• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 2010

There has been little data on the prevalence of supplement use and the characteristics of the dietary supplement users in the Republic of Korea. This study presents the prevalence and the details of any dietary supplement use and the characteristics of the adults who use dietary supplements in the Republic of Korea. Between May 18 and June 16, 2006, nationwide and population-weighted personal interviews with 6,201 adult aged from 30 to 69 years were conducted and the final sample consisted of 3,000 people with a 49.8% response rate. We examined the prevalence and details of the use of dietary supplements and the characteristics of those who use the dietary supplement among adults. About sixty two percent of adults had taken any dietary supplement during the previous 12-month period in 2006. The most commonly reported dietary supplement was ginseng, followed by multivitamins, glucosamine, probiotics, and vitamin C. Female (versus male), an older age group, a higher family income, those living in metropolitan cities, those with marital experience, those with a higher level of education, and those having medical problems had a greater likelihood of reporting the use of any dietary supplements. The particular relationships differed depending on the type of supplement. The most Korean adults took one more dietary supplement and the dietary supplement users had different demographic and health characteristics compared to those of the nonusers. Research on diet supplements by the medical community is needed in the future.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.427-435
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• 2012

The purpose of this review study is to examine current status of dietary supplement use to enhance athletic performance capacity in elite athletes based upon anti-doping education, sports type, athletic performance capacity, gender, and age. Several previous review studies have focused on the biochemistry characteristics and intake incidence of dietary supplements and those studies have not showed enough evidence of the reason why elite athletes usually take dietary supplements. Anti-doping education may increase the incidence of dietary supplement use in elite athletes because of increasing expertise of dietary supplements. It would be expected that increased incidence of long-term dietary supplement use may induce positive effects on the body having potential effects on athletic performance capacity, although a trace of nutrients may not directly effect on the outcome of the game. Moreover, it seems that the difference of dietary supplement use based upon gender and age may come from sports type and the difference of dietary supplement intake reason may come from health and body condition maintenance rather than athletic performance capacity when considering dietary supplement use items based upon intake reasons. Most elite athletes consume at least over 2 dietary supplement items in a long period of time rather than 1 dietary supplement item in a short period of time; however, the scientific evidence of dietary supplement use seems to be insufficient. Therefore, further experimental approach studies concerning dietary supplement effects would be needed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 2017

Objectives: Although dietary supplements use in Korea has been rapidly increasing and women are more likely to take dietary supplements more than men, only a few studies have been conducted to investigate factors contributing to gender differences in dietary supplement use in the Korean population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of dietary supplement use and also identify gender-specific key factors that contribute to it using the data of the 4th KNHANES. Methods: Subjects were divided into user and non-user groups according to the answer given to the question that asked whether they had used any dietary supplement for more than 2 weeks on a regular basis during the previous year. Factors related to dietary supplement use were examined by general characteristics, health behavior and eating behavior. Results: Prevalence of dietary supplement use was 13.6% for men and 20.6% for women. Users were more likely to be middle-aged, have higher income and education, have a spouse, or reside in dong areas in both men and women. Regarding health behaviors, men with desirable lifestyle behavior were more likely to take dietary supplements, while men who smoked were less likely to take dietary supplements. Regarding disease history, both men and women with a current disease had higher odds of taking supplements. With regard to dietary behavior, frequent eating out and nutrition attitude were associated with higher odds of taking supplements in both men and in women. Conclusions: Health or dietary behavior related factors that were associated with taking supplements differed by gender. These findings can be useful for planning gender-specific dietary education and health programs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.946-955
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• 2001

This study was performed to investigate the dietary supplement use and related factors by college students attending in web class. One thousand four hundred college students(male: 632, female: 768) were participated in this study. The questionnaire about dietary supplements use, demographic characteristics, eating behavior, health-related lifestyles, nutrient intake was self-administered and the data were obtained via internet or mail. Dietary supplements were taken by 63.6%(male : 62.2%, female : 64.2%) of subjects. The higher concern about nutrition and health, the higher the incidence of dietary supplements taking was(p < 0.05). Dietary supplement users were satisfied more than non-users about meal served(p < 0.05). Supplements used by most male students were lactic acid beverage, Chinese medicine, geigogi geisoju and multivitamin, Chinese medicine, fiber-processed flood for female students. Most of dietary supplement users answered that the sources of information on supplements were 'friend, family or relatives' and 'TV or radio'. Dietary supplement users were taking significantly more nutrients compared to non-use. Therefore, it may be necessary to provide nutrition information and education which show that balanced diet is the best nutritional strategy for health promotion and diet supplements can be helpful in deficient state nutrients.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2013

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of musculoskeletal problems in elderly Korean women and their actual and current use of dietary supplements by conducting a descriptive survey. Methods: The 1-month study began on April 3, 2012. A total of 150 elderly women from City D responded to the survey questionnaire used in this study. Results: Among the respondents, 55.3% used dietary supplements, although they had not consulted a physician for a definitive diagnosis of their condition but reported a self-perceived musculoskeletal problem instead. In addition, they engaged in healthy behaviors such as exercising and dietary supplement intake, without receiving any medical treatment. Compared with the nonusers, the dietary supplement users self-perceived a relatively more serious musculoskeletal problem (t =4.566, p<.001). Among the most commonly used supplements, multivitamins ranked first, followed by glucosamine and omega-3. Conclusion: Nurses should thoroughly monitor and maintain a positive attitude toward their patients' use of dietary supplements in order to appropriately educate them about the proper use of supplements.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.104-111
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• 2001

The Purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary intake of nutrients and the use of vitamin and mineral supplements by Korean college students attending Web class and the socioeconomic, dietary and health-related factors involved. The subjects were 137 male and 115 female students amending a health and nutrition-related Web class at a cycler university. This cross-sectional survey was conducted by self-administered questionnaire and the data were analyzed by SAS and SPSS PC package programs. Nutrient intake data collected using three-day recall method were analyzed by the Computer Aided Nutritional Analysis Program. Average intake by male students of most nutrients except energy, vitamin B$_2$ and calcium and intake by female students of those except energy, vitamin $B_2$, calcium and iron was higher than Korean RDA. Nutrient intake of male students was significantly influenced by the mother s job, skipping meals, exercise, vitamin and mineral supplement use, flood supplement use and self-evaluated anemia. Skipping meals and flood supplement use significantly influenced the nutrient intake of female students. A total of 47.4% of male students and 53.9% of female students were vitamin and mineral supplement users. In female students, socioeconomic characteristics such as the father s education level and household income were significantly different between vitamin and mineral supplement users and non-users. In both male and female students, there were significant differences in cross analysis between vitamin and mineral supplement use and flood supplement use. As for the self-reported health status of male and female students, vitamin and mineral supplement users perceived their health status to be worse compared to non-users. Therefore, nutrition education via the Internet is necessary in order to encourage college students to practice optimal nutrition strategies, including maintaining well-balanced diets by choosing various floods wisely.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2013

This study was performed to compare the dietary food and nutrient intakes according to supplement use in pregnant and lactating women in Seoul. The subjects were composed of 201 pregnant and 104 lactating women, and their dietary food intake was assessed using the 24-h recall method. General information on demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as health-related behaviors, including the use of dietary supplements, were collected. About 88% and 60% of the pregnant and lactating women took dietary supplements, respectively. The proportion of dietary supplements used was higher in pregnant women with a higher level of education. After adjusting for potential confounders, among the pregnant women, supplement users were found to consume 45% more vegetables, and those among the lactating women were found to consume 96% more beans and 58% more vegetables. The intakes of dietary fiber and ${\beta}$-carotene among supplement users were higher than those of non-users, by 23% and 39%, respectively. Among pregnant women, the proportion of women with an intake of vitamin C (from diet alone) below the estimated average requirements (EAR) was lower among supplement users [users (44%) vs. non-users (68%)], and the proportion of lactating women with intakes of iron (from diet alone) below the EAR was lower among supplement users [usesr (17%) vs. non-users (38%)]. These results suggest that among pregnant and lactating women, those who do not use dietary supplements tend to have a lower intake of healthy foods, such as beans and vegetables, as well as a lower intake of dietary fiber and ${\beta}$-carotene, which are abundant in these foods, and non-users are more likely than users to have inadequate intake of micro-nutrient such as vitamin C and iron.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2023

Background: Mobile applications (apps) on dietary supplements can increase consumers' access to information. However, it can lead to indiscriminate use of dietary supplements. This study aims to systematically review dietary supplement apps released in English and Korean and evaluate the quality of those apps. Methods: Through the app stores, apps on dietary supplements were systemically searched and examined. Two independent evaluators evaluated the apps and presented a mean score using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). The correlation between MARS scores, user and evaluator ratings, and the number of secondary features of the apps were analyzed. Results: Of the 2,772 dietary supplement apps identified, 17 apps were included according to the selection criteria. The mean MARS score was 3.28 (standard deviation: 0.29) out of 5. Apps had higher scores in aesthetics and functionality dimensions, while engagement and information dimensions had lower scores. There was a positive correlation between the number of app downloads and information among MARS dimensions. The subjective evaluation also correlated with the information dimension. There was a positive correlation between the secondary features of the apps and MARS total score as well as the engagement dimension. Conclusion: The dietary supplement apps need to be managed at a higher level of quality to provide safe and reliable information to consumers. Especially, quality on information and engagement dimensions can be improved. Involvement of healthcare professionals in the app development, management with adequate referencing of information, and use of secondary features for enhanced user engagement can be helpful.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.327-339
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• 2009

It is known that Korean pregnant women take iron supplements at a higher than the recommended level. This study was designed to provide data on current iron intake levels both from food sources and supplement to better guide iron supplement use during pregnancy. We also explored associations of iron supplement intake levels with various sociocultural factors and pregnancy outcomes. Dietary intakes of 510 pregnant women were assessed by a validated 102-item food frequency questionnaire, and information on types and amounts of nutritional supplement intakes were also attained. While dietary intake levels of most nutrients exceeded the KDRIs (Korea Dietary Reference Intakes: EAR: Estimated Average Requirements), folate fell short of the KDRIs. A total of 428 women (83.9%) reported to take iron supplement. The pregnant women were divided into the three groups (group I: Fe supplement intake ${\le}$ EAR, group II: EAR < Fe supplement intake ${\le}$ 3 times of EAR, group III: 3 times of EAR < Fe supplement intake). The mean dietary intake of iron was 24% of the total iron intake for pregnant women. Iron intake from food was not significantly different among I, II, and III. In case of iron intake from supplements, the most frequent dose (34.1%) was 90-100 mg/day, and the mean iron supplement intake was 362% of the EAR. The study findings showed that those with higher levels of iron supplements had better meal quality measured by NAR (Nutrient Adequacy Ratio) and INQ (Index of Nutrient Quality). In addition iron supplement intake levels were significantly related to age (20s: 66.5 ${\pm}$ 38.6 mg/day, 30s: 77.3 ${\pm}$ 47.8 mg/day, p < 0.0116) and experience of childbirth (1st pregnancy: 70.9 ${\pm}$ 41.2 mg/day, 2nd pregnancy: 64.5 ${\pm}$ 39.5 mg/day, ${\ge}$ 3rd pregnancy: 94.4 ${\pm}$ 63.8 mg/day, p < 0.005). However, no significant difference was found between iron supplement intake levels and various pregnancy outcomes including birth weight, birth height, gestational age, weight gain during pregnancy, and jaundice. It is worrisome that iron intake by supplement use greatly exceeded the EAR, suggesting the need of appropriate guidelines for iron supplement intake during pregnancy. Thus iron overdose from supplements in pregnancy should be considered as a serious condition.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.1
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• pp.93-109
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• 2019

This study aims to look at the process of ginseng being removed from the Western pharmacopoeia in the 19th century, experiencing a crisis as an export product in the America in the 20th century, and eventually settling in the U.S. society and the military as a dietary supplement in the 21th century. In this process, the legislation of provided a bridgehead for ginseng and other botanical dietary supplements to enter the U.S. market. As a result, ginseng could be re-listed in the U.S. pharmacopoeia as a dietary supplement. However, this did not mean a complete soft landing of ginseng and other botanical dietary supplements in the America. The U.S. medical community, which has been afraid of the indiscriminate spread of botanical dietary supplements, has constantly raised "the risk-discourse" and expressed concerns over the use and abuse of botanical dietary supplements that have not been scientifically verified. This involved not only the fundamental problems caused by the lax verification process of , but also a new atmosphere in the U.S. where the public sought information about botanical dietary supplements rather than seeking professional clinicians related to their health. Against this situation, "the advocate-discourse" suggested by dietary supplement manufacturers and the people in charge of botanical products seemed rather relaxed. As consumers are taking this side, the advocates had only to stress that botanical dietary supplements have been used worldwide for a long time without any problems and were made from 'natural' materials. The fact that ginseng and other botanical dietary supplements were able to advance to the U.S. Military's dietary supplement manual, which is strict in controlling food, seems to have jumped on the bandwagon of this atmosphere in the U.S. Society. In the early U.S. dietary supplement manual reviewed in this paper, ginseng was the most detailed among many botanical dietary supplements. Although there are some 'safety concerns' that still exist in the civilian society, but there are also certainly good scientific explanations for the efficacy and references to the popularity and influence of ginseng in the American society. Given this, the U.S. society and military's interest in ginseng as a dietary supplement seem quite high.