• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.284-296
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• 2018

Obesity is considered as a primary health problem over the past century in line with life environmental changes. It is mainly associated with increased risk of numerous chronic diseases which may significantly reduce health-related quality of life. Therefore, efforts to reduce weight should be performed. This study suggested a novel approach to reduce body fat by applying external stimulation which is micro-current stimulation (MCS). In this clinical study, we evaluated the potential effects of MCS for reduction of abdominal fat and weight loss. Prior to the clinical test, computational simulation was conducted to find the proper MCS conditions that allow externally applied stimulation to reach the internal fat section from the external skin. Particularly, the clinical study evaluated the unilateral effects of MCS for body fat loss and lipolysis without any additional limitations such as physical exercise and dietary therapy. The results showed that whole body fat, waist circumferences, and abdominal fat are gradually decreased after intervention in proportion to the time. From the results, we can estimate that MCS can be effective on the body fat loss by activation of lipolysis in human adipose.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.589-602
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• 2003

This study was designed to investigate the effects of weight reduction and changes in serum lipid composition using a commercial uncooked powdered food (UPF) diet on 27 obese hyperlipidemic women over a period of 12 weeks. We replaced the standard breakfast and dinner of each of the subjects with UPF. Their dietary intake status was evaluated by 24-hour recall method. Their body compositions were measured using a body fat analyzer. Also, we conducted hematological, clinical and lipid profile analyses of their blood. Their intake of energy, lipid and protein significantly decreased as the subjects started to take UPF, but their intake of vitamins and minerals, other than iron, increased. Due to the energy intake decrease, the subjects' weight, body fat and waist circumference significantly decreased. Among the lost weight the percentage of the body fat was high. We judged that this process of losing weight was successful in obese hyperlipidemic women. Serum HDL-cholesterol gradually increased and serum total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride levels showed gradual decreases. When obese hyperlipidemic women replaced two of three meals with UPF for 3 months, we were able to see useful changes like decreased body fat and serum lipid. Complete judgment on the usefulness of UPF may be difficult but if people take a standard meal once a day and replenish their iron by taking UPF twice a day, we assume that replacing UPF with balanced regular meal not be a problem in nutritional status. Our results show that UPF is effective in the diet therapy of obese hyperlipidemic women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.787-793
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• 2000

The purpose of the present study was to investigate effects of kochujang and red pepper on energy intake, body fat content and energy expenditure in rats fed on high-fat(30%) diet. Kochujang and red pepper power were added in the high-fat diet, adjusting the level to 95 and 22g/kg diet, respectively, The level of red pepper addition was corresponding was corresponding to the level of the content of red pepper powder in the kichujang-added diet. Kochujang induced a 30% reduction in body fat gain which was associated with a significant increase in energy expenditure. However, red pepper reduced body fat gain by only 15%. Furthermore, energy expenditure was not affected by red pepper. Metabolizable energy intake, apparent digestibility and body protein gain were not affected by either kochujang or red pepper. It has been known that capsaicin, a pungent component of red pepper, enhances activity of brown adipose tissue through increasing protein content. In the present study, in addition of protein content, DNA content of interscapular brown adipose tissue was also increased by kochujang. Therefore, it appeared that the anti-obesity effects of kochujang was greater than those of red pepper, indicating more than red pepper was involved in the expression of the anti-obesity effects of kochujang(Korean J Nutrition 33(8) : 787-793, 2000)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.374-381
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• 2010

This study was performed to examine the diet effect of green coffee bean extract on body fat reduction. Overweight/obese women (body mass index > $23\;kg/m^2$ or body fat > 27%) who were not diagnosed any type of disease were included in this study and subjects were randomly assigned to green coffee bean extract group (n = 23) or placebo group (n = 20). We measured anthropometric parameters, abdominal fat distribution by computed tomography and blood components before and after the 8-weeks intervention period. After supplementation, green coffee bean extract group showed a significant reduction of body weight (p < 0.01), body fat percent (p < 0.01), total fat area at L1 vertebra (-4.8%, p < 0.05) and visceral fat area at L4 vertebra was(-4.7%, p < 0.05). In addition, total fat area and visceral fat area at L1 vertebra decreased significantly in green coffee bean extract group compared with placebo group (p < 0.05, p < 0.05 respectively). The result of present study demonstrated that the supplementation of green coffee bean extract for 8 weeks can give beneficial effects on body fat reduction and visceral fat accumulation.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2016

The current study investigated the anti-obesity effect of Cissus quadrangularsis extracts (CQR-300) and its molecular action mechanism on obese mice induced high-fat diet (HFD). To induce the obesity, mice were fed a HFD for 6 weeks and then fed HFD only or HFD with CQR-300 at 50 and 200 mg/kg. Then, body weight gain and white adipose tissue weights were measured. We investigated the reduction in body fat and the regulation of fatty acid synthesis was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and real-time PCR with Western blot, respectively. In vitro study, CQR-300 inhibited pancreatic lipase activity. The CQR-300 treatment was significantly decreased the body weight gain and adipocytes size as well as white adipose tissues weights in HFD-induced obese mice. Furthermore, CQR-300 reduced the body fat and fat mass with regulating of adipose tissue hormones as leptin. Treatment with 50 mg/kg CQR-300 showed effectively lower expression levels of adipogenesis/lipogenesis related genes and proteins such as CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), Sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) in white adipose tissue (WAT) as compared with the HFD fed only mice. These results suggest that the CQR-300 has an anti-obesity effect via inhibition of lipase activity, decrease the body fat mass by regulating the adipogenesis and lipogenesis related genes and proteins in epididymal adipose tissue with evaluate body fat reduce in the HFD-induced obese mice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.899-907
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• 1996

This study was conducted to examine how Korean women mange energy metabolism during lactation. Eighteen women recruited were healthy, had normal pregnancies and were required to breast-feed their babies exclusively for at least 12wks. During the study period, all subjects were visited and interviewed five times : 3d, 9d, 4wk, 8wk, and 12wk lactation. Body composition variables were analyzed by a bioelectrical impedance method, energy intakes were assessed by using the inventory-weighing method, energy expenditure were determined by recording daily activities, and milk energy output was investigated from the amount of milk production and the gross energy content of milk. The subjects consumed less energy than current recommended allowance all over the study period, but compatible with fairly adequate lactational performance. They responded the additional energy stress of lactation by enhancing metabolic efficiency, increasing energy intakes, reduction physical activities and mobilizing body reserves. Another finding in this study was that the reduction in body fat-free mass may be the one way that women meet the energy demands of lactation like the reduction in body fat mass. The results from this study suggest that current recommended additional energy need during lactation, 2.09MJ/d(500kcal/d), is too high for healthy Korean women. Our data also indicate that the changes of body composition and energy balance at earlier postpartum are extremely different from those at later periods.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of Sargassum confusum extracts on the reduction of body fat for eight weeks in overweight women ($BMI{\geq_-}23kg/m^2$). Methods: Subjects were classified by double-blind randomized trial as the control group (C group, n = 14) and the Sargassum confusum extract supplementation group (SC group, n = 16), which consumed 12 tablets per day. Questionnaires related to their health status were assessed twice (week 0 and week 8). Their dietary intake status was evaluated by 24-recall method and body compositions were measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. In addition, we assessed the anti-obesity effect and the occurrence possibility of health risk factors during the supplementation periods by hematological and clinical analysis of blood. Results: Waist circumference and body fat (%) were significantly decreased in the SC group. Serum leptin level was also significantly decreased in the SC group. Defecation frequency was significantly increased in the SC group. The above results indicate that Sargassum confusum extract supplementation improves overweight on visceral fat and blood leptin level by increasing bowel movement. These results imply a decrease of health risk factors in overweight women. Seven subjects withdrew from the study due to adverse events; however, no differences regarding adverse events were observed between the control and treatment group. Conclusion: Therefore, Sargassum confusum extract is a plausible effective agent for body fat reduction in humans.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.162-171
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• 2007

Obesity is an independent risk factor fur coronary artery disease in the postmenopausal women, which may be mediated by alteration of blood lipid metabolism. We are aimed to evaluate the effects of low energy diet, restriction of high fat foods and exercise education on weight, fat mass and blood lipid profile. Fifteen postmenopausal obese women were studied. Subjects received detailed advice about how to achieve a reduction of weight by a low-energy diet (1,200kcal), restriction of high fat food and increased exercise in every 4 wks during 8 wk. To evaluate the effectiveness for education programs, dietary fat habit and daily nutrient intakes, exercise were tested before and after intervention. Anthropometry, computerized tomography, and blood lipid profile were assessed before and after intervention. According to the nutrition education, energy intake (from 1776.1 ${\pm}$ 28.2 kcal to 1268.7 ${\pm}$ 115.2 kcal, p < 0.001) and percent of energy from fat (21.9%, p < 0.01) were significantly decreased. However, the index of nutritional quality was over 1.0. On the contrary, exercise (from 341.3 ${\pm}$ 222.1 kcal to 569.4 ${\pm}$ 309.8 kcal, p < 0.05) was increased and dietary fat habit scores (from 30.8 ${\pm}$ 5.2 to 36.1 ${\pm}$ 3.0, p < 0.01) were improved. Also, body weight (4.2%, p < 0.001), BMI (4.5%, p < 0.001), body fat mass (3.4%, p < 0.05) and waist to hip ratio (1.1%, p < 0.05) were decreased. Among abdominal fat, visceral fat (26.1%, p < 0.05) and subcutaneous fat (14.8%, p < 0.01) were decreased. But there was no difference in visceral fat to subcutaneous fat ratio. We observed HDL-cholesterol increase (11.7%, p < 0.05), triglyceride reduction(14.8%, p < 0.05) and atherogenic index improvement (from 2.7 ${\pm}$ 0.7 to 2.3 ${\pm}$ 0.7, p < 0.05) However, there was no change in LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol. Theses results showed that low energy diet, restriction of high fat foods and exercise education could result in reduction of body weight, fat mass, visceral and subcutaneous fat, and in improvement of blood lipid profile in the postmenopausal obese women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.367-374
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• 2001

Conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) is a naturally occuring group of derivatives of linoleic acid found in beef and dairy products. CLA has reported to reduce body fat. This study was designed to observe the effect of CLA supplementation on fat accumulation and degradation in male Sprague Dawley rats. Seventy two rats, weighing 150-180g, were divided into 2 groups according to the types of dietary fat(beef tallow or fish oil) and then each group was divided into 2 groups depending on CLA supplementation, i.e., BT, BT-CLA, FO, FO-CLA. All rats were fed experimental diet containing total fat at 12%(w/w) including CLA at 1% for 30 weeks. At 30 weeks, rats were sacrificed to measure TG, free fatty acid level in plasma, TG, lipogenic enzymes in lever and fat cell size, LPL and HSL activities in epididymal fat fad. Fish oil supplemented with CLA diet showed significant reduction in the food efficiency and weight in 30 weeks-fed rats. CLA supplement did not effect on plasma TG, hepatic TG levels and lipogenic enzymes activities in rats, but, fish oil significantly reduced, The LPL and HSL activities did not affected by CLA supplement and n-3 fatty acid rich fish oil. In conclusion, the results suggest that CLA supplement was not a proper way to reduce the fat accumulation in Sprague Dawley rats. Fish oil supplemented with CLA might better way to reduce the body fatness than fish oil itself. Therefore, It is recommended that further study be performed related to physiological and biochemical effects of CLA supplementation and n-3 fatty acid in rats for the reduction of body fatness.(Korean J Nutrition 34(4) : 367∼374, 2001)

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.315-320
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• 2005

With regard to the fact that temperature of human body remains almost constant at $37^{\circ}C$, changes by circadian variation, this study intended to investigate the effect of circadian rhythm on physiological responses of human body according to body fat rate. Fifteen healthy adult women were recruited for this study and were measured body fat as a method of bio impedance. We organized subjects into three groups ; low body fat group(group L-less than 20% of body fat), medium body fat group(group M-20%~30% of body fat) and high body fat group(group H-more than 30% of body fat). The experiment was carried out in a climate chamber of $32^{\circ}C$, 60% RH with the repeat of 'Exercise' and 'Rest' period. Subjects participated in two experiments, one is morning experiment(called 'AM'), the other is afternoon experiment (called 'PM'). The results of this study are as follows ; As to the variation of rectal temperature, group L and M had a significant difference in the time of the day between AM and PM, but group H had almost the same rectal temperature in the two kinds of experimental time. The reason why group H had a smaller difference in the circadian rhythm of rectal temperature in this study is estimated at the Budd et al.(1991)'s results that body fat had effects on reduction in thermogenesis, radiation, mean skin temperature, and increase in insulation of the tissues. Group M had the highest mean skin temperature in the 'PM'. All the 3 groups didn't have stable values in 'AM'. But it showed more stable in 'PM' than 'AM'. Sweat rate was the highest in group H in both 'AM' and 'PM'. Group M had larger sweat rate in 'PM' than 'AM'. but in group L and H, sweat rate was almost the same in two kinds of time of the day. This result suggests that who have more or less body fat have larger difference in sweat rate between morning and afternoon than who have normal body fat.