• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.351-360
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• 2012

Background: Identification of reliable predictors of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) will enable healthcare providers to intervene and change the patterns of LTPA in the population to improve community health. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine prevalence and pattern of LTPA among adult Saudis aged 18-65 years, and to define the socio-demographic determinants that correlate with LTPA in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 2176 adult Saudis attending urban and rural primary health care centers were selected using a multistage proportionate sampling method. Participants were personally interviewed to gather information regarding socio-demographics, physical activity pattern using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Physical activity (PA) in each domain was expressed in metabolic equivalents (METs). Results: The median total METs minutes/week for LTPA for both genders was 256, higher for men (636 METs minutes/week) compared to women (249METs minutes/week). Overall, only 19.8% of the total PA was derived from LTPA. Of the sampled population 50.0% reported doing no leisure activity. Using the cut off of 600 METs-minutes/day or 150 minutes of moderate intensity over 5 or more days/week, only 21.0% of the included sample were considered as being sufficiently active and 10.4% were in the high active category with beneficial health effects. Multivariate regression analysis showed that male, younger age (<35 years), absence of chronic disease conditions and moderate level of total PA were significant predictors for being active in the LTPA domain. Conclusion: The prevalence and intensity of LTPA among the included sample demonstrated low levels. Nearly 80% of the included sample population did not achieve the recommended LTPA level with beneficial health effects. Female gender, urban residence and associated chronic diseases correlated with a low LTPA.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.74-93
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There has been an increased interest in determining calcium magnesium, sodium, and potassium's distinct effects on hypertension over the past decade, yet they simultaneously regulate blood pressure. We aimed at examining the association of dietary calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium independently and jointly with hypertension using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2007 to 2014. MATERIALS/METHODS: The associations were examined on a large cross-sectional study involving 16684 US adults aged>20 years, using multivariate analyses with logistical models. RESULTS: Sodium and calcium quartiles assessed alone were not associated with hypertension. Potassium was negatively associated with hypertension in the highest quartile, 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48-0.87). When jointly assessed using the high and low cut-off points, low sodium and corresponding high calcium, magnesium, and potassium intake somewhat reduced the odds of hypertension 0.39 (95% CI, 0.20-0.76). The sodium-to-potassium ratio was positively associated with hypertension in the highest quartile1.50 (95% CI, 1.11-2.02). When potassium was adjusted for sodium intake and sodium-to-potassium ratio assessed among women, increased odds of hypertension were reported in the highest quartile as 2.02 (95% CI, 1.18-3.34) and 1.69 (95% CI, 1.12-2.57), respectively. The association of combined minerals on hypertension using dietary goals established that men meeting the reference intakes for calcium and exceeding for magnesium had reduced odds of hypertension 0.51 (95% CI, 0.30-0.89). Women exceeding the recommendations for both calcium and magnesium had the lower reduced odds of 0.30 (95% CI, 0.10-0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the studied minerals' association on hypertension is stronger when jointly assessed, mostly after gender stratification. As compared to men, women increased their risk of hypertension even with a low sodium intake. Women would also reasonably reduce their risk of developing hypertension by increasing calcium and magnesium intake. In comparison, men would somewhat be protected from developing hypertension with calcium intake meeting the dietary goals and magnesium exceeding the nutritional goals.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.203-211
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• 2010

The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the perceived management performance and importance level of nutrition teachers by school administrators in the Chonbuk area. Self-administered questionnaires were collected from 142 school administrators. Statistical data analysis was completed using SPSS v. 12.0. Approximately 74.6% of the subjects were men. About 37% of subjects were principals, 33% were vice principals, and 35% were administrative directors, with over 60% aged 40~50 years(p<0.05). Among the 142 schools evaluated, 82.7% were located in urban areas and 17.3% were in rural areas. About 98% of the schools served meals in the dining room(p<0.05). Approximately 68% of the schools employed nutrition teachers and 33.4% had school dietitians(p<0.001). The result indicated that the overall importance level(4.24) was higher than the performance level(3.97)(p<0.001). In a survey of the degree of task performance by nutrition teachers, administrators regarded sanitation management was evaluated as the most important performance parameter(4.49), other management attributes as very important parameters(4.41), with nutrition counseling being much less important(2.76) and meal service being least important(3.29; except for classroom teachers). According to the title of the subjects, evaluations of administrative directors were lower than evaluations of principals and the vice principals. The results indicate that nutrition teachers should not only have meal service management as their main duty, but should also be involved in constructing a life-long health management system for students and teachers by conducting nutrition education and counseling, and should be active in the development of nutrition education programs and in the duties of sanitation management of school meals.

• Clinical Nutrition Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2024

This study analyzed the 2019 Community Health Survey data to compare and analyze the health levels and life satisfaction of single-person elderly households based on food security. The final study subjects were 15,606 single-person elderly individuals aged 65 and above. These subjects were classified based on their response to food security into three groups: food sufficient-diverse, food sufficient-not diverse, and food insufficient. The study results showed that the proportion of the food insufficient group among single-person elderly households was 7.4% for men and 10.6% for women, with a slightly higher rate for female elderly. Both male and female elderly over 80 years of age, with low education levels, and basic living support recipients showed significantly higher proportions in the sufficient-not diverse and food insufficient groups. For male elderly, significant differences were observed in subjective health status and oral health level in the food insufficient group, and for female elderly, stress levels also showed significant differences. Life satisfaction scores were generally lower for female elderly compared to male, and significant differences were found in both male and female elderly based on food security. Common factors that significantly influence life satisfaction among single-person elderly households, both male and female, include food security, subjective health status, and living environment satisfaction, with food security being the most impactful factor. The study suggests that it is necessary to include these significant factors in the development of various social activity programs, such as dietary programs, to enhance life satisfaction and food security of single-person elderly households.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.49-59
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• 2003

Objectives: This study was intended to provide basic data available for the establishment of comprehensive and systematic public medical service for older persons about their concurrent pathology and time span for their bedridden state, and thereby, the medical service, and individual cares they have received. Methods: The study subjects included 207 elderly residents of men and women aged over 65, who were in the bedridden state at home at the time of investigation in September of 2002 at 11 'Myon' in Kongju city, Chungchongnamdo Province. They were asked to respond to the questionnaires by using interviews at their homes. Results: Of the elderly population studied, the overall rate of bedridden states was 1.61%(1.46% in men and 1.71% in women) and there was an increasing tendency with age in both sexes. The causes for bedridden states indicated that hypertension and atherosclerosis accounted for 43.6 % of them in men, and lumbago neuralgia spinal disease 40.3% in women as the most frequent cause, respectively. The mean years of bedridden states were greater in men(4.81${\pm}$2.89) than women(4.98${\pm}$2.89). By age groups, both sexes showed an increasing tendency of time span with age. The items of care required for the bedridden showed that bathing was the most frequent and it was followed by toileting, dressing and feeding in a decreasing order of frequency. The number of care per one patient was 3.4 in men and 3.5 in women with the increased tendency with decreasing age Ain both sexes. Conclusions: Though the proportion of bed-ridden patients increased according to the increasing age, there are substantial limitations in reducing the prevalence of chronic diseases. Therefore, it is required to establish the appropriate measures, such as various resources of health care services for dealing with the steadily increasing rate of bed-ridden patients.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.728-734
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• 1997

Plasma carotenoid levels were compared among 64 healthy male subjects (control) and 38 patients of ischemic heart disease(IHD) and 20 ones of cerebral infarction(CI) all of whom were over 50years of age. Another 98 healthy male subjects aged 23 to 58 were selected to compare their plasma carotenoid levels by age groups, Levels of lutein ,zeaxanthin and crpytoxanthin were lower in IHD(34$\pm$2, 13$\pm$1 and 62$\pm$7$\mu g$/dl)and CI(36$\pm$3, 12$\pm$2 and 41$\pm$6$\mu g$/dl)patient groups than in control group (84$\pm$5, 16$\pm$2 and 69$\pm$3$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl) while those of lycopene, $\alpha$-and $\beta$-carotene varied little among the three groups. The sum of the six carotenoid levels were levels were, therefore,highest(205$\pm$14$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl) in the control group followed by IHD(155$\pm$15$\mu g$/dl) and CI(128$\pm$17$\mu g$/dl) patient groups, Among the 98 healthy male subject for the age group study, levels of the three major carotenoids increased with age from the twenties to the fifities ; lutein, from 64$\pm$6 to 89$\pm$8$\mu g$/dl, cryptoxanthin, 57$\pm$8 to 73$\pm$4$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl and $\beta$-carotene were more significantly correlated(r=0.30 to 0.61, p<0.01), whereas levels of lycopene and $\alpha$-caroteme were significantly(r=0.21 - 0.23, p<0.05) correlated. (Korean J Community Nutrition 2(5) : 728~734, 1997)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.532-546
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• 2020

Purpose: Although the number of cancer survivors is increasing because of early diagnosis and better treatment, they are worried about relapses and metastasis. This study examined the dietary safety management awareness, capacity, and behavior of cancer survivors. Methods: Data were collected from 233 cancer survivors in Daegu and Gyeongbuk areas using a self-administered 5-Likert questionnaire from March to May 2018. Frequency analysis, one-way analysis of variance, factor analysis, reliability analysis, and correlation analysis were analyzed using the SPSS. Results: The average score for each factor was as follows: importance of weight management (3.83), education requirement (3.79), unhealthy diet (reverse, 3.64), food safety anxiety (3.34), lack of awareness of over and malnutrition (reverse, 3.26), obsession (3.23), cooking capacity (3.16), health-function pursuit (3.04), balanced diet (2.93), and chronic disease anxiety (2.64). The average dietary safety competency factors were significantly lower among the male survivors, aged 60-80 years, lower economic condition, and less nutritional supplement intake. Female survivors comprised the highest proportion with high health management and cooking capacity, while men had the lowest of all the factors (p < 0.001). The group that was low in all three capacity factors had a significantly lower average score of difficulty in acquiring knowledge (reverse), lack of awareness of over- and malnutrition (reverse), importance of weight management, education requirement, knowledge, balanced diet, and health-functional pursuit compared to the other groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: To effectively manage health, dietary safety management education should be differentiated and actively conducted according to sex, age, cancer diagnosis time, economic status, nutritional supplement intake, and the capacity cluster of cancer survivors.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.664-678
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• 2017

Purpose: To identify the effectiveness of policy evaluation, consistent monitoring is necessary. This study aimed to carry out mid-term evaluation of objectives and programs related to comprehensive plans for sodium intake reduction by 2020 for Seoul city and then reestablish the objectives of the sodium intake reduction plans. Methods: Literature reviews, data analysis, and reviews of expert focus-groups were performed to evaluate objectives, to develop a new goal, and to identify the priority subjects of the sodium intake reduction programs. In order to examine target populations for the programs, awareness and behaviors related to sodium intakes among Seoul citizens were examined by sex, age, and income level using the 2008~2013 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Results: Current objectives of the sodium intake reduction plan by 2020 for Seoul city were not appropriate, so objectives were reset to 3,600 mg of sodium intake by 2020 among Seoul citizens with 2% reduction per year. Although sodium intake showed a decreasing trend by year, it was still high, especially in men. The sodium intake reduction programs currently in progress have not been assessed at multiple levels across multiple sectors and have only been assessed fragmentarily. For dietary behavior related to sodium intakes by sex, age, and income level, sodium intake was higher in the group with less than 100 g of fruit intake compared to the group with 100 g or more. Subjects aged 30~59 years and the low household income group showed relatively higher sodium intakes. Based on the data analysis and the expert review, the priority subject of the sodium intake reduction programs was determined to be adult men. In terms of a program strategy for sodium intake reduction, multi-level and setting approaches, including work sites, home, and restaurants, were suggested to reduce sodium intakes of the target subject. Conclusion: The suggested objectives should be consistently monitored by data analysis, and the determined programs need to be phased in over 5 years.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.391-401
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the dietary flavonoid intakes of Korean adults according to socioeconomic status. Methods: Using data from the 2007~2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a total of 31,112 subjects aged over 19 years were included in this study. We estimated individuals' daily intakes of total flavonoids and seven flavonoid subclasses, including flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidin, and isoflavones,by linking food consumption data with the flavonoids database for commonly consumed Korean foods. We compared intakes of flavonoids according to the levels of household income and education. Results: Average dietary flavonoid intakes of the study subjects were 321.8 mg/d in men and 308.3 mg/d in women. Daily flavonoid intakes were positively associated with household income level (p < 0.0001) and education level (p < 0.0001). The subjects in the highest household income and highest education level group (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.30~0.45, p < 0.0001 in men, OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.41~0.60, p < 0.0001 in women) had a lower likelihood of having low total flavonoid intake (less than 25 percentile) compared to the lowest household income and lowest education level group. The food group that contributed to total flavonoid intake with the biggest difference between the lowest and highest groups for both household income level and education level was beverages. Conclusion: This study shows that socioeconomic status was positively associated with flavonoid intake in a representative Korean population. Further research is needed to analyze the association of flavonoid intake with health outcomes according to socioeconomic status such as household income and education level.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.64-73
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• 2017

Purpose: Excess sodium intake may contribute to the etiology of hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily sodium intake of less than 2 g. The aim of this study was to estimate the association of sodium intake with obesity in Korean adults. Methods: This study used Dietary intake and Health data on 22,321 subjects aged 30 years and over from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2010~2014. Information on dietary intake was obtained by the one day 24-hour recall method in KNHANES, and sodium intake was classified into five groups (< 2,000 mg, 2,000~4,000 mg, 4,000~6,000 mg, 6,000~8,000 mg, ${\geq}8,000mg$). Obesity was defined as having a body mass index (BMI) higher than $25kg/m^2$. Intake of sodium and obesity status were analyzed by logistic regression with SPSS Statistics 23. Results: Men tended to have a higher sodium intake than women (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, year, daily energy intake, education level, smoking status, drinking status, physical activity, and chronic diseases and comparing the highest sodium intake group (${\geq}8,000mg$) with the lowest intake group (< 2,000 mg), the OR of obesity was 1.351 (95% CI: 1.032~1.767) in men. The OR of obesity in the sodium intake group (4,000~6,000 mg) was 1.232 (95% CI: 1.063~1.427) in women. Conclusion: Our findings suggest an independent relationship between sodium intake and as increased risk of obesity in Korean adults, implying the necessity for future research on low-sodium diet intervention in relation to obesity.