• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.455-461
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• 2010

The tumor microenvironment, particularly sufficient nutrition and oxygen supply, is important for tumor cell survival. Nutrition deprivation causes cancer cell death. Since apoptosis is a major mechanism of neuronal loss, we explored neuronal apoptosis in various microenvironment conditions employing neuroblastoma (NB) cells. To investigate the effects of tumor malignancy and differentiation on apoptosis, the cells were exposed to poor microenvironments characterized as serum-free, low-glucose, and hypoxia. Incubation of the cells in serum-free and low-glucose environments significantly increased apoptosis in less malignant and more differentiated N-type IMR32 cells, whereas more malignant and less differentiated I-type BE(2)C cells were not affected by those treatments. In contrast, hypoxia (1 % $O_2$) did not affect apoptosis despite cell malignancy. It is suggested that DLK1 constitutes an important stem cell pathway for regulating self-renewal, clonogenicity, and tumorigenicity. This raises questions about the role of DLK1 in the cellular resistance of cancer cells under poor microenvironments, which cancer cells normally encounter. In the present study, DLK1 overexpression resulted in marked protection from apoptosis induced by nutrient deprivation. This in vitro model demonstrated that increasing severity of nutrition deprivation and knock-down of DLK1 caused greater apoptotic death, which could be a useful strategy for targeted therapies in fighting NB as well as for evaluating how nutrient deprived cells respond to therapeutic manipulation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.451-457
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• 2012

The purposes of the study were to analyze nutritional status, psychosocial stimulation, and factors affecting the cognitive development of preschool-age children. This study was conducted in the Village of Babakan, Sub-District of Dramaga, Bogor Regency, West Java. This cross-sectionally designed study was conducted with mothers who had preschool children aged 3-5 years as respondents. Fifty-eight children were included. The distribution of mother's educational level was quite diverse, and the largest percentage (44.8%) had senior high school education. Approximately 78% of the family income per capita was classified into the non-poor category and 22.4% into the poor category. The average mother's nutritional knowledge score was $76.7{\pm}2.5$ (moderate category). Most of the preschool children (84.4%) had psychosocial stimulation scores in the moderate category (30-45). The nutritional status of children showed that 15.5% were underweight, 5.2% were wasted, 3.4% were severely wasted, and 19% of the children were in the short and very short categories (stunted). The stepwise regression results showed that psychosocial stimulation (P < 0.001), participation in early childhood education (P = 0.002) and nutritional status based on the height index for age (P = 0.028) had a positive and significant effect on cognitive development of the preschool children (adjusted $R^2$, 0.434; P = 0.028).

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2016

Background: Glycemic control is an effective way to reduce the cardiovascular complications of diabetes, but more than half of the adults with diabetes in Korea are improperly controlling their glycemic levels. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors associated with poor glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: This study analyzed 1,261 subjects ${\geq}30years$ old diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who participated in the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2012). Poor glycemic control rates were defined as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level ${\geq}7%$. To shed light on the causes of poor glycemic control, socio-demographics, diabetes severity, health status, and health behavior factors were adjusted and logistic regression was done. Results: Of the total 1,261 patients, 53.0% of patients with type 2 diabetes had HbA1c ${\geq}7%$. After running a logistic regression model, the odds ratio of poor glycemic control was higher in high school graduates than elementary school graduates; in people living in Chungcheong and Jeolla/Jeju than those living in Seoul; in the group with diabetes for over 5 years had diabetes less than 5 years; in a group with insulin and oral hypoglycemic agent treatment than non-treatment; in a group with hypertriglyceridemia than without hypertriglyceridemia; and in the group with slept less than 6 hours slept 7-8 hours. Conclusion: We need a comprehensive public health policy to reduce the poor glycemic control rates in type 2 diabetes patients. We should recognize the education levels, duration of diabetes, diabetes treatment, hypertriglyceridemia, and sleep duration were associated with poor glycemic control.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2002

This study was designed to assess diet and health-related factors of older adults in Korea. Subjects females were 2,660 adults aged 50 and over living in Korea. Males were 847 persons and were 1813 persons. The mean weight and height for males and females were 63.8 $\pm$ 0.3kg / 164.0 $\pm$ 0.2cm and 57.0 $\pm$ 0.2kg /150.6 $\pm$ 0.1cm respectively. BMI (body mass index), body fat, and percent fat were significantly greater in females than in males. The muscle mass and body water were significantly greater in males than in females. Twenty-one percent of total subjects lived alone and 26% with spouse only. Most of the subject's self-reported income was in middle level (65%) or low level (24%). Proportion of subjects who answered 'very poor' or 'poor' on perceived health status was higher in older group. The 50-64 years old group was facing more stress than 65yr and over group. Among male subjects,38.4% were current-smokers and 22.0% were ex-smokers. But only 6.5% of female subjects were current-smokers. Males turned out to have better dietary habits-meal frequency per day, mealtime regularity, regular meal size and balanced eating-than females (p < 0.001). This study revealed that the diet and health-related factors affect nutritional status and chronic diseases of the elderly. For better management and evaluation of health status of the elderly, more effective nutritional assessment tools should be developed.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.sup1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2009

Optimal nutrition in infancy and early childhood is the success behind good health, growth, and development of children. Failure to thrive may be the end point of any combination of a nutritional disorder, poor growth, and psychosocial deprivation. Hospital admission is rarely necessary and may be counterproductive. Day attendance, for investigation and observation of child-parent interaction, may be more valuable. Nutritional supplementation, together with nutritional counseling, can improve food intake and growth in children with failure to thrive.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.931-941
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between depression and poor oral health in Korean elderly using Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for assessment of depressive symptoms. Methods: This study used the data from Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI-2). The study included 1,454 elderly Korean aged over 65. Variables included demographic characteristics (gender, age), socioeconomic factor (income, education), systemic diseases, oral health related factor (tooth brush, dental products), health related factor (alcohol drinking, smoking), and depression. Logistic regression analysis was used as sequential models. Effects were quantified as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: From frequency analysis, being female, primary school or less, non-alcohol drinking, poor oral health were significantly related to depression. In the multiple logistic regression model, depression was significantly associated with poor oral health (OR=1.96, CI=1.15-3.53) after adjustment for other covariates including demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factor, systemic diseases, oral health related factor, and health related factor (OR=1.91, CI=1.13-3.27). Conclusions: Depression had an influence on the poor oral health after adjustment as confounding variable in the elderly. It should be focused on the health promotion for the elderly vulnerable to depression and poor oral health. The development of the mental health and oral health should be established.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.286-298
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• 2006

The study aimed to identify major factors related to global self-rated health of the community-dwelling elderly people in rural areas. Interviews were conducted with 433 persons over 65 years of age. The socio-economic characteristics, chronic disease status, measures of functional and mental health, life satisfaction, health-related behaviors including smoking, drinking, exercise, social activity, dietary habit, and food intakes were analyzed to determine their influence on self-rated health index. Data on food intake were obtained through the 24-hour recall method. The self-rated health of rural elderly was poor or very poor as reported by 42.6% and 52.4% of the men and women, respectively. Poor self-rated health was found to be related to elderly aged $65{\sim}74$, female, absence of work, more chronic diseases, dependence on Instrumental Activity Daily Living (IADL), higher mental unhealthy days, lower current life satisfaction, less social activity, lower dietary habit scores, lower intake of total food, fruit, eggs, fishes & shell fishes, vitamin C (%RDA), and Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR). The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that poor self-rated health index is significantly associated with more chronic diseases, mental unhealthy days, gastrointestinal disease, musculoskeletal disease, less social activity, and lower intake of fruits. The results also suggested that improving the nutritional status and functional ability, and reducing the burden of chronic diseases are beneficial to the self-rated health index of the elderly.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.260-264
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• 2003

The growing concern for poor dietary habits among adolescents has prompted many researcher to study the adolescents' knowledge and beliefs on a number of nutrition-related issues. Following that precedent, this study was conducted to evaluate the nutrition knowledge of a sample of adolescents in a middle school in Ohio. The participants were 532 students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades between the ages of 11 and 13 from Shawnee Middle School in Lima, Ohio. The students were asked to answer a questionnaire CANKAP (Comprehensive Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices), which measured their nutrition knowledge. The CANKAP questionnaire consisted of 20 questions for sixth grade students and 25 questions for seventh and eighth grade students. Also, the participants were asked to identify their gender. According to the result, nutrition knowledge of middle school children was weak. The findings indicated that females had higher mean nutrition knowledge scores than boys in the seventh and eighth grades. There was no significant difference in the mean value of nutrition knowledge between sixth grade boys and girls.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 1979

This study was conducted to abbess dietary intake and eating habits of low-income persons aged 60 years or elder. 212 persons were surveyed between July 10 and August 17, 1978 ; 105 from the farming village of Yang-ju, Kyunggi province; and 107 from Karakdong, an area of redevlopment in the suburbs of Seoul. Results were as follows : 1 ) Family environment 84% of elderly persons surveyed, lived with their children; 13.2%, together as a couple; and 1.9%, widowed, lived alone. More than half on the households had an average monthly income of \50,000 to \30,000. The average Engel index was 61.2%. As for pocket money, 56.4% of male subjects had \l,000 to \7,000 per month, whereas 74% of female had less than \1,000. 2) Anthropometric measurements 59.9% of subjects were $70{\sim}90%$ of standard weight, 93% had an arm circumference only $60{\sim}80%$ of the standard. 3) Food and nutrient intake Carbohydrate provided 73.4 to 79.4% of total energy intake, whereas protein and fat accounted for 10.4 to 10.5% and 8.3 to 7.8%, respectively. Those over 65 years of age showed a somewhat greater dependence on carbohydrates for energy, than those under 65. Protein intake was only $42{\sim}52%$ of the recommended allowance. and the proportion of animal protein to total protein was only $2.1{\sim}9.3%$ far below the recommended allowance. Thus the protein nutrition of the subjects was proven to be inadequate qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Intake of energy and of all nutrients except vitamin A and ascorbic acid, were lower than recommended. 4) Correlational assessment The correlation coefficient between poor dental health, clinical sign score, appetite index, dietary balance and nutrient intake, was significant (0<0.01). Poor teeth, illness, and poor appetite were always associated with inadequate intake of energy and nutrients. The results of this survey reveal that many of elderly of the rural and urban poor show evidence of general malnutrition, The authours hope that this study will provide a back. ground and indicate the direction that community health and welfare programs may take to assure proper nutrition for the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.475-483
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• 2000

The develop a simple screening test for identifying Korean elderly at risk of undernutrition, the data of the health-related habits, dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes of the elderly in Chongju were analyzed. Two risk indicators, mean adequacy ratio (MAR) and the respondents perceived health, were used to detect the undernutrition risk of the elderly. In order to select a list of questions for the test, factors a affecting nutritional status and items investigated in previous nutrition surveys of the elderly were considered, and 21 questions were primarily selected. A multiple regression and stepwise regression analysis were used to take out the weak predictors of poor nutrient intake, and to give item weights to the strong predictors, and a list of 17 questions was finally adopted. To determine the cut-point of the test score, sensitivity, and positive predictive values were calculated. The Simple Screening Test developed in this study is a brief, easily scored tool to predict poor nutrient intake and the perceived health status of the elderly. The test may provide a basis of further comprehensive nutritional assessment or intervention planning, if necessary, for those who are diagnosed ad "high risk". The test, however, needs to be independently validated by other groups of individuals.dividuals.