• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.114-126
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• 2022

The relationship between mortality and the Korean Healthy Eating Index ("KHEI") is well established. This study was to investigate the associations between health habits, mental health, and nutritional status and KHEI in older Koreans (aged≥65 years). A total of 4,247 subjects (1,842 men and 2,405 women) that participated in the 2016~2018 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included in the analysis. The lowest scoring KHEI item was milk and milk products. KHEI tertile groups were classified by total KHEI score. Tertile group percentages were related to general characteristics such as gender, residential area, educational level, income level, number of family members, and age. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for general characteristics, showed that ex-smokers (OR: male 1.53 female 2.29), smokers (OR: male 2.90), low hand grip strength (OR: male 1.42 female 1.90), poor self-rated health status (OR: female 1.83), stressful mental status (OR: female 1.51), poor health-related quality of life (OR: female 1.64), poor nutritional status (OR: male 2.88~37.20 female 1.98~16.12), and food insecurity (OR: male 6.87 female 2.03) were significantly related to a lower KHEI. This study suggests that gender-specific associations exist between mental health status and KHEI.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.46-56
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• 1999

A deep understanding of the dietary patterns and nutrient intake is important for assessment of possilbe nutritional risk and for establishing nutrition improvement strategies. This study was conducted toexamine the dietary characteristics of a nutritionally poor elderly group compared to the middle-and highly-nourished group. Elderly participant was recruited from local elderly centers in Suwon city in 1998. Trained dietitians interviewed 119 elderly(35 males, 84 females) aged 60 years and over for collecting dietary data(24-hour recall) and related variables. Male and female subjects were grouped into high, middle, and low according to the mean nutrient adequancy ratio(MAR) tertiles. An analysisof the percentage of RDA(Recommended Daily Allowances of Korea) for each of the 10 nutrients showed that the male low-MAR group consumed below the RDA in all kinds of nutrients, and the female low-MAR group consumed nutrients below the RDA except vitamin C. An evaluation of nutrient density by Index of Nutritonal Quality(INQ) also showed a similar tendency. Thus, the INQ level of the male low-MAR group was significantly lower than the middle-or high-MAR group, especially in protein, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, and phosphorus(p<0.05). Moreover, INQ level of female low-MAR group was significantly lower than that of the high group(p<0.05) in all nutrients. The female low-MAR group's daily food intake were also lower than those of the high-MARgroup in gains, fish, fruits, oil and beverages. The energy distribution from carbohydrates, fats and proteins showed that the male low-MAR group had significantly higher carbohydrate and lower fat proportions compared to each gender high-MAR group, respectively. The male and female low-MAR group had low scores about eating all side dishes. These findings indicate that a moderate increase of the meat/egg/fishes intake was needed by the male low-MAR group for improving nutrition adequacy, and an overall increase of the food quantity and quality was desired for the female low-MAR group. These data could be used for planning a community elderly nutrition program and establishing strategies for tailored guidelines for the individuals.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.74-80
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• 2014

Objectives More than half of the elders suffer from chronic sleep disturbances. Moreover, sleep disturbances are more prevalent in patients with depressive disorder than in community dwelling elderly. In this study, we aim to estimate the risk factors of poor sleep quality and its effect on quality of life in patients with late life depression. Methods This study included 159 depressive patients aged 65 years or older who completed Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A global PSQI score of 5 or greater indicates a poor sleeper. Structural diagnostic interviews were performed using the Korean version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Depression was evaluated by the Korean form of Geriatric Depression Scale (KGDS). Global cognition was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination in the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease assessment packet. Quality of life was evaluated by the Korean version of Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). Results The frequencies of poor sleepers were 90.5% in major depressive disorder, 71.8% in minor depressive disorder, 47.1% in subsyndromal depressive disorder, and 73.0% in all types of depressive disorders. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that female [odds ratio (OR) = 2.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20-6.67] and higher KGDS score (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.05-1.21) were risk factors of poor sleep quality in patients with late life depression. In the analysis of ANCOVA adjusted for age, gender, education and KGDS score, the mean scores of vitality mental health and mental component summary of SF-36 were lower in poor sleepers than in good sleepers. Conclusions Poor sleepers among patients with late life depression are very common and are associated with female and higher KGDS scores. Poor sleep quality causes a significant negative effect on mental health quality. So researchers and clinicians should be more vigilant in the evaluation and treatment of sleep disturbances in patients with late life depression.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.286-298
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• 2006

The study aimed to identify major factors related to global self-rated health of the community-dwelling elderly people in rural areas. Interviews were conducted with 433 persons over 65 years of age. The socio-economic characteristics, chronic disease status, measures of functional and mental health, life satisfaction, health-related behaviors including smoking, drinking, exercise, social activity, dietary habit, and food intakes were analyzed to determine their influence on self-rated health index. Data on food intake were obtained through the 24-hour recall method. The self-rated health of rural elderly was poor or very poor as reported by 42.6% and 52.4% of the men and women, respectively. Poor self-rated health was found to be related to elderly aged $65{\sim}74$, female, absence of work, more chronic diseases, dependence on Instrumental Activity Daily Living (IADL), higher mental unhealthy days, lower current life satisfaction, less social activity, lower dietary habit scores, lower intake of total food, fruit, eggs, fishes & shell fishes, vitamin C (%RDA), and Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR). The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that poor self-rated health index is significantly associated with more chronic diseases, mental unhealthy days, gastrointestinal disease, musculoskeletal disease, less social activity, and lower intake of fruits. The results also suggested that improving the nutritional status and functional ability, and reducing the burden of chronic diseases are beneficial to the self-rated health index of the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.376-387
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• 1997

The elderly are the most rapidly growing segment of the population in Korea and the largest consumers of expensive medical care. It is reasonable to believe that improving the nutritional status would be beneficial to reducing morbidity and to impro- ving the quality of their lives. This study was conducted to assess the health status and the Nutritional Risk Index of the elderly, and to provide the basic data for the Elderly Nutrition Improvement Program at the Public Health Center. One hundred and forty seven(76 males. 71 females) aged 60 years and over living in Suwon, were assessed with anthropometric measurements, body fat analysis, blood pressure measurements, and a set of questionnaires about health and other related variables. Over half of them had less than a junior middle school education and were considered low income. The percentage of overweight and obese subjects was 33% by the BMI(Body Mass Index), and the prevalence of hypertension was 28$\%$(males) and 31$\%$(females). They had a lot of self-recognized health problems, the male elderly complained about more than the female elderly. In the case of psychological health status, however, the female elderly showed a higher proportions of depression than the male elderly(p$\ll$0.05). In social health status, the elderly had good relationships with friends and collegues, whereas they had poor relationships with their families. They had many nutritional risk factors, and smoking was the most prevalent risk factor for the male elderly and anemia was for the female elderly. The results of this study suggest that Elderly Nutrition Improvement Programs should be planned that can be easily followed. It would be helpful to design a program focusing on individual phychological and social health status, this would increase the efficiency of the program.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.665-672
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• 2002

It was identified that how many homebound bedridden elderlies and their primary caregivers were depressed, and which factors affected the bedridden elderly's depression. Method: The subjects were 191 homebound bedridden elderlies and their primary caregivers. The affecting factors were classified into two categories : bedridden elderly and their primary caregiver related factors. Then bedridden elderly's factors were classified demographic and disease-related factors again. The stepwise regression was used to identify significant factors. Result: The prevalence of bedridden elderly's and caregiver's depression was 77.8% and 67.0%, respectively. And the model explained 33.3% of variance of bedridden elderly's depression. Cognitively-impaired female elderlies who had depressed caregivers were found to be more depressed. And caregivers who perceived burden were identified to be more depressed. Conclusion: It is recommended that the health professionals need to identify bedridden elderlies and caregivers at risk of depression. Especially elderlies who is in poor cognition, those who are female, and those whose caregivers were depressed might be considered carefully in all counseling or follow-up. Also the primary caregivers must be helped to access already available formal and informal support.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.197-210
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• 1997

Low energy intakes, poor nutritional quality, and low food diversity are among the factors affecting the nutritional status of elderly in Korea. Therefore, a nutrition counseling and education program was conducted to promote dietary change and to improve nutritional status of elderly. The 7 step program consisted of a individual nutrition counseling and weekly or biweekly group nutrition education programs. Pre- and post-test measurings of dietary behaviors, attitudes, nutrition knowledge, and 24-hour dietary recall data were collected. Positive changes in the attitude related to diet were noted, whereas nutritional knowledge scores were not improved. Significant increases were noted in the frequency of vegetable consumption in female and diversity of food consumption in male. The densities of vitamin C(male & female), $B_1$, $B_2$, and niacin, calculated using the INQ(Index of Nutritional Quality), were significantly improved by nutrition counseling and education programs. These results suggest the appropriateness of nutrition intervention programs for the improvement of elderly nutrition.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.454-463
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to assess the biochemical nutritional status of the long-lived elderly. The subjects of the study were 148 elderly people of age over 85 years living in Kyungpook Sung-Ju area who have no problem in daily living. The anthropometric measurement and biochemical assessment of the blood sample were carried out. The subject group for this study was composed of 25.9% males and 74.1% females, the average age being 87 years old. The mean Body Mass Index(BMI) of the male and female subjects were 20.7 and 21.2 respectively. The average body fat amounts of the male and female were 21.4% and 29.8% respectively, and the average waist/hip ratios were 0.9 and 0.7 respectively. The mean levels of the total blood protein and albumin of the subjects were in the normal ranges. The mean levels of serum cholesterol and triglyceride were 167.9mg /dL and 123.9mg/dL respectively. The mean levels of the subjects below normal range of hemoglobin were 63.5%. Serum levels of antioxidant nutrients were very poor. The mean levels of serum lipid peroxidation products were 3.3nmol/mL. BMI and WHR were positively correlated with the serum cholesterol levels. The resuts showed that the long-lived elderly had good nutritional status except for antioxidant nutrients status. In addition antioxidant supplement for long-lived elderly may be effective to maintain healthy life in later years.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of elderly Korean women and to investigate related factors. Methods: A total of 100 elderly women attending a local elderly welfare center were recruited for study. Evaluation criteria included demographics, clinical status, nutritional status (using a mini-nutritional assessment), food intake, and nutritional bioparameters, including homocysteine, transferrin, prealbumin and lymphocyte levels, and their antioxidant power status. Results: Among the test group, 83% of the subjects were classified as undernourished, and they often had hyperlipidemia and a lower intake of fiber ($p$ <.05, respectively) and vegetables than normal subjects. In a correlation analysis, their nutritional status was associated with abdominal circumference, the Korean Geriatric Depression Scale score and the Enriched Social Support Inventory score. Nutritional bioparameters and antioxidant power were associated with age among undernourished subjects. Old age, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia, and poor social support significantly increased the risk of undernutrition. Poor social support, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and depression significantly increased the risk of nutritional deficiency after controlling for age, educational and economic variables. Conclusion: More strategies to increase social support in the Korean female elderly population may improve their nutritional status.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.544-552
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• 2003

Purpose: This study examined the health status among elderly in community. Method: This is a survey using cross-sectional design. The subjects were 531 elders who were 65 and over in Pusan, Korea. Data were collected by 17 trained interviewers from April 10 to August 26, 2000. Functional status for physical health status, depression, loneliness, self-esteem for psychological health status, and social support for social health status were measured. Result: About forty three percent of the subjects were found as the elderly who need support in physical status. About fifty six percent of the subjects were depressed. The mean score on the Loneliness scale was 40.4, which means relatively higher. For self-esteem, its score was lower than that of elderly who were examined in other studies. The subjects were living in the state of lower social support. The risk factors for vulnerable health status were being female, becoming older, lower income and education, and living alone. Conclusion: This finding indicates that the elderly subjects in Korean community were in poor health status in physical, psychological and social aspects.