• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2009

Folate is generally considered as a safe water-soluble vitamin for supplementation. However, we do not have enough information to confirm the potential effects and safety of folate supplementation and the interaction with vitamin $B_{12}$ deficiency. It has been hypothesized that a greater methyl group supply could lead to compensation for vitamin $B_{12}$ deficiency. On this basis, the present study was conducted to examine the effects of high-dose folic acid (FA) supplementation on biomarkers involved in the methionine cycle in vitamin $B_{12}$-deficient rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing either 0 or $100{\mu}g$ (daily dietary requirement) vitamin $B_{12}/kg$ diet with either 2 mg (daily dietary requirement) or 100 mg FA/kg diet for six weeks. Vitamin $B_{12}$-deficiency resulted in increased plasma homocysteine (p<0.01), which was normalized by dietary supplementation of high-dose FA (p<0.01). However, FA supplementation and vitamin $B_{12}$ deficiency did not alter hepatic and brain S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) concentrations and hepatic DNA methylation. These results indicated that supplementation of high-dose FA improved homocysteinemia in vitamin $B_{12}$-deficiency but did not change SAM and SAH, the main biomarkers of methylating reaction.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In Asia, various medicinal plants have been used as the primary sources in the health care regimen for thousands of years. In recent decades, various studies have investigated the biological activity and potential medicinal value of the medicinal plants. In this study, 100 methanol extracts from 98 plant species were evaluated for their biological activities. MATERIALS/METHODS: The research properties, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-pic-rylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase inhibitory effects, anti-inflammatory activity, and anticancer activity were evaluated for the selected extracts. RESULTS: Fifteen of the extracts scavenged more than 90% of the DPPH radical. Among the extracts, approximately 20 extracts showed a strong inhibitory effect on ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, while most had no effect on ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase. In addition, 52% of the extracts showed low toxicity to normal cells, and parts of the extracts exhibited high anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities on the murine macrophage cell (RAW 264.7) and human colon cancer cell (HT-29) lines, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may contribute to further nutrition and pharmacological studies. Detailed investigations of the outstanding samples are currently underway.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: Immigration to South Korea from neighboring Asian countries has risen dramatically, primarily due to marriage between Korean men and foreign women. Although Filipino women rank fourth among married immigrant women, little is known about the health condition of this population. This manuscript focuses on the design and methods of Filipino women's diet and health study (FiLWHEL). SUBJECTS/METHODS: FiLWHEL is a cohort of Filipino women married to Korean men, aged 19 years old or over. The data collection comprised three parts: questionnaire, physical examination, and biospecimen collection. Questionnaires focused on demographic factors, diet, other health-related behaviors, acculturation and immigration-related factors, medical history, quality of life, and children's health information. Participants visited the recruitment site and answered the structured questionnaires through a face-to-face interview. We also measured their anthropometric features and collected fasting blood samples, toenails, and DNA samples. Recruitment started in 2014. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Collection of data is ongoing, and we plan to prospectively follow our cohort participants. We expect that our study, which is focused on married Filipino women immigrants, can elucidate nutritional/health status and the effects of transitional experiences from several lifestyle factors.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.586-591
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation is closely related to miconazole-induced heart dysfunction. Although rhamnetin has antioxidant effects, it remained unknown whether it can protect against miconazole-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Thus, we investigated the effects of rhamnetin on miconazole-stimulated H9c2 cell apoptosis. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cell morphology was observed by inverted microscope and cell viability was determined using a WelCount$^{TM}$ cell proliferation assay kit. Miconazole-induced ROS production was evaluated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting with 6-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorofluoroscein diacetate ($H_2DCF$-DA) stain. Immunoblot analysis was used to determine apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE/Ref-1) and cleaved cysteine-aspartic protease (caspase) 3 expression. NADPH oxidase levels were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Miconazole (3 and $10{\mu}M$) induced abnormal morphological changes and cell death in H9c2 cells. Rhamnetin enhanced the viability of miconazole ($3{\mu}M$)-treated cells in a dose-dependent manner. Rhamnetin (1 and $3{\mu}M$) treatment downregulated cleaved caspase 3 and upregulated APE/Ref-1 expression in miconazole-stimulated cells. Additionally, rhamnetin significantly reduced ROS generation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that rhamnetin may have cytoprotective effects in miconazole-stimulated H9c2 cardiomyocytes via ROS inhibition. This effect most likely occurs through the upregulation of APE/Ref-1 and attenuation of hydrogen peroxide levels.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.411-419
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed factors affecting consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits in Korean adolescents. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits, general characteristics, meal, health, and other variables were analyzed for a total of 147,047 adolescents who participated in the KYRBWS (Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey) conducted in 2006 and 2011 by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: Consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits more than once a day significantly decreased in 2011 compared to 2006 based on Chi-square test conducted for every factor employed in the study. Analysis of factors showed that consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits were reduced in both study years as subjective income decreased, whereas intake frequencies increased with mother's education level and reduction of adolescent stress level. CONCLUSIONS: In general, consumption frequencies of vegetables and fruits decreased in 2011 compared to those in 2006. Thus, future research needs to improve dietary guidelines for nutrition education in order for students to recognize the importance of food consumption and necessity of increasing daily serving sizes of vegetables and fruits for their balanced consumption.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.644-649
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Targeting consumers who consume lunches at their worksite cafeterias would be a valuable approach to reduce sodium intake in South Korea. To assess the relationships between socio-demographic factors, consumer satisfaction, attitudes, barriers and the frequency of sodium-reduced meal intake. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We implemented a cross-sectional research, analyzing data from 738 consumers aged 18 years or older (327 males and 411 females) at 17 worksite cafeterias in South Korea. We used the ordinary least squares regression analysis to determine the factors related to overall satisfaction with sodium-reduced meal. General linear models with LSD tests were employed to examine the variables that differed by the frequency of sodium-reduced meal intake. RESULTS: Most subjects always or usually consumed the sodium-reduced meal (49%), followed by sometimes (34%) and rarely or never (18%). Diverse menus, taste and belief in the helpfulness of the sodium-reduced meal significantly increased overall satisfaction with the sodium-reduced diet (P < 0.05). We found importance of needs in the following order: 1) 'menu diversity' (4.01 points), 2) 'active promotion' (3.97 points), 3) 'display of nutrition labels in a visible location' (3.96 points), 4) 'improvement of taste' (3.88 points), and 5) 'education of sodium-reduction self-care behaviors' (3.82 points). CONCLUSION: Dietitians could lead consumers to choose sodium-reduced meals by improving their taste and providing diverse menus for the sodium-reduced meals at worksite cafeterias.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.429-434
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• 2011

Korean raspberry, Rubus coreanus Miquel (RCM), contains high concentrations of phenolic compounds, which prevent oxidative stress. To determine the effect of RCM on antioxidant capacity in humans, we assessed in vivo lipid oxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities from plasma in 15 healthy men. The subjects ingested 30 g of freeze-dried RCM daily for 4 weeks. Blood was taken at baseline and at the end of the study to determine blood lipid profiles, fasting plasma glucose, liver function, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities. RCM supplementation had no effect on blood lipid or fasting plasma glucose concentrations but decreased alkaline phosphatase activity. RCM supplementation increased glutathione peroxidase activities (P<0.05) but had no effect on lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that short-term RCM supplementation may offer health benefits by enhancing antioxidant capacity in a healthy population.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2012

The hand hygiene behavior of 400 middle school students (grades 1-3) in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do was studied to determine how stages of change were affected by food safety education, focusing on hand hygiene and general food safety. Subjects were 51.3% male and 44.3% of study subjects were first graders of middle school. Approximately 40% of subjects were at the stage of action, 42.7% were at the stage of contemplation, and 16.4% were at pre-contemplation. The most important factor that influenced proper hand washing was self efficacy ($P$ < 0.001). Proper hand washing was also correlated significantly with positive belief ($P$ < 0.01) and stages of change ($P$ < 0.01). After food safety education by high-school mentors, middle-school students who were in the stages of pre-contemplation (11.1%) and contemplation (88.9%) showed significant progression toward the action stage ($P$ < 0.001). Proper hand washing ($P$ < 0.01) and food safety knowledge ($P$ < 0.05) were also significantly increased after educational intervention.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.527-532
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• 2011

ESR1 has been listed in the Human Obesity Gene Map as candidate gene associated with obesity. Thus, in this study, we investigated the effect of the ESR1 rs1884051 polymorphism on obesity-related variables, together with their modulations by dietary intake in Korean men. The obesity-related variables and dietary intake of 3,039 Korean men aged 40-59 years from KoGES database were analyzed. Body weight (P = 0.007), BMI (P = 0.003), waist-hip ratio (= 0.011), fat body mass (P = 0.010), and body fat percentage (P = 0.040) were significantly lower in subjects with the minor T allele of ESR1 rs1884051 than in subjects carrying the C allele. Moreover, the rs1884051 T allele was associated with a decreased risk of obesity prevalence (P = 0.040). Among the subjects whose total energy intake was below the median, carrier of the minor T allele of ESR1 rs1884051 had a lower BMI (P = 0.003) when compared with subjects carrying the C allele. In addition, among subjects whose plant protein intake was above the median, carrier of the minor T allele of ESR1 rs1884051 had a lower BMI (P = 0.044) compared with subjects carrying the C allele. Our findings demonstrate that there is a significant association between the ESR1 rs1884051 variant and obesity-related variables and this association can be potentially modified by dietary energy and plant protein intake.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.375-380
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• 2011

This study investigated the effects of inorganic sulfur on metastasis in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in the absence or presence of various concentrations (12.5, 25, or 50 ${\mu}mol$/L) of inorganic sulfur. Cell motility, invasion, and the activity and mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) were examined. Numbers of viable MDA-MB-231 cells did not differ by inorganic sulfur treatment from 0 to 50 ${\mu}mol$/L within 48 h. Inorganic sulfur significantly decreased cell motility and invasion in the MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05), as determined using a Boyden chamber assay and a Matrigel chamber. The activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly reduced by inorganic sulfur in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). The inorganic sulfur also significantly inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in the cells (P<0.05). These data suggest that inorganic sulfur can suppress cancer cell motility and invasion by inhibiting MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity and gene expression in MDA-MB-231 cells.