• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.468-473
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• 2008

Purpose : Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is still one of the most common nutrient deficiency disorders, despite improvements in general health and nutrition. This study was designed to investigate the diagnostic values of hematological profiles, including the level of ferritin, and to evaluate the knowledge of mothers on weaning practices for infants and young children with IDA. Methods : This study was conducted on 111 infants and young children from six to 40 months of age with IDA. Their parents completed a questionnaire. IDA was defined as a level of hemoglobin <11.0 g/dL, the presence of microcytosis, a level of ferritin <10.0 ng/dL, transferrin saturation <15%, or an 1 g/dL increase in the level of hemoglobin after iron administration. The questionnaire made inquiries into their weaning practices. Results : In 111 infants and young children aged from six to 40 months, the average level of Hb was $9.5{\pm}1.0g/dL$. The prevalence of ferritin level (>10 ng/dL) was 48.6%, in spite of IDA. Seventy-four infants (66.7%) began to wean between four and six months, and 37 infants (33.3%) after seven months of age. The main food given after weaning was rice gruel. The weaning periods showed a significant relationship to the severity of anemia (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the severity of anemia in terms of the educational levels of the mothers. Fifty-five mothers (49.5%) gave a wrong answer to a questionnaire describing that breast-fed infants aged over four months need to be fed with iron-sufficient food. Of all mothers, 49.6% took one month or more to complete the weaning process and 20% took three months or more. Conclusion : Many infants and young children with IDA have been provided with non-iron fortified foods and inadequate weaning. To improve nutritional status, especially among infants with iron deficiencies, nutritional education for mothers with infants at the weaning age must be increased and related programs must be implemented effectively.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2000

Purpose: This study was to investigate the clinical manifestations of FTT in children. Methods: From March 1997 to July 1999, clinical observations were made on patients with FTT who had visited to Samsung Medical Center. Detailed histories and through physical examinations were taken, and when suspected organic FTT, basic laboratory studies were done. Results: Upon the review of medical records, we investigated the clinical manifestations of 74 children, aged 1 month and 13 year 1 month. The causes of FTT were composed of either physiologic (47.8%) or pathologic (52.2%) ones. Among the physiologic FTT, were there familial short stature (FSS, 14.5%), intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR, 14.5%), constitutional growth delay (CGD, 11.6%), idiosyncrasy and prematurity. Among pathologic causes, neurologic disorders (20%) are the most common causes of FTT, and then follow by GI (13.4%), allergic and infectious disorders in decreasing order. The data showed that average caloric intake in patients with FTT was 76,2% of recommended amount. FTT patients with CGD, IUGR, and idiosyncrasy had tendency to take small foods. The FTT children with prematurity, IUGR and pathologic FTT, were short and thin for their ages. However FTT children with CGD and FSS had tendency to be thin with relatively normal heights for their ages, in comparison with those of the children with prematurity, IUGR and pathologic FTT. Conclusion: The diagnosis of FTT was easily obtained with simple and through medical history, physical examination, and minimal laboratory tests. In this study, organic FTT was more prevalent than physiologic one. This results indicate that early intervention is mandatory, because children may develop significant long-term sequelae from nutritional deficiency.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.183-192
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of elementary school dietitians in terms of nutrition education in the northern portion of Gyeonggi province. Self-administered questionnaires were given to 50 dietitians who have worked in elementary schools with self-operation food service, and 35(70%) dietitians returned the questionnaires. The results are summarized as follows: no students took part in nutrition education as a regular course, but all dietitians performed nutrition education in passive ways, such as 'using home correspondence'(39.0%), 'bulletin board/poster'(22.0%), 'using the internet'(13.4%) and 'indirectly through a classroom teacher'(12.2%). Most respondents performed nutrition education 'one time/month'(66.0%) or 'one time/week'(20.0%). The respondents thought that suitable teaching times for nutrition education were 'during a related subject'(35.5%), 'during lunch time'(22.6%) rather than 'during an independent subject'(16.1%). Most of the dietitians(94.3%) did not perform nutrition counseling because of 'a lack of opportunity'(72.7%) and 'workload'(27.3%). Additionally 88.6% of respondents did not have the time of for nutrition counseling for parents because 'am not a teacher'(56.7%) and 'workload'(30,0%). Information sources for nutrition education were mainly 'internet'(71.4%) and 're-educationa1 materials'(17.1%). They possessed instructional materials in the forms of 'printed materials'(35.1 %), 'exhibition/bulletin board'(31.2%), and 'electrical materials'(33.8%), 'but did not have 'solid materials' such as food models and dolls. Generally they had mostly 'leaflets'(82.9%), 'bulletins'(68.6%), 'internet'(57.1%), and 'CDs'(57.1%). Preferences for instructional materials used were 'printed materials'(46.2%), 'exhibition/bulletin board'(36.5%), and 'electrical materials'(17.3%) 'Leaflets'(80.0%) were mainly used; 'CD'(17.1 %) use was low compared to the proportion possessing CDs. The topics frequently chosen by the subjects for nutrition education were 'table manners'(82.9%), 'basic concepts of food and nutrition'(80.0%), and 'proper food habits'(80.0%), but the topics helpful for practical use, such as 'how much do I eat'(20.0%) and 'nutrition labeling'(37.1%), were not included frequently. The respondents thought that 'eating only what they like'(60.0 %), 'intake of processed foods'(17.8%), and 'obesity'(17.8%) were the most common nutritional problems among elementary school children. They also thought that establishing a regular course for nutrition education was an effective way to cut down on these nutritional problems. In conclusion, nutrition education programs that are combined with effective instructional materials and practical topics should be developed. Additionally, it is recommended that dietitians act as teachers who participate in regular courses as soon as possible.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.300-308
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the night eating habits of middle schoolers. A total of 705 middle school students residing in Gyeonggi were surveyed about their dietary habits related to night eating. Among the total subjects, 59.9% (n=422) had night eating more than once a week and were classified into a night eating group (NEG). The main reason for night eating was hunger (79.1% of NEG) and the highest proportion of night eating was related to food purchased by family (39.3% of NEG). Most of the NEG had night eating in their home with family members, and the time with highest frequency of night eating was between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.. About 33% of the NEG went to bed within an hour after night eating and 69.2% of the NEG did not report any change after night eating. The most common factors considered when choosing a night eating menu, in order of frequency, were taste, hygiene, and amount. The favorite items on the night eating menu were frozen desserts, fresh fruits, chicken, fruit juice, Ramen, pizza, and Jajangmyeon. The most frequent menu choices were fresh fruits, frozen desserts, Ramen, chicken, yogurt, and fruit juice. The NEG had higher scores for picky eating (P<0.01), overeating (P<0.01), salty eating (P<0.01), and irregular meal times (P<0.001) compared to the non-NEG. Consequently, the NEG had more dietary problems than the non-NEG and their night eating behaviors were related to family habits. Night eating was mainly dominated by a diet of carbohydrates and fats, and the intake frequency and preference for foods with low nutritional value were high; thus, a practical and systematical nutrition education is required. Seasonal and comparative studies on night eating status according to various times and amounts of night eating are also required.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.530-541
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of food allergy, food allergy knowledge, and perception on food allergen labelling along with management of substitute meals in school foodservice in elementary school students in Jeju, South Korea. Methods: Six elementary schools in Jeju-si were randomly selected, and the higher grade elementary school students (n=1,500), from fourth graders to sixth graders, were surveyed using a questionnaire in July 2014. A total of 1,000 responses were used for data analysis. Results: The percentage of students who had experienced food allergy was 16.7%; 26.4% had been diagnosed as having a food allergy by doctors. Milk, crabs, and shrimps were the most frequent allergenic foods with common symptoms including urticaria followed by itching, and vomiting. As the student's grade went up, the knowledge scores on food allergy showed a significant increase. Although students with and without food allergy experience had a similar level of knowledge on food allergy and perception on food allergen labelling, students with food allergy experience had a significantly lower level of healthy dietary practices. Last, only 20.4% of students with food allergies were offered substitute meals by school foodservices, and 30.8% of students received food allergy education. Conclusion: For prevention and management of food allergies in school foodservice, schools should provide an individualized substitute meal plan and food allergy education to students, parents, and teachers.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.358-366
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts with various countries of origin. Three samples of licorice with various origins (Korea, China, and Uzbekistan) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against six skin microflora. The bioassay applied for determining the antimicrobial effects included the disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration, and challenge test. The ethyl acetate fractions of G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts showed significant antimicrobial activities against two gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Propionibacterium acnes) and two gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. These samples had much more intensive antimicrobial activities than synthetic preservatives on B. subtilis, P. acnes, and P. aeruginosa, especially. Korean licorice showed the highest antimicrobial activity amongst the samples tested. In view of the observed inhibitory features of these G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts, it is suggested that they could be used as natural antiseptics against bacterial contamination in cosmetics and foods, instead of the common synthetic preservatives currently employed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.313-324
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between intake of antioxidant vitamins and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Korean adults. Methods: A total of 614 subjects aged 30~60 years were recruited from those who received a medical checkup at a general hospital in South Korea between 2009 and 2012. Presence of MetS was determined based on criteria issued by the NCEP ATP III. Intakes of antioxidant vitamins (vitamin A, retinol, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin E) were estimated by combining 3-day diet records with an antioxidant vitamin database for common Korean foods. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the association between dietary intakes of antioxidant vitamins and MetS. Results: Men in the highest tertile for retinol (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.23~0.71, P for trend = 0.0009), carotenoids (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.32~1.00, P for trend = 0.0470), and vitamin E (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.30~0.92, P for trend = 0.0190) intakes had a lower likelihood of having Mets than those in the lowest tertile. The OR of high fasting blood glucose among men in the highest tertile for vitamin A (${\mu}g$ RE: OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.32~0.97, P for trend = 0.0417, ${\mu}g$ RAE: OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.29~0.92, P for trend = 0.0211), carotenoids (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.23~0.73, P for trend = 0.0036), and vitamin E (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.26~0.82, P for trend = 0.0080) intakes was lower than those in the lowest tertile. In women, subjects in the highest tertile of retinol intakes had a lower prevalence of MetS than those in the lowest tertile group (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.30~0.98). The OR for abdominal obesity was lower among women with the highest vitamin A (${\mu}g$ RE) intakes compared to those in the lowest tertile (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.28~0.93, P for trend = 0.0293). Conclusion: These results suggest that dietary intakes of antioxidant vitamins might be associated with reduced risk of having MetS among Korean adults.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.514-528
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• 2014

This study examined the actual state and future improvement of food allergies in adolescents and adults in order to prevent damage. In this survey, proportions of females, people in their 40s, college graduates, and office workers and housewives with allergies were higher than other groups. Exactly 41.1% of participants responded that they had experienced food allergies while 58.9% responded that they had not. According to their responses, the most common food allergy symptom involved the skin while whole-body allergic reactions were rare. Most respondents answered that frequency of their food allergies was two or three times. There was a variety of allergenic foods, including fast food, eggs, mackerel and milk, and instant food was ranked as the most allergenic food. Therefore, in order to protect consumers from damage caused by food allergens, the food allergen labeling system must be improved. A better food allergen labeling system should be implemented to avoid potential risks of allergic reactions and ensure national food safety.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.455-463
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• 1996

A survey was conducted to investigate the perceptions of health and foods, and the food habits among the elderly men who came to the Tap-Gol park on a daily basis. A total of 253 subjects were selected for this study. The data was analyzed through the $X^2-test$, Duncan's multiple range test and Pearson Correlation by the use of SAS program. The results were as follows. The majority of the subjects were in their 70's. 56.1% of them lived with their sons' families, 9.1% lived alone, and 27.3% lived with a spouse. 32% of the subjects were living with the expense less than 50,000 won per month. Although some were suffering from such diseases as arthritis, indigestion, and hypertension etc., the subjects were generally in good health. Their dependance on dietary supplements were insignificant. Most of the subject had a common-sensible notion as to health. They put emphasis on the three factors for the maintenance of good health: a balanced diet, a peace of mind and exercising. With regard to the food habits, the majority were fair in general. The subject living with family had more regular meals than the single people did. 41.5% of the subjects responded that they had irregular meals, mainly for lunch due to a poor appetite or a financial problem. The respondents cited protein food, milk, fruit, sea weeds and food cooked with oil as conducive to good health. But what they consumed did not match what they thought was good, particularly milk. The results of this study lead to the suggestion that Korea need to develop such a lunch program for the elderly as is practiced in the U.S., through which dietary motivation can be stimulated and a low-priced and balanced diet offered at least for one meal a day.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.618-627
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• 2019

Purpose: This study evaluated the dietary quality of lunches consumed through home meals, institutional meals, and eating-out at restaurants in Chinese adults. Methods: The total of 3,708 people (aged 20 ~ 64) were selected from the data of the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey and divided into three groups: the home (HM, 2,845 people), institutional (IM, 579 people), and eating-out (EO, 284 people) meal groups. Dietary intakes of eight food groups, the frequency of eating certain foods, food group intake pattern, dietary diversity and the variety score of lunches were analyzed. Results: The meat intake of IM and EO were higher than that of HM (p < 0.05), and the vegetable intake was the highest in HM, followed by IM and EO (p < 0.05). The intake of fruit and milk·dairy products were extremely low in all the groups. Compared with 1/3 daily recommended intake, the meat intake was above the standard in all the groups and the vegetable intake was insufficient only in EO. The most frequently consumed food in all the groups was rice, followed by pork. The relatively desirable food group pattern, "grain + meat + vegetable", was highest in IM (66.0%) and lowest in EO (48.2%). The "grain + vegetable" pattern in HM and the "grain + meat" pattern in EO were relatively higher than that in the other groups. The dietary diversity score (p < 0.001) and dietary variety score (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in IM than that in the HM or EO. Conclusion: The lunches of Chinese adults had common problems in excess meat intake and a severe lack of fruit and milk·dairy products. Even institutional meals were not ideal as single meals for Chinese adults, although they were better in food diversity. Customized dietary educational programs based on balanced meal plans need to be established, especially for those Chinese people having lunch at home or eating out. In addition, a systematic food service program should be developed and firmly implemented.