• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.234-245
• /
• 2009

Nutritional assessment for the elderly can identify health status and morbidity. However, development of Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) remains limited for elderly because of difficulties in understanding physiological mechanism of elderly. This study was performed to analyze and develop Nutritional Risk Index for Korean elderly Women (Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index, GNRI). Based on literature review, factors for NRI were identified and indices were assessed by a cross-sectional survey. The survey involved Korean elderly women (${\geq}$60, n = 94) in Gwangju area, and sociodemographics, lifestyle characteristics, health conditions, dietary intakes based on 24h- recall, anthropometric measures (wt, ht, BMI, waist, hip, WHR, body protein, body fat, abdominal fat, and triceps skinfold thickness), and clinical biochemistry parameters (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, albumin, prealbumin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, fasting blood glucose, HbAlc, ferritin, Zn, Ca, Na, K, Vit E, Vit $B_{12}$, folate, C-reactive protein) were examined relation to nutritional risk index. Based on literature review and data analyses, three NRIs were categorized (NRI I, NRI II, NRI III) and used for further analysis. NRI I was related to having metabolic syndrome, NRI II was related to serum albumin and body weight, and NRI III was related to food habit and health concerns. Abdominal fat (%) of elderly was correlated with each NRIs. NRI II was correlated with nutritional deficiency and higher tendency of inflammatory response, and NRI III was correlated with nutritional status which tend to be lower on aging (protein, folate, Vit $B_{12}$). NRI can serve as a useful tools in assessing health risk and nutritional status. Some modification of items in NRI and validity study are need to apply to Korean elderly.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.3-11
• /
• 2004

An increasing number of women are becoming victims of their smoking habits. Cigarette smoking is implicated as a major cause or several chronic diseases. This study was performed to investigate the nutritional status associated with smoking and other factors like drinking or fruit and vegetable consumption frequency in Korean adult women. The 2001 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey provided the current adult women sample (n = 2900), who were categorized as smoking (n= 141) and nonsmoking group (n = 2759). The smoking women declared significantly lower intakes of carbohydrate, calcium and vitamin C and higher alcohol than nonsmokers, but with nonsignificant difference of BMI. The smoking and drinking group showed the lowest intakes in most of the nutrients, the lowest BMI and significantly elevated blood pressure. The smoking group with fruit and vegetable consumption frequency less than 3 times a day also showed lower intakes of most of the nutrients and significantly higher systolic blood pressure. Less proportion of smokers perceived their health status very good or good and more smokers felt depressed often. In conclusion it seems cigarette smoking is associated with the decreased nutrient intakes in adults women. When smoking is connected with other unhealthy dietary habits like drinking or lower fruit and vegetable consumption, it may exacerbate the nutritional status and cause elevated blood pressure.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.214-220
• /
• 2002

Objectives : To investigate the relationship of serum uric acid to cardiovascular risk factors in Korean male workers. Methods : We screened 522 male workers at an electrical manufacturing company by a periodic health examination and a questionnaire survey in 2000. We collected data relating to age, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum lipid, fasting blood glucose and serum uric acid. The data were analyzed using a variety of methods, including ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multivariate regression analyses. to examine the association between uric acid and cardiovascular risk factors with a cross-sectional study design. Results : The concentration of serum uric acid showed positive associations with BMI, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol; it was also significantly correlated to systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Life-style characteristics, such as smoking and alcohol drinking showed no significant association. From the multivariate regression analyses, BMI, total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose levels were found to be independent positive predictors of uric acid; while age, blood pressure and smoking status give no independent contribution explaining the variability of serum uric acid levels. Conclusions : This study demonstrates that serum uric acid level have a significant association with cardiovascular risk factors, such as BMI, total cholesterol and blood glucose in some Korean male workers.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.821-828
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine anger-expression patterns and their association with state and trait anger and physical and psychological health status in health care workers. Method: Four hundred and forty eight nurses, physicians and technicians from a large medical center completed standardized questionnaires of anger, anger-expression patterns and mood. They also had blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and body mass index measured during their annual physical examinations. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, chi-square and ANOVA. Results: Subjects showed two major clusters of anger-expression patterns: anger-control and anger-in/out. Subjects with the anger-in/out pattern reported higher state and trait anger and more anxiety, depression and fatigue than subjects with the anger-control pattern. Physical health indicators, however, were not significantly different between the two clusters of anger-expression patterns. Conclusion: Anger-expression patterns are associated with psychological health status but not with physical health status. Anger-expression patterns, however, need to be examined over time to assess their long-term effects on the physical and psychological health status in future studies.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.170-178
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This study was to determine the effect of oral vitamin C supplements on blood sugar and antioxidative status in Types II diabetes mellitus patients. Method: Data for the study were collected from June 24 to August 31, 2001. Participants(31) took 1g/day vitamin C for 4 weeks, after a 1 - week taking no Vitamin C, followed by Vitamin C 3g/day for 4 weeks. A baseline blood sample was obtained following a 12hour overnight fast and at the end of each 4week Vitamin C administration. Blood samples were taken for plasma vitamin C concentration, fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, superoxide scavenging activity and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity. The data were analyzed by SPSS for repeated measures ANOVA. Result: Plasma vitamin C concentration was significantly increased over dose(F=3.316, p=.043). Fasting blood sugar and HbA1c was significantly decreased over dose(F=13.192, p=.000; F=11.995, p=.000). Superoxide scavenging activity and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity was significantly increased over dose(F=486.138, p=.000; F=177.704, p= .000). Conclusion: The results suggest that megadose vitamin C supplementation may have a beneficial effect in diabetes mellitus patients on both glycemic control and antioxidant status. Thus dietary measures to increase plasma vitamin C may be an important health strategy for reducing the compliance of diabetic patients

• Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.97-102
• /
• 2004

A cross-sectional epidemiologic study was conducted to evaluate vitamin C nutritional status by assessing dietary intake and blood vitamin C level and to identify the relationships between dietary vitamin C intake, serum vitamin C level and blood lead level in Korean lead workers. The study population was 118 lead workers from two battery manufacturing factories and 63 non-lead-exposed controls. A food consumption survey was conducted by the 24-hr recall method to determine the dietary vitamin C intake level. The anthropometric measurements, blood collection, and survey were performed between September and November, 2000. Blood lead levels and serum vitamin C levels were measured using an atomic absorption spectrometer and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Vitamin C nutritional status of Korean lead workers was lower than that of the control group, in terms of both dietary intake and the biochemical index: the mean daily dietary intake level of vitamin C of lead workers was 65.9mg (94% RDA), while that of controls was 132.6mg(189% RDA) ; and the serum vitamin C status of lead workers (0.10mg/dl) was significantly lower than that of controls (1.08mg/dl ; p<0.001). Both dietary vitamin C intake and serum vitamin C levels showed a significant negative correlation with blood lead level (p<0.001), which indicates that strategies of dietary management to promote the health of Korean lead workers should focus on promoting the vitamin C intakes of individuals.

• Korean Journal of Rural Living Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.19-31
• /
• 1998

The purpose of this study was to compare the consciousness health status and food habit for farmers in Korea. Eight hundred persons were surveyed by rural leader of RDA, composed with 35.1% of male and 64.9% of female. Data collection includes height weight and blood pressure by measuring method and personal & family situation by interview for influential factor of health status and food habit. The questionnaire was included dietary habit of salt, sugar, dietary fiber and fat intake and other behavior questions related with diet. The subjects were composed 32.5% of elementary school graduated and 50% of middle size farming. Of the all subjects, 54% of were rice planted farming mainly and 19 were over 65 year-aged group. In the concept of disease prevalence. gender difference was exist, liver and heart complains were more frequency in male and waist pain and urinary complain in female, shoulder pain and nervousness were frequently prevalent to all group of farmers. The hypertension prevalence of farmers were 16% by measuring blood pressure, but consciousness of hypertension was very low (5%). The correlation of health status with personal factors were analysed, body weight, number of family, education level, and working level were significant with CMI score and Farmers' syndrome score. The food habit status was negatively correlated with weight and BMI, age was negatively correlated with CMI score and farmers' syndrome. The consciousness of health status and food habit score were significantly correlated with smoking and alcohol drinking. It concludes that good food habit contribute wellness of health. Nutrition education for better food habit would be helpful on health status.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.279-293
• /
• 2014

Objectives: Children are more susceptible to heavy metal toxicity than adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate heavy metal concentrations in the blood of Korean preschoolers and investigate the association between metals in blood and related factors. Methods: A total of 512 subjects from 36 to 83 months of age were sampled. A questionnaire survey was performed and the levels of lead, mercury and cadmium were measured in the blood samples of all subjects. Their parents were interviewed in order to obtain information on basic characteristics, dietary patterns, socio-economic factors, and indoor/outdoor environment of the preschoolers. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the association between the above factors and lead, mercury or cadmium concentrations. Results: The geometric mean concentrations of lead, mercury and cadmium in the blood were $1.45{\pm}1.58{\mu}g/dL$, $2.14{\pm}1.74{\mu}g/dL$ and $0.23{\pm}1.91{\mu}g/dL$, respectively. Results from multiple linear regression analysis showed that blood lead levels were associated with birth weight and paternal smoking status. Daily mercury intake from food and maternal education were also shown to influence mercury concentrations in blood. Also, blood cadmium concentrations were associated with maternal age and having a bus garage near the place of residence. Conclusion: This study suggests that smoking status, dietary patterns and the environmental status near the residence should be considered as important factors for preventable sources of heavy metal exposure in preschoolers.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.433-439
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the body composition, health status, and dietary behaviors of middle-aged women in a weight control program at a community health center. The study subjects were 66 middle-aged women who lived in Ansan city, and they participated in the program for 24 weeks. Anthropometries, blood pressure, and serum biochemical indices were measured. These measurements were taken both before and after the weight control program, and the data were analyzed using the SPSS 12.0 program. Weight, fat mass, body fat %, and the waist-hip ratio all decreased. According to the decreases in body fat %, blood pressure, serum biochemical indices and dietary behaviors were improved after the weight control program. Thus, this study demonstrated the desirable changes of a weight control program offered at a community health center, for health conditions and physical fitness.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.453-457
• /
• 2004

The welders and car painters are frequently exposed to heavy metals such as lead, zinc, cadmium and chromium, and those are a major source of heavy metal poisoning. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship of the heavy metal level in blood by age, working duration, and smoking status among 105 industrial workers and 88 general people in Gyeongnam province from October 2003 to October 2004. The heavy metal level in blood was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Mean blood lead level in exposed group and control group was 8.40±4.67μl/dl, 1.82±1.35μl/dl, respectively. Mean blood zinc level in exposed group and control group was 9.43±5.38 ㎍/ml, 2.89±1.79㎍/ml, respectively. Mean blood cadmium level in Exposed group and control group was 1.53±1.05μl/dl, 0.60±0.49 μl/dl, respectively. Mean blood chromium level in exposed group and control group was 0.89±0.76μl/dl, 0.68±0.63μl/dl, respectively. Lead, zinc, cadmium and chromium level in blood of exposed group was significantly higher than that of control group. In the comparison of smoking status, lead, zinc and cadmium level of smoker's was significantly higher than that of non-smoker's. Comparison of heavy metal level by age, lead, zinc, cadmium level in 40's, 50's (exposed group) in blood significantly higher than that of 20's, 30's. In exposed group, working duration has no significant difference. In conclusion, smoking was the most hazardous factor to elevate in blood heavy metal levels.