• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.71-74
• /
• 2015

Obesity and fitness have been identified as key health concerns among USA firefighters yet little is known about the current habits related to exercise and diet. In particular, high-intensity training (HIT) has gained increasing popularity among this population but limited quantitative data are available about how often it is used and the relationship between HIT and other outcomes. Using survey methodology, the current study evaluated self-reported HIT and diet practice among 625 male firefighters. Almost one-third (32.3%) of participants reported engaging in HIT. Body composition, as measured by waist circumference and percentage body fat, was significantly related to HIT training, with HIT participants being approximately half as likely to be classified as obese using body fat [odds ratio (OR) = 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.34-0.78] or waist circumference (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.37-0.98). Those who engaged in HIT were more than twice as likely as those who did not (OR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.42-3.55) to meet fitness recommendations. Findings highlight directions for future prevention and intervention efforts.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.104-110
• /
• 2008

This research was designed and implemented to evaluate how the composition of yaksuncha can affect the health of individuals suffering from diet-related diseases such as obesity and hyperlipidemia by prescribing Yaksun as a nutritional supplement with daily meals. The yaksunucha was prepared as Koekac, Sansa, Heshouwu and Woolong tea and the tea's effects on serum lipids and oxidative stress were evaluated by clinical procedures. The yaksuncha significantly increased HDL-cholesterol and decrease of LDL-cholesterol concentrations in serum. It also had significant effects on decreasing oxidative stress and homocystein levels. The physical characteristics of the yaksunucha were also examined, showing. Brix, pH and titratable acidity values of 1.4, 5.50 and 0.05% respectively. It is thought that scientific and objective evaluations were completed on the components of the yaksuncha prescription. Thus one can concluded that the components could be applied not only in the form of tea, but also various food. The data derived from this study provides basic information that will aid in the application of oriental medicinal resources to other foods as well as facilitate the study of medicinal herbs within the field of functional food research, which already draws sizable attention worldwide.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.34-45
• /
• 2013

This study was conducted to obtain data and offer advice regarding dietary intake at kindergarten and to recommend dietary habits to prevent childhood obesity. The study was conducted in 85 children aged 4 to 5 years. Body weight and height, dietary intakes of lunch served at Kindergarten and questionnaires for dietary behaviors in Kyeongnam area were studied. All subjects were classified by their weight-length index (WLI). According to the standard WLI values, 41.2% of the children were within the normal value ($90{\leq}$WLI<110), 23.5% of the children were overweight ($110{\leq}$WLI<120), and 35.3% of the children were obese ($WLI{\geq}120$). The mean energy intake at lunch for kindergarteners was $287.1{\pm}13.4$ kcal in the normal group, $307.6{\pm}10.2$ kcal in the overweight group and $323.7{\pm}8.6$ kcal in the obese group. The percent energy of estimated energy requirement (EER) was 21.8%. The intake of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and pyridoxine were significantly different by WLI (P<0.05). A comparison of nutrients in the lunch menu provided with those of 1/3 recommended intake (RI) showed that preschoolers took in fewer calories, calcium, and vitamin $B_2$, and that their deficiency rates were high (81.2%, 76.5% and 70.6% of recommended levels, respectively). There was a significant difference in the preference of fruits and milk and dairy products by WLI. Therefore, a nutritional education program and new guidance in the proper nutrition management for kindergarteners should be developed to enhance nutritional status during childhood.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.11
• /
• pp.1769-1776
• /
• 2020

As part of our current work to discover structurally and/or biologically novel compounds from Korean wild mushrooms, we isolated five ergostane-type steroids (1-5) from the fruiting bodies of Xerula furfuracea via repeated column chromatographic separations and HPLC purification. The chemical structures of the isolated steroids were shown to be (22E,24R)-24-methylcholesta-4,22-diene-3,6-dione (1), ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β-triol (2), ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β,9α-tetraol (3), (22E,24R)-5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6,22-diene-3β-ol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), and (22E,24R)-5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6,9,22-triene-3β-ol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5)based on comparison of the data regarding their spectroscopic and physical properties with those of previous studies. Notably, this is the first report on the presence of the identified steroids (1-5) in this mushroom. We tested compounds 1-5 to determine their effects on adipogenesis and osteogenesis in the mouse mesenchymal stem cell line C3H10T1/2 and found that compounds 4 and 5 suppressed the differentiation of stem cells into adipocytes. Notably, in addition to its suppressive effect on adipogenesis, compound 5 was also shown to promote the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. These findings demonstrate that the bioactive compounds isolated might be effective for the treatment of menopause-associated syndromes, such as osteoporosis and obesity, as the isolated compounds were shown to suppress adipogenesis and/or promote osteogenesis of stem cells.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.219-231
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to collect basic data on the prevention of and education about diabetes mellitus for the nutritional management of a diabetes mellitus risk group. The study which took place in Kangbukgu, Seoul, involved a diabetes mellitus risk group (DMR $\geq$ 110 mg/dL, 61), of males and females, aged 36 to 68 years, and a group of healthy people as a control group ( < 110 mg/dL, 183), using luting blood sugar (FBS) levels. The proportion of people in the abnormal range was higher in the DMR than that of control group for total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-C), total protein, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and creatinine. Particularly with respect to serum protein the proportion in the DMR in abnormal range (p < 0.05) was significantly higher than that of the control group. The proportion in the DMR with a family history of disease was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.01). Using body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and relative body weight (RBW), the obesity indices in the DMR was higher than that of the control group. Comparing the DMR and the control group with respect to dietary habits, it seems that the DMR had more undesirable dietary habits than the control group. When the intake of each nutrient for the DMR and the control group was compared to the Korean recommended dietary allowances (RDA), the proportion of excess intake and deficient intake in the DMR was higher than that of the control group. The DMR showed a greater undesirable dietary intake pattern as compared to that of the control group, based on the RDA. With respect to the dietary diversity score (DDS) and the mean adequacy ratio (MAR) for quality estimation of the overall flood intake, the DMR showed a feater undesirable pattern than the control group. According to the above results, the DMR tended to have more undesirable eating habits when compared to the control group. Therefore, to provide a more efficient nutritional education program for the DMR we must conduct lurker studies on eating habits, so as to provide systematic nutritional management based on theme differences between the DMR and the control group.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.55-63
• /
• 2001

For spinal flexibility measurements to be meaningful to clinicians or researchers, they must have a normative information and an understanding of how different variables affect spinal range of motion (ROM). Normal spinal ROM measurements are influenced to differing degrees by many factors. These factors include age, gender, time of day, leisure activities, previous history of low back pain, warming up, and the techniques with which normative data are collected. The additional variables of standing height, ratio of standing height to sitting height, and obesity had not been previously studied extensively and were shown to have a significant effect on flexibility in the sagittal plane. These relationship cannot be explained easily. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between spinal flexibility and individual factors (weight, standing height, and ratio of standing height to sitting height) that influence it. Fifteen healthy subjects between the ages of 20 and 27 years were studied. Two physical therapists measured independently the spinal forward bending ROM in the sagittal plane by Remodified Schober test and Finger-to-floor test. In order to determine the statistical significance of the result the Pearson's correlation was applied at the .05 level of significance. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and weight. 2) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and standing height. 3) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and ratio of standing height to sitting height.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.96-104
• /
• 2008

Purpose: We had executed the 3 3 5 5 walking club program for 12 weeks for one hour three times per week to evaluate the effect of the program on health of the elderly. Methods: A pre and post measurement tool of the program was applied to measure obesity, rate of body fat, blood pressure, vital capacity, standard vital capacity, intake capacity of maximum oxygen, grasping power, reaction of whole body, pulse, body mass index (BMI), total bodily score, age of bodily strength, age of health. Data collected from this tool was analyzed by SPSS in paired t-test. Results: The 3 3 5 5 walking club program has affected the weight control of the participants. The participants of 3 3 5 5 walking club program reduced their weight from 61.7 kg to 61.25 kg, rate of body fat from 21.89 kg to 21.22 kg, standard vital capacity from 2,393.56 ml to 2,380.44 ml, reaction of whole body from 475.38 msec to 439.33 msec, and increased grasping power from 22.06 to 23.16 ml (p<.05), total bodily score 68.91 points to 71.38 points significantly (p<.05). Conclusion: The result indicated that the 3.3.5.5 Walking club program has an positive effect on improving health care of the elderly without special exercise tools.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.594-607
• /
• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a weight reduction program on the body weight, BMI, self-esteem, and self-efficacy of chronic mentally ill persons. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pre-posttest design was employed. Participants were 46 chronic mentally ill persons who agreed to participate in this study, and were assigned to an experimental group (n=23) and a control group (n=23). The weight reduction program was modified by the author, based on the Wellness program (Lilly Pharmaceutical Company, 2003), Lee (2007) and Kim (2013). Data analysis with frequency, ${\chi}^2$-test, Fisher's exact test, and t-test was performed using SPSS/Win 18.0 version. Results: The results showed a significant decrease in body weight and BMI and an increase in self-esteem in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: The weight reduction program had a positive effect on body weight, BMI, and self-esteem. Evaluation of drug compliance and vocational rehabilitation is recommended for long term effect of the program and conduct of further studies will be required for use of various resources for self-efficacy for inclusion in drug education in a program for improved health outcome.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.613-621
• /
• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed to examine the relationship between health behaviors, living environment, and asthma in adolescents in Korea. Methods: Information on adolescents' characteristics, including demographic factors, health behaviors, and doctor's diagnosis of asthma was obtained from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2015). In total, 68,043 middle and high school students participated. Environmental characteristics, including city park area and outdoor PM₁₀ concentrations in 2015 were obtained from the Korean Statistical Information Service. The adolescents' and environmental characteristics were merged by local information. Multiple logistic regression models were used to investigate the risk factors affecting asthma in adolescents. Results: The prevalence of asthma in adolescents in 2015 was 8.8%. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, adolescents who were male, attended middle school, suffered obesity, experienced tobacco smoking, had physical activity levels of 2 to 4 days, had higher stress levels, and lived in areas with outdoor PM₁₀ concentrations more than 47 ㎍/㎥ were more likely to have asthma, while adolescents who had middle levels of family economic status were less likely to do so. Conclusions: The fact that PM₁₀ concentration can affect asthma is an important point in this study. Risk factors identified in this study could be used as basic data for the prevention and management of asthma in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.790-800
• /
• 2007

Purpose: This study was to identify knowledge, perception and health behavior about metabolic syndrome for an at risk group in a rural community area. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used. A total of 575 adults with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and/or abdominal obesity were recruited from 11 rural community health care centers. A questionnaire was developed for this study. Anthropometric measures were measured and blood data was reviewed from the health record. Results: Knowledge about the metabolic syndrome was low as evidenced by only a 47% correct answer rate. Only 9% of the subjects ever heard about the disease, and 87% answered they do not know the disease at all. 87% of the subjects were not performing regular exercise, 31% drank alcohol more than once a month, 12.5% were current smokers, and 33.6% are did not have a regular health check-up. Conclusion: Development of systematic public health care programs are needed to prevent future increases in cardiovascular complications and to decrease health care costs. These might include educational programs for the primary health care provider and an at risk group, a therapeutic lifestyle modification program, and a health screening program to identify potential groups.