• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.269-283
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the food security status of urban poor adolescents and its association with diet quality. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 188 adolescents aged 13-18 yrs living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Household food insecurity and dietary intake data were collected using the Radimer/Cornell hunger and food insecurity instrument and 2-day 24-h dietary recalls, respectively. Diet quality was determined using the Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Weight and height were measured and body mass index-for-age, as well as height-for-age z scores were calculated. RESULTS: The present study revealed that 47.9% of the adolescents experienced household food insecurity, 24.5% experienced individual food insecurity, 18.6% household food security, and 9.0% child hunger. The mean score of diet quality was 56.83 ± 10.09, with a significantly lower HEI score among food insecure adolescents (household food insecure, individual food insecure, and child hunger) than household food secure adolescents (P = 0.001). The differences between food secure and food insecure households were found to be significant for energy (P = 0.001) and nutrients including proteins (P = 0.006), carbohydrates (P = 0.005), dietary fiber (P = 0.001), folate (P < 0.001), and vitamin C (P = 0.006). The multiple linear regression showed that adolescents who experienced food insecurity (β = -0.328; P = 0.003) were found to be significantly associated with poor diet quality (F = 2.726; P < 0.01), wherein 13.3% of the variation in the diet quality was explained by the food security status. CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing food insecurity contributed to poor diet quality among urban poor adolescents. Further longitudinal studies are needed to comprehensively understand this association to improve food insecurity and diet quality among urban poor communities.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

The effect on body fat accumulation on male Wistar rats undergoing continuous feeding with a histidine-enriched diet was investigated. Five-week-age rats were assigned to two groups and were fed either the control diet (purified diet AIN-$76^{TM}$) or the histidine-enriched diet containing 3% histidine for 28 days. It was observed that both adipose tissue masses in retroperitoneal and epididymal areas of rats fed histidine-enriched diet significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared to those of control rats, while there was no significant difference in the food efficiency ratio between them. The blood levels of histidine derivatives of 3-methylhistidine and carnosine were significantly (p<0.05) increased in the rats fed a histidine-enriched diet, whereas there were no significant different between the histidine-enriched diet and control groups in the general amino acid distribution. Our results demonstrate that a histidine-enriched diet suppresses body fat accumulation in rats.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.92-101
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether nutrition counseling and exercise could be beneficial to patients with acquired cardiac disease (ACD). Twenty-five ACD patients participated in this program, which was based on guidelines for serum lipid management. To measure the effects of the nutrition counseling and exercise education, outpatients with ACD were selected and randomly assigned to three groups which were a control group, a diet only group and a diet and exercise group. Nine diet only group patients and nine diet and exercise group patients received nutrition counseling or nutrition counseling and exercise education every other week. Patients who served as a non counseled control group did not receive any counseling during the same study period. Various markers of disease risk, including lifestyle, anthropometric indices, eating behaviors, and serum lipid levels were measured before and after the program. The program lasted up to 12 weeks, depending on the individuals involved. Database management and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 7.5 software. As a result, BMI and %IBW showed decreased trends in the diet only and the diet and exercise group. Food habit scores were significantly increased in the diet only group and the frequency of saturated fatty acid, dietary cholesterol, salty food and instant food intake were decreased in the diet only group. Comparisons of the daily nutrient intakes of the groups showed their total calorie, carbohydrate and protein intake had decreased significantly, and also the total fat and dietary cholesterol intake had decreased in the nutrition counseling group. The serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol decreased after 12 weeks in the nutrition counseling group. The diet and exercise group showed less interest in diet control than the diet only group. These results show that a well-planned nutrition counseling program would reduce the risks of ACD and cardiovascular disease and help to care such diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.194-209
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: High levels of plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are an important determinant of atherosclerotic lesion formation. The disruption of cholesterol efflux or reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) in peripheral tissues and macrophages may promote atherogenesis. The aim of the current study was to examine whether bioactive ellagic acid, a functional food component, improved RCT functionality and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function in diet-induced atherogenesis of apolipoproteins E (apoE) knockout (KO) mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Wild type mice and apoE KO mice were fed a high-cholesterol Paigen diet for 10 weeks to induce hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis, and concomitantly received 10 mg/kg ellagic acid via gavage. RESULTS: Supplying ellagic acid enhanced induction of apoE and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter G1 in oxidized LDL-exposed macrophages, facilitating cholesterol efflux associated with RCT. Oral administration of ellagic acid to apoE KO mice fed on Paigen diet improved hypercholesterolemia with reduced atherogenic index. This compound enhanced the expression of ABC transporters in peritoneal macrophages isolated from apoE KO mice fed on Paigen diet, indicating increased cholesterol efflux. Plasma levels of cholesterol ester transport protein and phospholipid transport protein involved in RCT were elevated in mice lack of apoE gene, which was substantially reduced by supplementing ellagic acid to Paigen diet-fed mice. In addition, ellagic acid attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation in apoE KO mice, evidenced by staining of hematoxylin and eosin and oil red O. Furthermore, the supplementation of 10 mg/kg ellagic acid favorably influenced the transcriptional levels of hepatic LDL receptor and scavenger receptor-B1 in Paigen diet-fed apoE KO mice. CONCLUSION: Ellagic acid may be an athero-protective dietary compound encumbering diet-induced atherogenesis though improving the RCT functionality.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.332-343
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• 2016

Objectives: Study purpose was to investigate perception on diet, diet problems and related factors among young adult women using focus group interviews (FGI) based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Methods: Eight groups of FGI were conducted with 47 female undergraduate or graduate students. Guide for FGI included questions regarding perception on optimal diet, diet problems and cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors of SCT. FGI were video, audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed by themes and sub-themes. Results: Subjects showed irregular eating habits (skipping breakfast, irregular meal time) and selection of unhealthy foods as the main diet problems. Regarding cognitive factors related to optimal diet, subjects mentioned positive outcome expectations (e.g., health promotion, skin health, improvement in eating habits, etc.) and negative outcome expectations (e.g., annoying, hungry, expensive, taste). Factors that promoted optimal diet were mainly received from information from mobile or internet and access to menu or recipes. Factors that prevented optimal diet included influence from friends, lack of time and cooking skills. Behavioral factors for optimal diet included behavioral capability regarding snacks, healthy eating and smart food selection. Subjects mentioned mass media (mobile, internet, TV) as the influential physical environment, and significant others (parents, friends, grandparents) as the influential social environment in optimal diet. For education topics, subjects wanted to learn about healthy meals, basic nutrition, disease and nutrition, and weight control. They wanted to learn those aspects by using mobile or internet, lectures (cooking classes), campaign and events. Conclusions: Study results might be used for planning education regarding optimal diet for young adult women. Education programs need to focus on increasing positive outcome expectations (e.g., health) and behavioral capability for healthy eating and food selection, reducing negative outcome expectations (e.g., cost, taste) and barriers, making supportive environments for optimal diet, and incorporating topics and methods found in this study.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.832-840
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between diet quality and food cost and identify the effects of food cost on healthy diet among Korean adult. Among the subjects of 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey 1,641 men and 1,765 women aged from 30 to 49 years were selected and their information of dietary intakes, socio-demo-graphic information, and anthropometric data were analyzed. For the analysis, subjects were classified to quartile based on their daily food cost. Food guidelines provided by Korean Nutrition Society was regarded as a model of healthy diet. Subjects in the lowest quartile of food cost consumed inadequate amount of food from all food categories of the guidelines. Many subjects in the highest quartile not only satisfied the recommended amount of the Food Guide but also seemed to overeat high energy density foods. Even in the highest quartile, about 90% of subjects did not satisfied recommended amount of dairy products. According to the calculated cost of healthy diet, the average cost did not seem to be more expensive than the current mean food cost of the subjects, and most cost-sensitive food intake was observed in the meat fish beans eggs category. The implications of study results were: 1) all the high cost diets did not indicate the high quality of diet, 2) most practical matter of healthy diet in low income group seemed whether they could afford the expense of meat and fish, 3) nutrition education was required to most subjects for healthy diet.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2005

Commonly used spices in Korean cooking (red pepper powder, garlic, ginger) were evaluated for anti-obesity properties and effects on triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol in blood and adipose tissues in rats fed a high fat (20%) diet. SD rats were raised for four weeks on either a normal diet (ND, based on the AIN-93M diet), high fat diet (HFD, supplemented with 16% lard oil in the ND), or diets containing 5% red pepper powder (RPP), garlic or ginger. These spices significantly decreased weight gain compared to HFD, but garlic and ginger showed a greater effect on reducing weight gain than RPP. The weights of liver and epididymal and perirenal fat pads in garlic and ginger diet groups were lower than those of the HFD groups (p < 0.05). The garlic and ginger also decreased triglyceride and cholesterol contents in liver and epididymal and perirenal fat pad, reversing the higher levels seen in HFD. RPP, garlic and ginger supplemented diets were effective in lowering serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels (p< 0.05). These results indicated that garlic and ginger more effectively suppressed the effects of HFD on body fat gain and lipid values of adipose tissues and serum than RPP.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.162-167
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• 2002

The effect of red pepper powder (RPP) or kimchi on body weight and blood and tissue lipids was evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high fat diet (HFD). RPP (0.006% capsaicin) diet contained 5% RPP in HFD; the kimchi diet was 10% kimchi (50% RPP by dry weight) in HFD. Food consumption of the RPP and kimchi diet groups was not different than the normal or HFD groups, but final body weights were significantly lower than the HFD group (p <0.05) after 4 weeks on the RPP or kimchi diets. The weights of liver, epididymal fat pad and perirenal fat pad in RPP and kimchi diet groups were lower than those of the HFD group, but the rats on the kimchi diet had even lower weights than those on the RPP diet. Plasma concentrations of triglyceride and cholesterol were lowest in the kimchi diet group (p<0.05). The RPP and kimchi diet groups had lower total lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol in liver; as well as in tissue fat prods than the HFD group, with the greatest effect being in the kimchi diet group. These results suggested that RPP and kimchi consumption can reverse the effects of HFD on weight gain and blood and tissue lipids, and that kimchi does so more effectively than RPP alone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.159-164
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• 1996

Food intake of birds can be affected by particle size as well as diet composition, In order to investigate whether food intake of diets including excessive amount of phenyalanine(Phe) was influenced by diet types. a series of experiments were conducted in growing chicks and laying hens. Growing chicks significantly decreased food intake in a semipurified excessive Phe diet compared with a semipurified control diet, while laying hens fed a practical diet including excess Phe did not significantly reduce their food intake over a corn starch-substituted control diet. In an attempt to find out whether diet type affects food intake in layers, the semipurified type diet with excess Phe greatly reduced food ingestion, but the effect was delayed in the practical type diet. Moreover, under choice feeding regimes between the Phe and either starch, tyrosine(Tyr) or fiber diets in order to investigate whether the decreased food intake in the presence of an excess of dieary Phe in laying hens is involved in the palatability for the diet, there was no significant difference between Phe and starch diet while a preference for the Phe diet tended to be increased when birds were offered Tyr. Laying hens ingested significantly more the Phe diet than the fiber diet within 1 h after feeding. For supporting the idea that preference for the Phe diet may be affected by manipulating taste sense, an anaesthetic or saline was intramuscularly administered under the tongue just before a choice feeding. Preference for the Phe diet was not significantly different from that for the fiber reference diet within 1 h in the anaesthetized birds while the birds preferred the Phe diet in the saline treated group. It is suggested that because birds are able to select a diet, the decreased food intake induced by dietary excess Phe may be due to the repulsive effect of Phe after ingestion but not the taste of Phe.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.723-732
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of diet related factors, such as diet behaviors, food intake, and nutrient intakes, on self-rated health (SRH). Also, in order to determine fitness of classification for SRH reflecting diet related factors, this study surveyed older adults in Gyeongnam province. A total of 101 responses were collected using the interview survey method. The self- rated health of rural older adults was poor as reported by 49.5%. The level of self-rated health was found to be related to the frequencies of coffee and snack, use of sugar and vegetable in diet, the amount of total food intake, and cholesterol intake. The result of discriminant analysis, which was conducted to assess the adequacy of SRH classification and to determine the class of observation, showed frequency of coffee and use of vegetable in diet among 47 variables as predictive variables for explaining SRH. The fitness of self-rated health function was high to 47.7%. Therefore, diet-related factors were ascertained to be important variables to predict SRH.