• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate the cadmium level in blood by age, gender, and smoking status among 162 elderly subjects in Gyeongnam Province from September 2006 to February 2007. The cadmium level in blood was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Subjects were classified according to smoking status and divided into smokers and non-smokers, smoking duration, daily smoking habits, age, and gender. Mean blood cadmium levels in male and female were $0.70{\pm}0.41{\mu}g/dL$ and $0.57{\pm}0.32{\mu}g/dL$ respectively, with no significant differences between the two groups. Cadmium levels in the blood of smokers and non-smokers were $0.57{\pm}0.32{\mu}g/dL$, $0.90{\pm}0.44{\mu}g/dL$ respectively, with the cadmium level of smokers being significantly higher than that of non-smokers. In comparison by age, cadmium levels in the blood of subjects over the age 70 years and over the age 80 years were $0.91{\pm}0.44{\mu}g/dL$, $1.02{\pm}0.39{\mu}g/dL$ respectively, showing a significantly higher blood cadmium level than that of non-smokers. when compared by the amount of daily cigarette consumption, there were no significant differences in the blood cadmium level between groups. However when compared by smoking duration, the blood cadmium level for the group of smoking duration of over 10 years was $1.15{\pm}0.38{\mu}g/dL$, significantly higher than $0.67{\pm}0.31{\mu}g/dL$ for the group of smoking duration of less than 10 years. In conclusion, longer smoking duration and older aged group showed higher cadmium level in blood. For more reliable results, further study of the elements that elevate the cadmium level in blood with more subjects and study variables will be needed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1070-1080
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• 2002

This study was designed to obtain the information concerning food intake, dietary habits, functional status, health condition and cognitive status of the elderly using public health center in Ulsan area. The subjects of this study consisted 154 elderly persons aged 60~82 years. Interviews were conducted using the health habits and food frequency questionnaires to provide basic information for nutrition education program. We evaluated the current food intake, dietary cholesterol intake (cholesterol index), functional status, cognitive function and blood analysis of the subjects. The results of this study were as follows : Mean age of the subjects was 68.7 $\pm$ 6.7years. The average cognitive status score of the subjects was 7.9 $\pm$ 2.0 (full score was 10.0). Male had a higher cognitive status score than female. There was significant difference between cognitive status score and age, education level, pocket money, physical activity and living condition. The subjects who had a higher cognitive status score ate more fish and meats group and milk and milk products than the subjects had a lower cognitive status score. And hemoglobin level, serum triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and atherogenic index affected to cognitive status while fasting blood glucose and LDL-cholesterol did not any effect on cognitive status. These results have demonstrated that various socioeconomic variables and food intake pattern and nutritional status affect on cognitive status with aging and suggest that proper nutrition education and adequate nutrient intake in quality and quantity are essential in maintaining cognitive status in later life.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.46.1-46.1
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• 2008

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2013

This study investigated the effects of magnetized water supplementation on blood glucose, DNA damage, antioxidant status, and lipid profiles in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. There were three groups of 4-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats used in the study: control group (normal control group without diabetes); diabetes group (STZ-induced diabetes control); and magnetized water group (magnetized water supplemented after the induction of diabetes using STZ). Before initiating the study, diabetes was confirmed by measuring fasting blood glucose (FBS > 200 dl), and the magnetized water group received magnetized water for 8 weeks instead of general water. After 8 weeks, rats were sacrificed to measure the fasting blood glucose, insulin concentration, glycated hemoglobin level, degree of DNA damage, antioxidant status, and lipid profiles. From the fourth week of magnetized water supplementation, blood glucose was decreased in the magnetized water group compared to the diabetes group, and such effect continued to the 8th week. The glycated hemoglobin content in the blood was increased in the diabetes group compared to the control group, but decreased significantly in the magnetized water group. However, decreased plasma insulin level due to induced diabetes was not increased by magnetized water supplementation. Increased blood and liver DNA damages in diabetes rats did significantly decrease after the administration of magnetized water. In addition, antioxidant enzyme activities and plasma lipid profiles were not different among the three groups. In conclusion, the supplementation of magnetized water not only decreased the blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels but also reduced blood and liver DNA damages in STZ-induced diabetic rats. From the above results, it is suggested that the long-term intake of the magnetized water over 8 weeks may be beneficial in both prevention and treatment of complications in diabetic patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6097-6100
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• 2012

Background: Previous studies have observed an association between ABO blood group and risk for certain gastrointestinal malignancies, including pancreatic and gastric cancer. However, it is unclear whether there is such an association with colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, possible relationships between ABO blood groups and Rh factor and KRAS status in patients with CRC were investigated. Materials and Methods: In 1,620 patients with CRC, blood group and Rh factor were examined and compared with the control group of 3,022,883 healthy volunteer blood donors of the Turkish Red Crescent between 2004 and 2011. The relationship of blood groups with wild type K-ras status was also evaluated. Results: Overall distributions of ABO blood groups as well as Rh factor were comparable between patients (45% A, 7.2% AB, 16.4% B, 31.4% O, and 87.2% Rh+) and controls (42.2% A, 7.6% AB, 16.3% B, 33.9% O, and 87.7% Rh+) (p=0.099). However, there were statistically significant difference between patients and controls with respect to O vs. non O blood group (p=0.033) and marginally significant difference for A vs. non-A blood group (p=0.052). Among patients, the median age was 62 (range 17-97), 58.1% were male. There were no statistically significant differences respect to sex and K-ras status. Conclusion: In present study, the ABO/Rh blood groups were statistically significantly associated with the risk of CRC. There were no relationship between K-ras status and ABO blood group and Rh factor. However further studies with larger numbers of patients are needed to establish the role of blood groups and to define t he mechanisms by which ABO blood type affect CRC.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.28-38
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• 2006

Purpose: To explore the level of health status and health promotion lifestyle, and the group differences in health promotion lifestyle among Seoul citizens who participated in free hypertension screening. Methods: This study was a cross sectional descriptive design. The administered questionnaire included the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP II), perceived health status scale, and demographic questions. Blood pressure was measured by researcher teams. Data were collected from July 2 to 6, 2004 in the waiting area of subway stations 7 in Seoul. The study subjects were 168 adults. Results: The average age of the respondents was 55.45 years and 38.7% of them perceived themselves as healthy, while 44% did not know their own blood pressure. Among the participants, 44.6% were classified as 'prehypertensive', and 36.9% as having high blood pressure. The mean score of health promotion lifestyle was 2.62 and the order of subcategories of health promotion lifestyle was interpersonal relationship, spiritual growth, nutrition, stress management, physical activities, and health responsibilities. The subcategories of health promotion lifestyle differed significantly by age, sex, job, and smoking. Conclusions: It is important to encourage adults to participate actively in health promotion. In addition, health promotion programs should be developed and implemented based on group differences.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.416-428
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• 2011

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of breakfast service on nutritional status, hematological status, and attentiveness of children in low-income families. The subjects were 19 boys and 13 girls between 7 and 11 years old. The subjects were divided into a control group and a breakfast service (BS) group, in which 12 boys and 5 girls received breakfast from February 1 to December 31, 2010. The results can be summarized as follows: intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin $B_2$, niacin, and vitamin C in the BS group were significantly higher than those in the control group. In the BS group, the intakes of calcium, folic acid, and vitamin C were lower than 75% of recommended intake levels. There were no significant differences in the total blood protein level and total cholesterol level between the BS group and control group. A blood albumin level was significantly higher in the BS group than in the control group. Systolic blood pressure was higher in the BS group than in the control group, whereas the diastolic blood pressure showed no significant difference between the groups. A dietary attitude score increased according to breakfast service and nutritional education. No significant differences were found in the capacity value and continuity value between the two groups, but the control value was significantly higher in the BS group than in the control group. Therefore, to sustain the effect of breakfast service and improve nutritional status for children skipping breakfast in low-income families, nutrition intervention services, as well as legal and financial support by the government should be provided.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.207-213
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• 2001

Objectives: We surveyed the prevalence of smoking among the adolescent population and analysed the correlation of the two exposure biomarkers-concentration of blood cadmium and urinary cotinine-to the smoking status. Methods: Subjects were 193 middle and high school students in Chungnam province. Blood cadmium and urinary cotinine were compared by sex and smoking status. Smoking status were classified by either the concentration of urinary cotinine or subjective answering as a smoker in the questionnaire. Results: Smoking prevalence was 24.6%, 36.2% and 6.7% among all subjects, male and female subjects, respectively. Average smoking amount was 17.5 and 1.5 cigarettes per month among the male subjects and female subjects, respectively. Mean concentration of urinary cotinine among the male subjects was $135.57{\mu}g/{\ell}$, and that of female subjects was $116.59{\mu}g/$. Direct smokers showed higher concentration of urinary cotinine than those of indirect smokers, and subjects with higher urinary concentration showed higher prevalence of smoking, too. Mean concentration of blood cadmium was $0.0572{\mu}g/d{\ell}$ among the male subjects, and $0.0693{\mu}g/d{\ell}$ among the female subjects. Among the male subjects, both exposure biomarkers showed significant correlation to the smoking status, but among the female subjects urinary cotinine did not show significant correlation to the smoking status. Conclusion: Concentrations of these two biomarkers suggested that this population had significantly high evironmental tobacco smoking(ETS) and efficient stop-smoking programs to reduce ETS should be directed to this population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.793-801
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• 1999

The purposes of this study are to assess iron status in mothers and their newborn infants at birth and to analyze the influence of maternal iron status on their newborn babies. Venous bloods samples were drawn from 144 pregnant women just before delivery and cord bloods of their newborn babies were collected immediately after birth for measurement of hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron, ferritin, total binding capacity and transferrin saturation. The values of hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly lower in the mothers(10.9$\pm$1.43g/dl and 33.7$\pm$3.67%) than in their newborn infants(14.7$\pm$1.43g/dl and 45.3$\pm$4.76%)(p<0.0001). At delivery, serum iron levels in cord blood were about twice as high as those in the maternal blood, and serum ferritin levels in the cord blood were about four times higher than those in the maternal blood. The serum ferritin levels of multigravidas were higher than those of primigravidas,. but there was no difference between the serum ferritin levels of their infants. The serum ferritin levels of the mothers and their infants were higher in maternal group with iron supplement regularly than in other maternal group without iron supplement during pregnancy. Among the mothers, 26.4% had a serum ferritin levels below 12ng/ml(i.e. depleted iron stores)and 78.9% had a hemoglobin below 12g/dl(i.e.iron deficient anemia). When the maternal group was classified according to their serum ferritin levels by 9ng/ml, 12ng/dl or 20ng/ml, there was no significant difference in the iron status of their newborn infants among the three groups. The hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels of the mothers were well correlated with those of their babies. The maternal hemoglobin values negatively correlated with infant birth weight. It is possible that the demands of iron of the mother might be increased in the case of a newborn infant of greater size. The results of this study provide useful information regarding establishment of RDA for iron in pregnant women and guidance about the need for iron supplement during pregnancy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.132-140
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• 2010

High sodium intake is one of the risk factors for the development of hypertension. According to 2007 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, sodium intake of Korean was three times higher than adequate intake (1.5 g/day) recommended by Korean Dietary Reference Intakes. High sodium intake is related to high threshold and preference of salty taste. And zinc status is known to affect taste acuity. The hypothesis of this study is that zinc status is associated with salty taste acuity, preference, sodium intake and blood pressure. The subjects included in this study were 50 men and 41 women aged 20-29 y who did not smoke and not take supplements or medications regularly. Dietary intake data for 3 days were collected by 24-h recall for 1 day and dietary record for 2-days. Salty taste acuity and preference were determined by sensory test. Fasting serum concentration of zinc, height, weight, body composition and blood pressure data were collected. Salt taste preference in high zinc intake group ($\geq$ estimated average requirement, EAR; men-8.1 mg/day, women-7 mg/day) was higher than that in low zinc intake group (< EAR). Salty taste preference was inversely correlated with serum zinc concentration in people with low concentration of serum zinc (${\leqq}\;81\;{\mu}g/dL$)(r = -0.3520, p < 0.05). Diastolic blood pressure was higher in high sodium intake group than in low sodium intake group (p < 0.05), positively correlated with salty taste preference (r = 0.3866, p < 0.05) in subjects with daily zinc intake below the EAR. We conclude that low zinc status may be related to high salty taste preference and high blood pressure in Korean young adults.