• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2009

This study was aimed to examine nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and eating habits of elementary school students and to examine if their characteristics differ by gender. Subjects were 5th and 6th graders of an elementary school (n = 317) in Seoul, and the survey was done during July 2007. Mean height, weight, BMI of subjects was 148.1 cm. 41.7 kg, 19.0, and 14.3% of subjects were categorized as the overweight/obese group. Anthropometric data were not significantly different by gender. Mean score of nutrition knowledge was 14.9 out of 20 showing moderate knowledge levels, and girls scored higher on nutrition knowledge than boys (p < 0.05). Subjects showed knowledge deficit in areas such as nutrients, food groups and specific weight control information. The percentages of correct answers regarding meals for brain function were significantly higher in girls than in boys (p < 0.05). They got nutrition information mainly from mass media and family/relatives. The mean score of dietary attitudes was 41.2 (possible score: 10-50) indicating somewhat positive attitudes, and the score of eating behaviors was 34.8 (possible score: 15-45). Subjects showed problems in eating habits such as having unbalanced diets and snack foods. 82.6% of subjects had unbalanced meals, and these percentages were higher in girls (87.2%) than in boys (78.1%, p < 0.05). Vegetables and fish/shellfish were the most disliked foods. Specific eating behaviors, such as eating slowly, eating grains and having processed foods less frequently, were better in girls than in boys (p < 0.05). Results also showed that majority of subjects need to improve specific behaviors including having diverse foods, eating meals slowly, having meals at regular times, having adequate foods in each food groups, and eating sweets or salty foods less frequently. Only 52.7% of subjects perceived their body images as normal, and 56.4% had experience of weight control. Reasons for weight control were different by gender (p < 0.05). Based on these findings, nutrition education for school children should focus on modifying eating habits or eating behaviors, by suggesting practically applicable methods and providing nutrition information that is interesting and suitable to school-aged children.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.952-958
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• 2014

The present study investigated the anti-obesity effects of Sparassis crispa (SC) on mice fed a high-fat (HF, 45 kcal% fat) diet. Mice were fed either a normal control diet and an HF diet or an HF diet supplemented with SC (1%, 3%, and 5%) for 12 weeks. The consumption of an HF diet compared to the NC group resulted in increases in body weight, the food efficiency ratio (FER), retroperitoneal and subcutaneous fat weights, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, fecal fat, and liver lipids. However, the administration of SC significantly decreased body weight gain, food intake, FER, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and liver lipids in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, treatment with 5% SC significantly reduced the occurrence of fatty liver deposits and steatosis, which are associated with the increased adipocyte size in mice fed an HF diet. Therefore, these results suggested that dietary supplementation with SC exerts anti-obesity effects and could be used as a functional food to control obesity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.170-178
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• 1990

The aim of the study was to investigate prevalence of obesity among housewives residing in apartments in Taegu city and any relationship of obesity with various factors. Hundred three housewives aged 30-49 years living in apartments (over 30 pyung) were interviewed for socio-economic status, food habit, food intake by a convenient questionnaire, and daily activity by the 24-hour recall. Their weight, height and triceps skinfold thickness were measured. The results were summarized as follows: 1) The percentages of subjects and their spouses with college and higher education were as much as 53.6% and 83.5%, respectively. The commonest family size was four members with two children. 2) The percentages of subjects classified as underweight, normal, overweight, and obesity according to relative body weight(RBW) were 4.9, 44.7, 24.3 and 26.2, respectively. Twenty four percent belonged to obese group according to body mass index(BMI$\geq$25). 3) Food habit score was 12.4 points in average and judged 'good'. The average of daily energy intake was 2247㎉ which corresponded to 112% of RDA and intakes of nutrients except iron exceeded RDA. The means of food habit score and energy intake were not significantly different among 4 groups. 4) Multiple regression analysis was tested to explain a relationship between fatness and various factors. The equation, BMI=25.216+(0.836$\times$family size)-(0.309$\times$education, years)-(0.00503$\times$household work time, minutes), indicates that fatness of housewives was related with family size(+), educational level(-) and household work time(-). These relationships were statistically significant(p<0.001) and R2 (coefficient of determination) was 0.237.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.117-127
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• 2021

Objectives Previously, we demonstrated that a 5% ethanol extract of unripe Rubus coreanus (5-uRCK) and ellagic acid has hypocholesterolemic and antiobesity activity in high-fat diet-fed animals. Therefore, we conducted a clinical study on the anti-obesity effect of 5-uRCK in 140 Korean adults (aged 19-70 years, body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m²). Methods The participants were randomly assigned to two groups and were administered the placebo (n=70) or 5-uRCK extract (800 mg, n=70) daily for 12 weeks. The subjects were instructed to maintain their usual dietary intake and normal physical activity. Anthropometrics, body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), and blood parameters were compared between the two groups. Results Average body weight and BMI did not show any significant changes; however, changes in upper body fat mass between the two groups was significantly different, as determined using analysis of covariance adjusted for baseline of percent body fat and drinking units. Moreover, Although not significant, the trunk fat mass and percent trunk fat tended to decrease after 5-uRCK supplementation. There was no significant difference in other laboratory biomarkers between the two groups. All safety parameters were within normal ranges in the both group. Conclusions In the present study, 5-uRCK significantly reduced upper body fat in obese subjects after 12 weeks, which indicates that it may help improve android-type obesity. Furthermore, the supplement is safe and well tolerated.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.584-591
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• 2018

This study was conducted to determine the levels of cognitive impairment (MMSE-K) among centenarians, and to reveal their association with related variables. The study subjects were 268 centenarians who received medical check-ups from the National Health Insurance Corporation during the period of 2016-2017. The levels of cognitive impairment were significantly reduced among females as well as those living with spouses and children, lower monthly income, lower BMI and individuals who engaged in smoking and alcohol consumption without regular exercise relative to their respective counterparts. The risk of definitive cognitive impairment in study subjects was significantly higher among women (ORs=9.85, 95% CI=2.88-33.59) than men and was lower in obese group (ORs=0.25, 95% CI=0.07-0.86) than in low weight groups, as well as in non-smoking (ORs=0.30, 95% CI=0.10-0.83) than smoking groups. The factors influencing the cognitive impairment of study subjects were sex, living status, monthly income, BMI and smoking status. Taken together, these results suggest that the levels of cognitive impairments among centenarians differed significantly in response to socio-demographic characteristics and health related variables. Especially, the levels of cognitive impairments decreased among those with poor health related variables such as smoking, alcohol consumption and regular exercise.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.23-31
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was undertaken to verify the effects of Massa Medicata Fermentata (MMF) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using high fat diet-fed male mice. Methods : Fifty four male C57BL/6N mice (age matched) were used for all experiments. Nine standard chow diet-fed mice were used as normal group and forty five high fat diet-fed obese mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, atorvastatin-10mg/kg, MMF(1)-62.5mg/kg, MMF(2)-125mg/kg and MMF(3)-250mg/kg. After all groups were treated with several kinds of diets for 8 weeks, we measured body weight gain, adipose tissue weights, plasma lipid and glucose metabolism, visceral organ weights, histological analysis for liver on the mice. Results : MMF-treated mice had lower body weight gain compared with controls. Among MMF-treated mice, the effect was magnified in MMF(2). MMF(3)-treated mice had lower blood plasma total cholesterol (TC) and glucose level compared with controls. MMF decreased hepatic lipid accumulation, liver fibrosis and liver inflammation of mice compared with controls. The effects was maximized in MMF(2) and atorvastatin. Blood plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase (${\gamma}$-GT) concentrations tends to be decreased by MMF compared with controls. Blood plasma AST, ALT, ${\gamma}$-GT concentrations and organ weights were not changed by MMF, indicating that all three kinds of MMF do not show any hepatotoxicity. Conclusions : These results suggest that MMF improves NAFLD by reducing body weight gain, hepatic lipid accumulation, liver fibrosis, liver inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.391-397
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• 2022

This study aimed to verify the antidiabetic effects of the unripe black raspberry extract (UBRE) in obese diabetic mice. For the experiment, animal model mice were divided into six groups: normal control, diabetic control, three experimental groups (treated with 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg single dose of UBRE), and a positive control (200 mg/kg metformin). The groups treated with 300 mg/kg UBRE and metformin had significantly reduced blood glucose and triglyceride levels in the diabetic mice compared to those in the vehicle control group. In addition, histopathological evaluation showed that UBRE increased the Langerhans area, cell number, and insulin concentration in the pancreatic islets of db/db mice. Therefore, UBRE exerts significant antidiabetic effects by decreasing the blood glucose and lipid levels, suggesting that it can be consumed as a functional diet for diabetic patients.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.45-54
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effect of subjective factors (figure recognition and stress) and objective factors (blood biochemical parameters) on body mass index by gender difference in Korean adults. This study analyzed 3,343 subjects older than 20 years according to gender using the Sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. Specifically, male subjects had higher body mass index than female subjects (p < .001) and were more frequent in the obese group. Female subjects had higher stress and platelet score than male subjects (p < .001). Male subjects had significantly higher white blood cell counts (p < .001). The factors affecting the occurrence of obesity by gender difference was highly associated with subjective figure recognition (95% CI = 0.026~0.045, p < .001), stress (95% CI = 0.487~0.925, p = .015) and white blood count (95% CI = 1.232~1.392, p < .001) in females. These findings demonstrate a gender-specific difference in recognizing subjective factors and especially the objective factors of white blood cells and platelets affecting obesity. These results can be used for obesity education or fundamental data for establishing a nursing arrangement program for Korean adults.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 2013

This research was performed to investigate the effect of Agarum cribrosum ethanol extracts on the levels of lipids in the serum of rats fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks. Experimental groups were divided into basal diet only (BDG), high fat diet control (HFDCG), high-fat diet and 5% Agarum cribrosum ethanol extract powder (HF5S), and high-fat diet and 10% Agarum cribrosum ethanol extract powder(HF10S) groups. The levels of hematological variables were not significantly different among the four groups. Compared with the control group's serum total cholesterol level of 89.14 mg/dL, the levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 77.26 and 75.47 mg/dL, respectively. Compared with the control group's LDL-cholesterol leve of 27.41 mg/dL, the LDL-cholesterol levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 20.64 and 20.17 mg/dL, respectively. Also, compared to the control group's serum triglyceride level of 98.36 mg/dL, the triglyceride levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 87.94 and 87.39 mg/dL, respectively. These results indicate that dietary intake of Agarum cribrosum ethanol extracts might have beneficial effects on obesity by reducing body weight and improving blood lipid profile.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1012-1018
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to determine whether Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein (APP) is dysregulated in adipose tissues of C57BL/6 male mice by high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity, aging, or streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. APP mRNA expression was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) in subcutaneous (SAT) and epididymal adipose tissues (EAT) from mice in 8 different condition groups. By combining conditions of age (16 weeks/26 weeks of age), diet (normal diet (ND)/high-fat diet), and induction of diabetes (non-diabetic/diabetic), 88 mice were divided into 8 different groups. QPCR demonstrated that APP expression in SAT was significantly increased by about two-fold in HFD-induced obese mice compared to both 16 week-old and 26 week-old mice in the ND group (16 weeks p=0.001; 26 weeks p<0.0001), but no changes in EAT was found. Particular effects of aging on APP gene expression were not observed in either adipose tissue depots. Significantly decreased APP expression was found in SAT in STZ-induced diabetic mice fed on ND or HFD at 16 weeks of age (ND p<0.05; HFD p<0.01). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that APP expression levels correlated with body weight in both the non-diabetic group (R=0.657, p<0.0001, n=39) and the diabetic group (R=0.508, p=<0.0001, n=49), but did not correlate with plasma glucose levels, which suggests that decreased APP expression in STZ-induced diabetic mice is most likely due to weight loss rather than hyperglycemia. These data confirm APP dysregulation by weight changes in humans and suggest a possible role linking midlife obesity with the later development of amyloidogenesis in the brain of older patients with Alzheimer's disease.