$), abdominal obesity (waist circumference ${\geq}$90 cm for males, ${\geq}$ 80 cm for females), high blood sugar level 2 hours after an oral glucose load (${\geq}$140~200 mg/dl), and hypertriglyceridemia (serum TG ${\geq}$200 mg/dl) were related to a significantly higher risk of hypertension in the subjects (odds ratio: 1.884~3.040). In conclusion, dietary factors such as higher alcohol consumption; lower intakes of iron, thiamin, and niacin; lower consumption frequency of seaweeds; and metabolic syndrome were associated with hypertension in the study subjects.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.417-423
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• 2013

Vitamin D is an essential component of bone and mineral metabolism; its deficiency causes growth retardation and skeletal deformities in children and osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. Hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency) is observed not only in adults but also in infants, children, and adolescents. Previous studies suggest that sufficient serum vitamin D levels should be maintained in order to enhance normal calcification of the growth plate and bone mineralization. Moreover, emerging evidence supports an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and immune function, respiratory diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, infection, allergy, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases in pediatric and adolescent populations. The risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in the pediatric population are season (winter), insufficient time spent outdoors, ethnicity (non-white), older age, more advanced stage of puberty, obesity, low milk consumption, low socioeconomic status, and female gender. It is recommended that all infants, children, and adolescents have a minimum daily intake of 400 IU ($10{\mu}g$) of vitamin D. Since the vitamin D status of the newborn is highly related to maternal vitamin D levels, optimal vitamin D levels in the mother during pregnancy should be maintained. In conclusion, given the important role of vitamin D in childhood health, more time spent in outdoor activity (for sunlight exposure) and vitamin D supplementation may be necessary for optimal health in infants, children, and adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2013

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has recently shown to be associated with diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between chronic hepatitis B and diabetes mellitus indicators. We evaluated anthropometry, metabolic syndrome risk factors, fasting glucose, HbA1c, and C-peptide among the normal and HBV subjects. The partial correlation and average comparison analysis were used to assess the independent association between chronic hepatitis B and diabetes mellitus indicators. Average comparisons of normal and HBV subjects were significantly different in fasting glucose (p<0.000), HbA1c (p<0.000), C-peptide (p<0.000), alanine transaminase (ALT) (p<0.000) and aspartate transaminase (AST) (p<0.000). We may suggest that HBV infection is related to diabetes mellitus indicators such as fasting glucose, HbA1c and C-peptide.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.821-827
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• 2019

Aging is the most important single risk factor for many chronic diseases such as cancer, metabolic syndrome, and neurodegenerative disorders. Targeting aging itself might, therefore, be a better strategy than targeting each chronic disease individually for enhancing human health. Although much should be achieved for completely understanding the biological basis of aging, cellular senescence is now believed to mainly contribute to organismal aging via two independent, yet not mutually exclusive mechanisms: on the one hand, senescence of stem cells leads to exhaustion of stem cells and thus decreases tissue regeneration. On the other hand, senescent cells secrete many proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and proteases, collectively termed as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which causes chronic inflammation and tissue dysfunction. Much effort has been recently made to therapeutically target detrimental effects of cellular senescence including selectively eliminating senescent cells (senolytics) and modulating a proinflammatory senescent secretome (senostatics). Here, we discuss current progress and limitations in understanding molecular mechanisms of senolytics and senostatics and therapeutic strategies for applying them. Furthermore, we propose how these novel interventions for aging treatment could be improved, based on lessons learned from cancer treatment.

• Archives of Obesity and Metabolism
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2023

The importance of weight discrimination for people with obesity has been highlighted by research which has found that more than 40% of those living with obesity have experienced weight discrimination. Evidence suggests that weight bias among obese individuals puts their health at risk more than health issues caused by obesity itself. Although bias, stigma, and discrimination towards individuals living with obesity are factors that make it difficult for them to lose weight, weight bias and stigma among healthcare professionals are common, causing individuals living with obesity to avoid treatment and potentially exacerbating obesity-related health issues. The concept that one's own efforts matter contributes to stigma, discrimination, and bias. This issue will be more frequent among primary care providers treating individuals living with obesity; thus, it is important to acknowledge the issues of bias, stigma, and discrimination towards individuals living with obesity and to seek out solutions. In this review, I will discuss the concept of weight bias, stigma, and discrimination, the problems they cause, and seek solutions to weight prejudice, stigma, and discrimination.

• 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 the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.337-344
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• 2021

Coronary artery calcification is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome, and several studies have already reported that coronary artery calcification score are closely related to the amount of atherosclerotic plaques. This study was conducted on 109 patients who underwent coronary calcium CT who visited the comprehensive health examination center in Daegu city during the period from December 2020 to February 2021. we would like to investigate the relationship between coronary artery calcification score and blood factors. As a result of the study, the abnormal group increased the risk of calcification by 1.113 times compared to the normal group in the waist circumference factor. In the fasting glucose factor, the abnormal group increased the risk of calcification by 1.036 times compared to the normal group, and in the triglyceride factor, the abnormal group was normal. As the risk of calcification increased 1.008 times compared to the group, the waist circumference factor, fasting glucose factor, and triglyceride factor were found to be factors affecting coronary artery calcification score. The risk of developing calcification is primarily associated with waist circumference, anemia and triglycerides, and health care and health checks are expected to help reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and reduce medical costs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.232-239
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Increased consumption of instant noodles has recently been reported to be positively associated with obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome in South Korea, which has the highest per capita instant noodle consumption worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the association between instant noodle consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors among college students in Seoul. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 3,397 college students (1,782 male; 1,615 female) aged 18-29 years who participated in a health checkup. Information on instant noodle consumption was obtained from the participants' answers to a question about their average frequency of instant noodle intake over the 1 year period prior to the survey. RESULTS: Statistical analysis using a general linear model that adjusted for age, body mass index, gender, family income, health-related behaviors, and other dietary factors important for cardiometabolic risk, showed a positive association between the frequency of instant noodle consumption and plasma triglyceride levels, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels in all subjects. Compared to the group with the lowest frequency of instant noodle intake (${\leq}1/month$), the odds ratio for hypertriglyceridemia in the group with an intake of ${\geq}3/week$ was 2.639 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.393-5.000] for all subjects, while it was 2.149 (95% CI, 1.045-4.419) and 5.992 (95% CI, 1.859-21.824) for male and female students, respectively. In female students, diastolic blood pressure was also higher among more frequent consumers of instant noodles. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that frequent consumption of instant noodles may be associated with increased cardiometabolic risk factors among apparently healthy college students aged 18-29 years.