• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.749-761
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• 2002

This study investigated the anthropometric and biochemical indices, and the health and nutritional factors influencing the two indices among 194 middle-aged and elderly subjects (108 middle-aged and 86 elderly) residing in a medium sized city for more than 10 years. In the examination of their dietary habits, 8.3% of the middle-aged subjects and 14.0% of the elderly subjects had two meals a day, and more female subjects had two meals per day. Of the subjects who ate meals at regular times, 75.0% were middle-aged and 79.1% were elderly, and the degree of irregularity of meals was greater for female subjects. The study of the dietary behavior of the subjects indicated that 71.3% and 66.3% of the middle-aged and elderly, respectively responded that the amount of food in each meal was sufficient. The subjects ate alone comprised 19.7% of the middle-aged females and 31.5% of the elderly females. The prevalence of smoking among the subjects was 28.1% for the middle-aged, 18.8% for the elderly male and 7.4% for the elderly females. The percentage of the subjects who drank alcohol was 34.4% of the middle-aged males and 13.2% of the middle-aged females. Slightly less than half of the subjects exercised more than once a week, with the male subjects showing a higher rate than the female subjects. The average body mass indices (BMI) were 24.5 and 24.6 for the middle-aged male and female, respectively, and 22.6 and 24.0 for the elderly male and female, respectively. BMI assessment showed that underweight subjects (BMI ＜ 20) comprised 3.7% of the middle-aged, 14.0% of the elderly, and that 40.7% of the middle-aged and 24.4% of the elderly were overweight (25 ＜ BMI ＜ 30) , and 0.9% of the middle-aged and 1.2% of the elderly were classified as obese (BMI $\geq$ 30) . A waist/hip ratio (WHR) greater than 0.8 was found in 89.5% of the middle-aged females and 90.7% of the elderly females, showing high abdominal fat deposition in the majority of females. The average systolic blood pressure of females was 121.1 $\pm$ 17.1 mmHg for the middle-aged and 129.6 $\pm$ 21.3 mmHg for the elderly subjects. The systolic blood pressures showed a significantly difference between the two age groups. Those defined as anemic subjects based on hemoglobin values comprised 13.0% of the middled-aged group and 16.3% of the elderly group. There was a tendency for higher fasting glucose levels among the elderly subjects. An increase in total plasma cholesterol levels with age was shown. The female subjects had higher cholesterol levels than the males'The study of the correlation between the daily habits and health status showed that the amount of food eaten at each meal, the frequency of eating out, and the use of dietary supplements appeared to influence BMI, WHR, the plasma triglyceride and plasma cholesterol levels; omitting one meal had a positive correlation with the systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol. These results suggest that desirable dietary habits and concerns for health are contributing factors for maintaining good health, as indicated by normal blood lipid levels.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.311-318
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• 2003

The aim of this study was to assess the nutrient intakes of the elderly subjects in Korea. Dietary assessment was carried out using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) developed by our laboratory, which included 98 commonly consumed food items selected from 1998 National Health and Nutritional Survey for Korean population. Subjects (n = 2,660) aged 50yr and over were recruited in Seoul, 6 metropolitan cities, and 8 mid-size cities. Calcium and riboflavin intakes of the elderly subjects aged 65 yr and over (n = 1,974) were much lower compared with Korean RDA. Nutrient intakes of the three age group (50-64 yr, 65-74 yr, 75 yr and over) were decreased as age increased in male and female elderly. Nutrient intakes of male elderly, 75 yr and over, were significantly decreased while in female elderly nutrient intakes were gradually decreased as age increased. Over 30% of the elderly subjects did not meet 75% RDA for calcium, iron, vitamin A, and riboflavin. The proportion of the elderly subjects whose intakes were below 75% RDA was much higher than the elderly whose intakes were above 125% RDA, especially among the elderly aged 75 yr and over. This study revealed that the Korean elderly had inadequate intakes for many nutrients. This will cause a serious nutritional problem for the elderly.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2002

This study was conducted to provide insight into the management and care of the elderly in nursing homes. Eighty-six elderly subjects over 65 years old (38 male, 48 female) in 3 non-fee-paying nursing homes, located in Daejeon and Chungchong areas, were studied. Subjects'dietary intakes by estimated food intake records, and self-perceived health conditions, were studied using questionnaires from July 21 to August 1, 1997. Twenty-one % of the male subjects and 42% of the female subjects were over 80 years. Their predominant past occupation was farming. While 8.3% of the female and no male residents showed a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 27 and above, about 30% of the subjects were underweight and in poor health status in seeing, joint pains, lumbago and shoulder pains. Regarding overall health status, 72.1% of the subjects considered them to be in poor health, and female and male subjects suffered more difficulties from cloudy eyes, joint pains and lumbago and shoulder pains than any other. Neuralgia was the predominant chronic complaint and followed by hypertension in both sexes. Overall, female subjects felt worse off than the male subjects in terms of their health status, that can be attributed to higher average age of the female subjects compared to the male subjects. The elderly were eating a very low fat (about 15 g : 6% of total calorie) diet with low vitamin A and E. Intakes of calories, protein and iron slightly exceeded RDA. The phosphorus intake was more than double the RDA although calcium intake was close to the RDA. From these results, it seems important to doubling the fat intake of the elderly residents in the form of vegetable fat with the object of raising of vitamin E, antioxidant vitamin, and essential fatty acids for the elderly. It is also recommended that the elderly residents should be given adequate calcium and exercise for bone health.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.309-320
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was undertaken to compare dietary life of the elderly living alone and in a family, and to compare differences based on gender, for the 2013-2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: The subjects included 2,612 elderly people aged over 65 years who participated in the health survey, health examination and nutrition survey. Subjects on a diet therapy were excluded. This study analyzed the general characteristics, dietary habits, daily energy and nutrient intakes, CPF ratio, estimated average requirement (EAR), nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR), index of nutrient quality (INQ), and food consumption of the elderly living alone and in a family. We also compared the differences based on gender. Results: Daily intake of food, water, dietary fiber, potassium, retinol, and riboflavin were low in the male elderly subjects living alone. The elderly living with family revealed higher NAR and MAR as compared to the elderly living alone. Although all MAR values were <1, the elderly living alone had lower values. Considering the intake of food, the consumption of seaweed, fish and shellfish, and oils (animal) was higher in elderly men living with families, whereas women living with families consumed more vegetables, fruits, seaweeds and seafood, as compared to their counterparts living alone. Furthermore, analyzing the foods consumed by the elderly people living alone, female subjects consumed more seaweed, milk and animal oil as compared to male subjects. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the elderly living alone have poor nutrient intake as compared to the elderly living with families. Based on this research data, we recommend that it is necessary to improve the health and nutritional status of the elderly living alone.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2005

In the present study, our aim is to investigate whether responses to the head-up tilt (HUT) on nonlinear properties of heart rate variability (HRV) in young and elderly subjects are different or not. Thirteen young-healthy subjects ($24.5{\pm}3.7$ years) and 18 old-aged healthy subjects ($74.5{\pm}7.4$ years) participated in this study. An electrocardiogram (ECG) in the supine posture, at $0^{\circ}$, and in the standing posture, at $70^{\circ}$ of head-up tilt, was recorded. Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and approximate entropy (ApEn), measures of short-/long-term correlation properties and overall complexity of heart rate (HR) respectively, along with spectral components of HR variability (HRV) were analyzed for both the supine and HUT postures. We observed that the short-term fractal exponent ${\alpha}_1$ increased during HUT posture (F(1, 29) = 39.79, P = 0.000), especially, the young subjects showed a significantly higher values compared to the elderly subjects. ApEn significantly decreased (F(1, 29) = 8.61, P = 0.006) during HUT posture. HUT posture decreased the complexity in HR dynamics and increased short-term fractal exponent values in young subjects but not in elderly subjects. These results imply that there are differences of response to HUT on nonlinear properties between young and elderly subjects.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2010

Purpose: The study sought to identify the differences in chronic diseases and physical activity in elderly women by BMI. Method: The subjects of this study were 644 elderly women 60-80-years-of-age living at home. The research instruments were physical activity levels and chronic diseases. Subjects were given a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS win program. Result: Hypertension, prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipemia were significantly different in the subjects according to body mass index, being higher in obese subjects than in non-obese subjects. Physical activity in each of the body mass index groups did not differ significantly. Conclusion: Obesity increases the risk of chronic diseases. This knowledge could help elderly women control their weight, reduce chronic diseases, and ultimately, gain better health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.78-89
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• 2002

Preferences of 814 elderly living in Incheon for dishes, food materials and cooking methods were investigated. The survey was conducted from Dec. 2000 to Jan. 2001 by questionnaires. Subjects preferred cooked rice with beans, kalkooksoo(hot noodle), gomtang(soup with beef), bibimbap(rice with assorted mixture) to other staple dishes. However, preference for hashed rice or curried rice was very low. More than 50% of the subjects liked soybean paste soup and stew, and the ratio of elderly who liked Chinese cabbage kimchi was 68.7%. There was no significant difference in preference for pan-fried foods according to food materials in them. Subjects liked injolmi(waxy rice cake), shikhye(fermented rice drink) and coffee the most. Most subjects preferred plant foods like vegetables, legumes and seaweeds to animal foods. Preference of elderly for milk and yoghurt was reatively high; however, that for ham, butter and cheese was low. Elderly in Incheon liked roasted beef, beef soup and roasted pork the most. Chicken was preferred when it was boiled in water with garlic, ginseng, and so on. Cooked and seasoned vegetables (Namul) were the most preferred type by elderly. Preferences for dishes and food materials were more affected by living places of the subjects than by sex, and the reverse was true in preference for cooking method of food materials.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.90-100
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• 1999

In order to investigate dietary risk factors for hypertension in th elderly, dietary intakes and dietary habits of 405 elderly subjects, aged 60-94, were assessed by the questionnaire, anthropometric measurement and a 24-hour dietary recall. The prevalence of definite (>95mmHg for diastolic or>160mmHg for systeolic blood pressue) and borderline(90-95mmHg for diastolic or 140-160mmHg for systolic blood pressure) hypertensive subjects 33.3% and 19.3%, respectively. The distribution of the subjects for Body Mass Index(BMI), waist-hip ratio, and alcohol consumption were significantly different among definite, borderline, and normal groups(p<0.05). The distribution of the subjects for smoking, exercise, and preference of salty food were not significantly different among definite, borderline, and normal groups(p>0.05). From the generalized logistic regression analysis of the risk factors for the hypertension, the subjects with over 27 of BMI had significantly higher risk of hypertension. Alcohol consumption and preference of salty food were significant risk factors of hypertension in the elderly. Dietary risk factors for the hypertension that had significant relationship to the hypertension were intakes of potassium, calcium, phosphate, sodium, vitamin B1, niacin, and folate. There was no significant difference of consumption frequencies of food and dish among definite, borderline, and normal groups(p>0.05). The amount of intakes for cereals and grain product, bean and their products, eggs were significantly different among definite, borderline, and normal groups(p<0.05). In summary, the amount of dietary intakes to hypertension in elderly population. Longitudinal studies for dietary risk factors on incidence of hypertension are needed in general population, especially in the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.798-808
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• 2001

In order to investigate the current status of supplements use in the elderly during the last one year, a nationwide survey was conducted in metropolitan areas(6 cities) and middle-sized cities(8 cities). The subjects were 2188(male 765, female 1423) non- institutionalized adults and elderly people aged 50 and over, and information was collected by in-person interviews. Prevalence of supplements use and different types of supplements taken by subjects were examined using SPSS statistical package. Different category of supplements was used by 30.2% of the subjects. On the average, the subjects consumed at least one kind of supplements. Chinese medicine was the most commonly used supplements in both male and female subjects. Among the reasons for using supplements, health promotion ranked the highest, however, most supplement users did not know(35.3%) or knew roughly(48.9%) about the health claims of their supplements. Subjects reported the information source for supplements as family, friends or relatives(43.6%) followed by TV and radio(23.3%). Chinese medicine was most commonly used supplement in male subjects who have chronic diseases(40.7%), and vitamin and mineral supplements were most commonly used by female subjects who have chronic diseases(39.0%). Therefore, these results may provide basic information on different category of supplements used by the middle-aged and elderly.