• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.667-675
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• 2003

Purpose: This study was purposed to provide basic data for developing future health promotion programs by comparing health-promoting behavior, life satisfaction and self-esteem between the Korean elderly and the American-Korean elderly. Methods: The subjects were volunteer participants of 120 elders in the Gyeongsan City in Korea and 120 elders in the state of Washington in the U.S. Tools used in this study were Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (47 items), Life Satisfaction Scale (20 items) and Self-Esteem Scale (10 items). To analyze data, this study used frequency, percentage, chi-square test, t-test, Kendal tau test, Pearson's correlation coefficient with SPSS program. Results: 1) The average score of health-promoting behaviors was 3.21 in Koreans and 3.50 in American-Koreans, showing a significant difference between the two groups. 2) The sub-scales that got the highest score of health-promoting behaviors were self-actualization and nutrition(M=3.41) in Koreans and nutrition(M=3.61) in American-Koreans, and that with the lowest score was exercise in both groups(2.89 in Koreans and 3.02 in American-Koreans). 3) The average score for life satisfaction was 2.76 in Koreans and 3.06 in American-Koreans, showing a significant difference between the two groups. 4) The average score for self-esteem was 3.39 in Koreans and 3.09 in American-Koreans, showing a insignificant difference between the two groups. 5) Health-promoting behaviors were positively related to life satisfaction and self-esteem. Life satisfaction was positively related to self-esteem in both groups. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, the health-promoting behaviors of Korean and American-Korean elders strongly correlated with life satisfaction and self-esteem. Therefore, health promoting programs that enhance life satisfaction and self-esteem should be developed in order to promote the elderly's healthy lifestyle.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.265-273
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• 1999

Elderly Koreans living in Muju Gun, Jeonbuk were divided into two groups with ages(65~74 years old group & over 75 years old group) and surveyed with questionnaire to investigate their dietary status and those factors affected with ages. The score of food habit in both sexes showed a falling tendency as their ages increased. Compared with elderly men, elderly women showed lower quality of diet. Elderly Korean were more consumed cereals and green vegetables than milk, egg, meat & fish, seaweed and fats & oils. As education level increased, the food habit score showed a rising tendency. The correlation coefficient between the score of food habit and education level was positive in illiterate and school graduates. The score of food habit of living together with their family was higher than those of living alone or living with their spouse. As household income increased, the food habit score showed a rising tendency. In the case of self consciousness of socioeconomic status was middle, food habit score is higher than those of very low. Dental status of eldery people did not affect food habit score. Palatability showed no significant correlation with age. Elderly Koreans prefered sweet taste than salty, sour, and bitter taste.

• Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.254-261
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• 2018

Background: The most beneficial dietary pattern in managing metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the elderly has not been ascertained. The aim of this study is to classify dietary patterns and to examine associations between dietary pattern, MetS and body composition in elderly Koreans. Methods: This study was conducted among Koreans 65 years or older using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2009. A total of 1,567 study subjects were included. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20.0 and dietary patterns were classified by cluster analysis. Results: There were three dietary patterns derived by cluster analysis in this study. We observed that most South Korean elderly still maintain a traditional dietary pattern. Dietary patterns were classified as balanced (31%), imbalanced (40%), or very imbalanced (30%), with the majority of subjects having an unbalanced diet pattern in which their total energy and nutrient intake was insufficient compared with the Dietary Reference Intake for Koreans. Those in the very imbalanced group had a ratio of macronutrients (carbohydrates:fats:protein) of 81.15:7.18:11.50 and a 54% higher likelihood of having hypertriglyceridemia (P=0.025) compared with those in the balanced group. Conclusion: The current findings indicate that the diets of South Korean elderly are nutritionally imbalanced, including high carbohydrate consumption, which confers a high risk hypertriglyceridemia. These findings highlight the effect of nutritional imbalance in elderly with MetS.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.199-210
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate nutritional risk factors, perceptions on nutrition and health, nutritional knowledge, flood habits and their correlation to supplement use in middle-aged and elderly Koreans. A nationwide survey was conducted in the metropolitan areas (6 cities) and middle-sized cities (8 cities) of Korea from October to December, 2000. Subjects were randomly selected based on population, and 2,188 non-institutionalized adults aged over 50, and elderly (male 765, female 1,423) were studied. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire administered in personal interviews. Nutrition and health-related scores of nutritional risk factors, perceptions on nutrition and health, nutritional knowledge, and flood habits were significantly higher in supplement users as compared to non-users. There was a negative correlation between nutritional risk factors and other nutrition and health-related scores on perceptions on nutrition and health, nutritional knowledge, flood habits, and pocket money. Also there was a positive correlation between nutritional risk factors and age. Therefore, these results may provide basic information for proper supplement use by middle-aged and elderly koreans.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.361-372
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• 1994

Elderly Koreans(<60 year old) living in Seoul were surveyed with questionnaire to Investigate their nutritional status and those factors affected. The result could be summarized as follows : Mean energy intakes of elderly men and women were 1,528 and 1,292 kcal, and 79.1 and 65.5% of RDA, respectively. Below 215 of RDA were Ca and vile. A in men and Ca, vile. A and riboflavin in women. Compared with elderly men, elderly women showed lower quality of diet. In men intakes of nutrients were markedly decreased after 80 years old but in women these tendency showed more early stages of ages. The factors that had effect on nutrient intakes were age, height in men and SES, body weight and BMI in women.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2008

Plasma fibrinogen is risk factor of vascular disease including stroke, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Many studies have confirmed that high plasma fibrinogen levels are related with age, obesity, cholesterol, alcohol consumption, and genotype. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of fibrinogen genotype and other characteristics on the plasma fibrinogen levels in the elderly Koreans. For this study the blood samples were collected from 178 healthy elderly Koreans (102 males and 76 females, $55{\sim}80$ year olds). The blood samples were analyzed by smoking status, cholesterol levels, genotype, age, exercise, drinking, and gender. The plasma fibrinogen was assayed by clotting method, cholesterol being assayed by cholesterol oxidase method. The $\beta$-fibrinogen genotype was detected by PCR of relevant region and digestion with Alu I. The alleres with the restriction site and the non cleavable alleres were designated $A_1$ and $A_2$. In conclusion, genotype $A_1A_2$ and exercise are increased and associated with plasma fibrinogen levels. But, there were no significant differences by smoking, gender, age, drinking and cholesterol.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.3-12
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• 2014

Larynx plays an important role in phonation and protection of the respiratory tract during swallowing. The reduced anatomical and physiological function in elevation of larynx and glottis closure can cause problems in voice and swallowing. The present study investigated the Korean version of handicap index of dysphagia in elderly Koreans. Therefore, 60 normal elderly Koreans ranged from 65 to 95 and 20 normal Korean young adults aged from 20 to 25 were participated in this study to compare total (T), physical (P), functional (F), and emotional (E) index scores between two groups as well as among sub groups (60s, 70s, 80s) in elderly. For swallowing, total and sub dysphagia handicap index (DHI) scores, voice quality during /a/phonation following swallowing (saliva and water), intensity of coughing, and L-DDK were measured. The results showed that functional (P), physical (P), emotional (E) scores as well as total (T) score were significantly different between young adults and old adults in DHI(p<.05). Additionally, there was a negative correlation between total DHI score and intensity of coughing (r=-.51) as well as L-DDK (r=-.70). These findings suggest that a slow rate in vocal fold adduction and reduced intensity of coughing in the elderly affect swallowing function. Thus, recently translated Korean version of DHI may be useful as supplement in evaluating the swallowing problems in elderly people.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2021

Objectives: Sarcopenia is a common disease in the elderly population that causes disability, poor quality of life, and a high risk of death. In the current study, we conducted a meta-analysis to report basic knowledge about the prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly in Korea. Methods: We searched for articles in the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus databases published until December 28, 2020. Studies investigating the prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly Koreans aged ≥65 years were included. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Publication bias was evaluated using the Egger test and funnel plots. Results: In total, 3 studies and 2922 patients were included in the meta-analysis. All 3 studies used the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. The total prevalence of sarcopenia was 13.1-14.9% in elderly men and 11.4% in elderly women. Conclusions: This meta-analysis is the first to estimate the pooled prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly Koreans, and its findings suggest that sarcopenia is common in this population. Therefore, attention should be paid to the prevention and control of sarcopenia.

• Korean Journal of Family Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.340-346
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• 2018

Background: Several studies have revealed the frequency of family mealtimes to be inversely associated with depressive symptoms in adolescents. However, there have been few studies in older populations. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between family mealtime frequency and depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans. Methods: This study analyzed 4,959 elderly men and women (aged 65 years or older) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess depressive status, family mealtime frequency, and covariates. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association using the eating alone group as a reference. Results: After adjusting for all covariates, participants who had family meals 3 times a day had fewer depressive symptoms than the eating alone group; adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were 0.72 (0.58-0.89) for point depressiveness/anxiety and 0.73 (0.56-0.94) for depressiveness lasting for at least 2 weeks. In suicidal ideation, the OR (95% CI) of eating with family twice a day was significant after full adjusting for covariates at 0.67 (0.50-0.88). Conclusion: Family mealtimes were closely associated with depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans, which suggests that maintaining intrafamilial bonding is important for mental health in an older population.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.241-251
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• 2020

Purpose : This study examined the effect of locomotive syndrome on stress index and lifestyle patterns among elderly Koreans aged 65 years and older, and analyzed its correlation with stress index and lifestyle patterns. The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for the management and prevention of locomotive syndrome in the elderly. Methods : Using the "25-Question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25)", the study evaluated locomotive syndrome in 123 elderly Koreans aged 65 years and older. Of them, 85 patients were assigned to the locomotive syndrome group and 38 patients were assigned to the normal group. The questionnaire measured and investigated the participants' stress index and lifestyle patterns. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 ver. Results : Results showed the locomotive syndrome group displayed a higher stress index than the normal group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The group also scored lower in the lifestyle pattern survey than the normal group did, with a statistically significant difference in high-intensity work performance ratio and average daily performance time between them. The GLFS-25 score showed a significant positive correlation with the stress index and sitting and lying down time, and a significant negative correlation with medium-intensity working time, walking, and cycling time. Conclusion : In conclusion, Locomotive syndrome in elderly Koreans is closely related to stress and lifestyle patterns, especially high-intensity work. We recommend active prevention and management of locomotive syndrome and further research into the effects of various lifestyle factors on the illness.