• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.539-547
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the health status as determined by a self-assessment checklist was related to the nutritional status of elderly Korean women. We interviewed 59 female subjects living in the Daegu area aged over 55 years. Information on their dietary intake on two consecutive days was collected by the 24-hour Recall Method. Their body compositions were measured using a Bio-electrical Impedence Fatness Analyzer. Their zinc status was evaluated according to their dietary zinc intake and urinary zinc excretion in urine samples collected for 24 hours. Their heath status was determined by a NSI Checklist. While 50.9% of the total subjects belonged to a moderate nutritional risk group,23.7% of the subjects were at a high nutritional risk. It appeared that only 25.4% of the subjects were evaluated as being healthy. Therefore, the overall nutritional health status of the elderly females belonged to the moderate nutritional risk group. Except for vitamin C, the average daily nutrient intake of the subjects was below the level of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for Koreans. The lower the nutritional health score, the better was their dietary intake of energy (p<.05), protein (p<.001), and zinc (p<.01). A positive relationship between their nutritional health score and body fat ratio was also observed (p<.05). Therefore, we suggest that the NSI Checklist could be used as a practical screening tool at the beginning of nutritional surveillance of the elderly in the community.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.137-144
• /
• 1999

In Korea, the practice of nutrition education program at the worksite has not yet been implemented, especially for the workers who are at risk for health. Accordingly, the worksite nutrition program, education, and nutrition counseling are necessary. In this study, the worksite nutrition program was developed from June, 1997 to May, 1998. For this program, we surveyed the workers' age and the levels of education, income and physical activity. We developed the proper dietary intake questionnaire to evaluate the employees' nutritional status and the nutrition index which is a simple tool to assess nutrient intakes of the employees at the worksites. To demonstrate the validity of the developed nutritional assessment tools, the CAN(Computer Aided Nutritional) program and Hyunmin system developed by the Korean Nutrition Society and the Korean Dietetic Association respectively, were used as references. The result of the validity test for the dietary assessment method that we have been developed revealed that the method was valid showing no significant difference among the various methods. However, the carbohydrate intake measured by the CAN program was higher than those of others. The validity test results for the nutrient index method showed that there was no significant difference among the methods, except the carbohydrate intake measured by the Hyunmin system was lower that those of others. As a result, we concluded that the dietary assessment methods that we had been developed, were valid method to measure the nutrient intakes of the employees at the worksites.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.38-43
• /
• 2006

There were numerous evidences that subjective health evaluation was a powerful indicator for morbidity and mortality in many countries. Since self-rated health (SRH) was a reasonable health measure, identifying predictors for SRH would be beneficial for assessment of overall health, monitoring health status, and development of health promotion programs. Health risks, health behavior, socioeconomic characteristics and social capital were potential indicators for SRH. We examined association. between SRH and indicators such as health risk factors, subjective living condition, income, education level and dietary variety score. Total 4,262 subjects, aged between 20 and 69 years old, were selected from KNHANES 2001; those who completed health examination, nutrition survey, and provided their socioeconomic information. Results of logistic regression showed that it was likely to have better SRH for those who were younger, male and have higher education, higher income, better living condition, no metabolic syndrome and higher dietary variety.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.381-391
• /
• 2023

This study was conducted to analyze relationships between depression indices, mini nutritional assessment scores, and nutritional quotients among 80 elderly in Yangpyeong-gun and to identify factors that help prevent depression and malnutrition. Nutrition assessment scores were low in the high-risk group (PHQ-9 score ≥10), and nutritional quotient scores were lower in the high-risk group than in the normal group (PHQ-9 score ≤4). Interestingly, the consumption frequencies of fruits, eggs, and nuts were low in the high-risk group, and subjective health awareness, dental condition, and sleep were poorer. The total PHQ-9 score was correlated with malnutrition, body mass index, calf circumference, weight change, independent daily living, reduced meal amount, water intake, and the need for help when eating. Analysis of correlations between items of the PHQ-9 and nutritional status evaluation indices showed that a self-perceived feeling of depression, low energy, difficulty controlling sleep or appetite, negative thoughts (e.g., failure, disappointment), and difficulty concentrating were negatively correlated with total nutritional status scores. These results show that attention is required when food or water intake decreases and that deviation from normal sleep and appetite cycles flags the need to prepare guidelines to prevent depression.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.282-287
• /
• 2015

BACKGROUND: The current study was carried out to investigate Cd, Hg, Pb and As contaminations in 222 commercial medicinal plants and to estimate the potential health risk through dietary intake of commercial medicinal plants in Korea.METHODS AND RESULTS: The Cd, Hg, Pb, and As in medicinal plants were analyzed by ICP/MS and mercury analyzer.The potential health risk was estimated using risk assessment tools. Total amount of Cd in medicinal plants with 29% samples exceeded the standard limit legislated in 'Pharmaceutical Affairs Act' while all plant samples were lower than the standard limit value for As, Hg, and Pb. However, when applying the standard limit for root vegetable (fresh weight) in the Food Sanitation Act, four samples exceeded the standard limit of Pb. For health risk assessment, the values of cancer risk probability were 0.3~5.9×10^-7which were less than the acceptable cancer risk of 10^-6~10^-4for regulatory purpose. Also, Hazard quotientvalues were lower than 1.0.CONCLUSION: Therefore, these results demonstrated that human exposure to Cd, Hg, Pb, and As through dietary intake of commercial medicinal plants might notcause adverse health effects although some medicinal plants were higher than the standard limit values for Cd and Pb.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.210-218
• /
• 2021

Recently, pest-resistant living modified (LM) crops developed using RNA interference (RNAi) technology have been imported into South Korea. However, the potential adverse effects of unintentionally released RNAi-based LM crops on non-target species have not yet been reported. Coccinella septempunctata, which feeds on aphids, is an important natural enemy insect which can be exposed to the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) produced by RNAi-based LM plants. To assess the risk of ingestion of Snf7 dsRNA by C. septempunctata, we first identified the species through morphological analysis of collected insects. A method for species identification at the gene level was developed using a specific C. septempunctata 12S rRNA. Furthermore, an experimental model was devised to assess the risk of Snf7 dsRNA ingestion in C. septempunctata. Snf7 dsRNA was mass-purified using an effective dsRNA synthesis method and its presence in C. septempunctata was confirmed after treatment with purified Snf7 dsRNA. Finally, the survival rate, development time, and dry weight of Snf7 dsRNA-treated C. septempunctata were compared with those of GFP and vATPase A dsRNA control treatments, and no risk was found. This study illustrates an effective Snf7 dsRNA synthesis method, as well as a high-concentration domestic insect risk assessment method which uses dsRNA to assess the risk of unintentional released of LM organisms against non-target species.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.384-400
• /
• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Dietary factors are important contributors to cardiometabolic and cancer mortality. We examined the secular trends of nine dietary factors (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, milk, red meat, processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and calcium) and the associated burdens of cardiometabolic and cancer mortality in Korea using representative cross-sectional survey data from 1998 to 2016. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Using dietary data from Korean adults aged ≥ 25 years in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), we characterized secular trends in intake levels. We performed comparative risk assessment to estimate the population attributable fraction and the number of cardiometabolic and cancer deaths attributable to each dietary factor. RESULTS: A total of 231,148 cardiometabolic and cancer deaths were attributable to nine dietary risk factors in Korea from 1998 to 2016. Suboptimal intakes of fruits and whole grains were the leading contributors. Although the intakes of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains moderately improved over time, the intake levels in 2016 (192.1 g/d, 225.6 g/d, and 10.9 g/d, respectively) remained far below the optimal levels. Deaths attributable to the low intakes of nuts and seeds (4.5 g/d), calcium (440.5 mg/d), and milk (37.1 g/d) and the high intakes of red meat (54.7 g/d), processed meat (4.7 g/d), and sugar-sweetened beverages (33.0 g/d) increased since 1998. Compared with older age groups (≥ 45 years), more unfavorable changes in dietary patterns were observed in the younger population aged 25-44 years, including more sharply increased intakes of processed meat. CONCLUSIONS: We observed improvement in the intakes of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and unfavorable changes in the intakes of processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages over the past few decades. Our data suggest that to reduce the chronic disease burden in Korea, more effective nutritional policies and interventions are needed to target these dietary risk factors.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2016

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to survey the levels of heavy metals in perennial root vegetables and to assess dietary exposure and risk to the Korean population health.METHODS AND RESULTS: Perennial root vegetables (n=214) including Panax ginseng C.A mayer, Woodcultivated ginseng, Codonopsis lanceolata, and Platycodon granditloum were collected from markets or harvested from farmhouse in Korea. Lead(Pb), cadmium(Cd) and arsenic (As) analysis were performed with microwave device and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Limit of detection for heavy metals were 0.010~0.050 μg/kg, while limit of quantitation were 0.035~0.175 μg/kg. The recovery results were in the range of 76~102%. The average contents of heavy metals in perennial root vegetables were in the range of Pb 0.013(Panax ginseng C.A Mayer)~0.070 (Wood-cultivated ginseng) mg/kg, Cd 0.009(Panax ginseng C.A Mayer)~0.034(Codonopsis lanceolata) mg/kg, and As 0.002(Panax ginseng C.A Mayer)~0.004(Plafycodon grandiflorum) mg/kg, respectively. For risk assessment, daily intakes of heave metals were estimated and risk indices were calculated in comparison with reference dose. The dietary exposures of heavy metals through usual intake were Pb 0.070 μg/day, Cd 0.041 μg/day and As 0.008 μg/day, taking 0.03%, 0.08% and 0.0003% as risk indices, respectively.CONCLUSION: The risk level for Korean population exposed to heavy metals through intake of perennial root vegetables was far low, indicating of little possibility of concern.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
• /
• 2002.05a
• /
• pp.136-136
• /
• 2002

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.175-191
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The scientific evidence of a sodium-obesity association is limited by sodium intake assessments. Our specific aim is to synthesize the association between dietary sodium intake and obesity across the sodium intake assessments as evidenced by systematic reviews in adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A systematic search identified systematic reviews comparing the association of dietary sodium intakes with obesity-related outcomes such as body mass index (BMI), body weight, waist circumference, and risk of (abdominal) obesity. We searched PubMed on October 24, 2022. To assess the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS), we employed the ROBIS tool. RESULTS: This review included 3 systematic reviews, consisting of 39 unique observational studies (35 cross-sectional studies and 4 longitudinal studies) and 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We found consistently positive associations between dietary sodium intake and obesity-related outcomes in cross-sectional studies. Studies that used 24-h urine collection indicated a greater BMI for those with higher sodium intake (mean difference = 2.27 kg/m²; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-2.51; P < 0.001; I² = 77%) compared to studies that used spot urine (mean difference = 1.34 kg/m²; 95% CI, 1.13-1.55; P < 0.001; I² = 95%) and dietary methods (mean difference = 0.85 kg/m²; 95% CI, 0.1-1.51; P < 0.05; I² = 95%). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative synthesis of the systematic reviews has shown that cross-sectional associations between dietary sodium intake and obesity outcomes were substantially different across the sodium intake assessments. We need more high-quality prospective cohort studies and RCTs using 24-h urine collection to examine the causal effects of sodium intake on obesity.