• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.298-306
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a global health problem of significant importance which increases mortality. In place of anti-obesity drugs, natural products are being developed as alternative therapeutic materials. In this study, we investigated the effect of Brassica juncea L. leaf extract (BLE) on fat deposition and lipid profiles in high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (HFC)-induced obese rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 8 per group) according to diet: normal diet group (ND), high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group (HFC), HFC with 3% BLE diet group (HFC-A1), and HFC with 5% BLE diet group (HFC-A2). Each group was fed for 6 weeks. Rat body and adipose tissue weights, serum biochemical parameters, and tissue lipid contents were determined. The expression levels of mRNA and proteins involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. RESULTS: The HFC-A2 group showed significantly lower body weight gain and food efficiency ratio than the HFC group. BLE supplementation caused mesenteric, epididymal, and total adipose tissue weights to decrease. The serum levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly reduced, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly increased in rats fed BLE. These results were related to lower glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, acetyl-coA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase mRNA expression, and to higher expression of the cholesterol $7{\alpha}$-hydroxylase and low density lipoprotein-receptor, as well as increased protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\alpha}$. Histological analysis of the liver revealed decreased lipid droplets in HFC rats treated with BLE. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of HFC with 3% or 5% BLE inhibited body fat accumulation, improved lipid profiles, and modulated lipogenesis- and cholesterol metabolism-related gene and protein expression.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.231-238
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• 2016

Purpose: Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) is a 65-kDa acute phase protein, derived from the liver, which is present in high concentrations in plasma. Data regarding the association between circulating plasma LBP levels and obesity-related biomarkers in the pediatric population are scarce. We aimed to determine whether there was a difference in plasma LBP levels between overweight/obese and normal-weight adolescents and to assess the correlation of circulating LBP levels with anthropometric measures and obesity-related biomarkers, including insulin resistance, liver enzyme levels, and lipid profiles. Methods: The study included 87 adolescents aged 12-13 years; 44 were overweight/obese and 43 were of normal-weight. We assessed anthropometric and laboratory measures, including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, insulin resistance, liver enzyme levels, and lipid profiles. Plasma LBP levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean age of the participants was $12.9{\pm}0.3$ years. Circulating plasma LBP levels were significantly increased in overweight/obese participants compared with those in normal-weight participants ($7.8{\pm}1.9{\mu}g/mL$ vs. $6.0{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/mL$, P<0.001). LBP levels were significantly and positively associated with BMI, systolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, fasting glucose and insulin, and insulin resistance as indicated by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (all P<0.05). In multivariate linear regression analysis, BMI and HOMA-IR were independently and positively associated with plasma LBP levels. Conclusion: LBP is an inflammatory biomarker associated with BMI and obesity-related insulin resistance in adolescents. The positive correlation between these parameters suggests a potentially relevant pathophysiological mechanism linking LBP to obesity-related insulin resistance in adolescents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.837-845
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• 2014

Background: Overweight and obesity are recognized as major drivers of cancers including breast cancer. Several cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10 and lipocalin 2 (LCN2), as well as dysregulated cell cycle proteins are implicated in breast carcinogenesis. The nuclear, casein kinase and cyclin-dependent kinase substrate-1 (NUCKS-1), is a nuclear DNA-binding protein that has been implicated in several human cancers, including breast cancer. Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate NUCKS-1 mRNA expression in breast tissue from obese patients with and without breast cancer and lean controls. NUCKS-1 expression was correlated to cytokine profiles as prognostic and monitoring tools for breast cancer, providing a molecular basis for a causal link between obesity and risk. Materials and Methods: This study included 39 females with breast cancer (G III) that was furtherly subdivided into two subgroups according to cancer grading (G IIIa and G IIIb) and 10 control obese females (G II) in addition to 10 age-matched healthy lean controls (G I). NUCKS-1 expression was studied in breast tissue biopsies by means of real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Serum cytokine profiles were determined by immunoassay. Lipid profiles and glycemic status as well as anthropometric measures were also recorded for all participants. Results: IL-6, IL-12 and LCN2 were significantly higher in control obese and breast cancer group than their relevant lean controls (p<0.05), while NUCKS-1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the breast cancer group compared to the other groups (p<0.05). Significant higher levels of IL-6, IL-12, and LCN2 as well as NUCKS-1 mRNA levels were reported in G IIIb than G IIIa, and positively correlated with obesity markers in all obese patients. Conclusions: Evaluation of cytokine levels as well as related gene expression may provide a new tool for understanding interactions for three axes of carcinogenesis, innate immunity, inflammation and cell cycling, and hope for new strategies of management.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.587-596
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• 2015

Obesity and diabetes arise from an intricate interplay between both genetic and environmental factors. It is well recognized that obesity plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes. Yet, the exact mechanism of the connection between obesity and diabetes is still not completely understood. Metabolomics is an analytical approach that aims to detect and quantify small metabolites. Recently, there has been an increased interest in the application of metabolomics to the identification of disease biomarkers, with a number of well-known biomarkers identified. Metabolomics is a potent approach to unravel the intricate relationships between metabolism, obesity and progression to diabetes and, at the same time, has potential as a clinical tool for risk evaluation and monitoring of disease. Moreover, metabolomics applications have revealed alterations in the levels of metabolites related to obesity-associated diabetes. This review focuses on the part that metabolomics has played in elucidating the roles of metabolites in the regulation of systemic metabolism relevant to obesity and diabetes. It also explains the possible metabolic relation and association between the two diseases. The metabolites with altered profiles in individual disorders and those that are specifically and similarly altered in both disorders are classified, categorized and summarized.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.281-292
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors related to prehypertension in Korean adults. Methods: The data were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005. The subjects of this study were 3,981 adults aged over 20 years of age. Demographic characteristics, alcohol drinking, smoking, physical activity, stress, BMI, serum lipid profiles and blood pressure were analyzed in this study. Results: Prevalence of prehypertension was 38.9% in this study. As the result of multiple logistic regression, the risk of prehypertension in male, elderly and low income persons was increased. And the risk of prehypertension was increased in the case of problem drinking, alcohol abuse, formal smoker, overweight, obesity and hyperlipidemia in triglyceride. Conclusion: To decrease prehypertension prevalence, it is necessary to detect and manage the influencing risk factors of prehypertension such as alcohol drinking, smoking, obesity, physical activity, stress and serum lipid profiles.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2006

Disparities in health and disease between various population subgroups, such as racial and ethnic groups, are a major focus of public health research but also pose considerable challenges. Diet is a key contributor to disparities in many chronic diseases and conditions. Therefore, in order to understand and address racial and ethnic health disparities, it is important to characterize the dietary patterns of the populations of interest. African Americans are at higher risk for many diet-related chronic disease conditions, such as obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many cancers relative to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. In this report, I describe the diet-related chronic disease profiles of African Americans, characterize their dietary patterns and food preferences, identify demographic, psychosocial, environmental, and cultural factors that may affect their dietary choices, and propose strategies for improving the dietary and health profiles of African Americans.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.282-287
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effects of various mixtures of Atractylodes macrocephala (AM) and Amomum villosum (AV) water extracts on high-fat diet (HFD) induced mouse model. We classified five groups as follows; control, HFD, HFD + AM extracts : AV extracts (100mg/kg) (1:1), HFD + AM extracts : AV extracts (100mg/kg) (2:1), HFD + AM extracts : AV extracts (100mg/kg) (3:1). Oral administration of various mixtures of AM and AV extracts for 6 weeks inhibited HFD-induced increases of body, liver and epididymal fat weights. Also, lipid profiles including LDL cholesterol were improved by various mixtures of AM and AV extracts treatment compared with HFD-fed group. Lipogenesis-related genes such as acetyl coA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) in liver changed in a favorable way for lipid biosynthesis by HFD compared to control, but various mixtures of AM and AV extracts-treated groups did not. Our results show that various mixtures of AM and AV extracts can prevent HFD-induced obesity in mice and suggests that the mechanisms are involved in expressions and modifications of lipogenesis-related genes such as ACC and FAS in liver.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.260-267
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• 2012

Obesity is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes. However the presence of the obesity related deranged metabolic profiles varies widely among obese individuals. These individuals, known as 'metabolically healthy obese phenotype (MHO)', despite having excessive body fatness, display favorable metabolic profiles characterized by insulin sensitivity, no hypertension, as well as less dyslipidemia, less inflammation. The purpose of this study was to compare cardiac characterization and clinical profile of MHO and Non-MHO (nonmetabolically healthy obese) subjects in men. We measured treadmill exercise capacity (METs) and maximum blood pressure (BP) in 210 subjects through a medical checkup at J General Hospital. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the modified Adult Treatment Panel III definition criteria. Both MHO and Non-MHO subjects showed statistically significant changes in the left ventricular mass index (P<.001, P<.01, respectively), A-velocity (P<.01, P<.001, respectively), E/A ratio (P<.01, P<.001, respectively), E'-velocity (P<.001, P<.001, respectively), HOMA-IR (P<.01, P<.001, respectively) and maximum systolic BP (P<.01, respectively) compared with the MH-NO (metabolically healthy non obese) subjects. In conclusion, MHO participants were at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and partly metabolic disorder.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1-12
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• 2020

Objectives : Phyllostachys pubescens and Scutellaria baicalensis are considered to be effective in promoting blood circulation in traditional medicine. In this study, we examined whether a mixture of P. pubescens leaves and S. baicalensis root (BS21) had any anti-obesity, anti-hyperlipidemia, or anti-hyperuricemia effects and the possible mechanisms of action. Methods : We examined the effects of BS21 in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Mice were fed HFD with BS21 (75, 150, or 300 mg/kg) or Garcinia cambogia extracts (245 mg/kg) as a positive control for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks, body weight, liver and adipose weight, adipocyte size, plasma lipid profiles, adipokine and uric acid levels, and adipose tissue expression levels in obesity and uric acid production-related genes were examined. Results : BS21 decreased body weight gain, white adipose tissue, liver weight, adipocyte size, and liver triglyceride accumulation. It also reduced levels of plasma glucose, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine transaminase, leptin, and uric acid. In contrast, BS21 increased adiponectin levels. Furthermore, BS21 decreased the expression levels of adipogenesis-related genes, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c, and fatty acid synthase, as well as xanthine oxidoreductase, which is involved in uric acid production. Conclusions : These results suggest that BS21 may exert anti-obesity, anti-hyperlipidemia, and anti-hyperuricemia effects in HFD-induced obese mice by regulating the expression of xanthine oxidoreductase and adipogenesis-related genes.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 2014

Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether metabolic syndrome (MS) is related to osteoporosis and investigate the association between the MS components and bone mineral density (BMD). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study for 4,365 women aged over 50 years who completed health examination from 2008 to 2012 in Korea Association of Health Promotion Gangwon Branch. Height, body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, serum lipid profiles, and BMD were measured. Results: Obesity measured as body mass index (BMI) was detrimental to all of the MS components but positively correlated with BMD at three skeletal sites (lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip). There were no significant differences in the MS prevalence between women without osteoporosis and those with osteoporosis. In age-adjusted analysis, women with MS had significantly higher BMD at three sites when compared to those without MS. After adjusting for BMI and age, these significances disappeared, such that MS was not associated with higher BMD. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that obesity increases the risk of MS whereas underweight increases that of osteoporosis. The association between MS and higher BMD was explained by the higher BMI in those with MS. MS may not be associated with osteoporosis.