• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.523-532
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• 2004

The spontaneous frequency of genetic damage and the possible relationship of this damage to dietary and nutritional variables were investigated in peripheral blood lymphocytes from 45 elderly people using sister chromatid exchange (SCE). The relationship of dietary and nutritional factors on SCE was assessed by different degrees of smoking status such as smokers (n=14), ex-smokers (n=16) and non-smokers (n=15). Significant relationship of the SCE frequency to nutrient intake of the combined subjects (n=45) was found. When cigarette smoking status was taken into account, there were negative linear relationships between SCE and fat, phosphorus or vitamin A intakes of the non-smokers as well as SCE and the dietary quality scores. There was a positive linear relationship between SCE and food frequency of meat and fish among the smokers. Use of artificial sweetners in ex-smokers of the elderly people produced a significant increase of SCE in comparison with the mean SCE for those not using sweetners. Other dietary parameters, including intake of coffee, green tea and ginseng tea, alcohol consumption, use of processed foods, and administration of vitamin pills did not show any correlation with SCE. These results suggested that dietary fat, phosphorus or vitamin A status are the major determinants of spontaneous DNA damage in lymphocytes of the elderly people.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 1977

Nutrition counselors in Korea often encounter difficulty in their attempt to change village women's attitudes regarding food taboos which are counter to good eating habits. There are a great many food superstitions which are not due to religious influence, but seem to be related to shape and composition of food. Many expectant mothers superstitiously avoid eating certain foods for fear that they may cause mental or physical abnormality in their babies. As was shown in a previous survey (Mo, 1966)of villages in all provinces except Jeju Island, such superstitions were common among pregnant and lactating mothers. Many food taboos and superstitions based on non-scientific and irrational ideas do exist even in modern society, and are a major obstacle to nutritionally adequate food consumption. A study of food taboos among women of Jeju Island was undertaken from November to December of 1976, these results to be compared as well with those of the previous study. There were 73 items found to be prohibited during pregnancy. Of these, 48.7% were of the deaf group, 17.4% fish, 5.5% eggs, 4.7% cereal, and only 2.2% fruit. Of 252% women respondents, 111 (45% ) abstained from eating chicken, duck, and shark because of the belief that they would cause their babies to be born with gooseflesh or shark skin. Many of them avoided rabbit meat for fear that their babies might be born with harelip. It was also feared that a baby would become disfigured if his mother ate duck, goat, dog meat, chicken or duck eggs, or soup made of bones. A common superstition was that highly spiced or salty foods would cause the fetus to be hairless. Squid and octopus were believed to cause babies to have weak bones, or none at all. Most of these food taboos were associated with fears concerning Physical structure and appearance of unborn babies. Other taboos were associated with fear of undesirable behavioral characteristics. For example, some mothers thought that a baby would pinch or bite the mother's breast during the weaning period, if crab meat were eaten during pregnancy. Unevenly sliced rice cake, loach, snake meat and eel were also believed to cause a baby to be ill-tempered. The findings of this study are remarkably similar to those of the previous study conducted by the authour in 1966. Most of the same food taboos, based on non-scientific and irrational reasons, were found on Jeju Island as on the peninsula, and thor were similarly wide-spread. The results of correlational analysis show that the most significant factors related to prevalence of food taboos, are level of education and religious background. Number of food taboos is correlated with level of education. Also, food taboos are least freqent among the Christian woman. Proper nutrition education should he undertaken in order to encourage intake of protein-rich food, particularly during pregnancy when nutritional needs of mother and fetus are great.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.440-449
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk and to evaluate the relations with factors affecting these levels. Methods: The congener levels of PBDE in 22 samples of breast milk were analyzed using a high resolution gas chromatograph with a high resolution mass detector. In accordance with our standard operating procedures, the recoveries of internal standards had to range between 68% and 118%. Since the distribution of PBDE concentrations is close to log-normal, the data were logarithmically transformed before analysis. Test subjects were healthy primipara and multipara mothers with a mean age of 32 (SD = 2.7) in 2006. Results: Seven PBDE congeners (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, and 183) were detected and identified in all of the pooled breast milk samples, indicating widespread contamination from PBDEs in the environment in Korea. Residue levels of total PBDEs (sum PBDEs from tri- to hepta-BDE) ranged from 0.84-13.1 ng/g lipid with median and geometric mean levels of 2.6 ng/g lipid and 2.74 ng/g lipid, respectively. PBDE congeners 47, 99 and 153 markedly predominated and accounted for about 75% of the amount of the PBDE congeners analyzed. BDE-47 was the dominant congener in most samples, whereas BDE-153 was predominant in a few (n = 7/22). BDE-47 was highly correlated with total PBDEs (r = 0.987, p < 0.01). In analyses of the differences of the means of log transformed breast milk PBDE levels for groups of potential covariates, only breast milk BDE-47 and BDE-99 levels were significantly associated with fish (p < 0.05) and meat consumption (p < 0.01). However, we did not find significant correlations between PBDE levels and maternal age, body mass index (BMI), parity, job presence and smoking status. Conclusions: Our findings are mainly limited due to the small sampling size and low doses of PBDEs exposure. Background and human exposure data of PBDEs is lacking, and longitudinal investigations into the environment and biota are encouraged to determine the health impact on future populations in Korea.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of a low-iodine diet (LID) for thyroid cancer patients preparing for radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, few studies have evaluated dietary intake during LID. This study evaluated the amount of dietary iodine intake and its major food sources during a typical diet and during LID periods for thyroid cancer patients preparing for RAI therapy, and examined how the type of nutrition education of LID affects iodine intake. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 92 differentiated thyroid cancer patients with total thyroidectomy were enrolled from Seoul National University Hospital. All subjects completed three days of dietary records during usual and low-iodine diets before $^{131}I$ administration. RESULTS: The median iodine intake was $290{\mu}g/day$ on the usual diet and $63.2{\mu}g/day$ on the LID. The major food groups during the usual diet were seaweed, salted vegetables, fish, milk, and dairy products and the consumption of these foods decreased significantly during LID. The mean energy intake on the LID was 1,325 kcal, which was 446 kcal lower than on the usual diet (1,771 kcal). By avoiding iodine, the intake of most other nutrients, including sodium, was significantly reduced during LID (P < 0.005). Regarding nutritional education, intensive education was more effective than a simple education at reducing iodine intake. CONCLUSION: Iodine intake for thyroid cancer patients was significantly reduced during LID and was within the recommended amount. However, the intake of most other nutrients and calories was also reduced. Future studies are needed to develop a practical dietary protocol for a LID in Korean patients.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.469-475
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• 2016

The study is the result of an practical operation analysis for the full scale fishery product wastewater treatment plant with immersed MBR (iMBR) process. Since fishery product industries show a wide range of wastewater generation by the season, design and operation of the equalization basin are very important factor. The aeration system for the equalization basin mixing can save the chemical consumption for followed system through the restriction of acid fermentation. The concentrations of wastewater primary DAF process treated were BOD 2,291 mg/L, $COD_{Mn}$ 530 mg/L, SS 256.8 mg/L, T-N 38 mg/L, T-P 13.5 mg/L respectively. It was considered that iMBR is the most efficient biological process for high salinity content wastewater since It is irrelevant to the capability of the sludge precipitation. SADp and SADm were 0.31, $26.5m^3/hr{\cdot}m^3$ respectively. In iMBR process, the critical F/M ratio was derived at 0.08~0.10 gBOD/gMLSS by analysing the correlations between MLSS, normalized TMP and temperature. The effluent concentrations were BOD 1.8 mg/L, $COD_{Mn}$ 12.4 mg/L, SS 1.0 mg/L, T-N 7.85 mg/L, T-P 0.1 mg/L and removal efficiencies were 99.9%, 97.6%, 96.3%, 95.7%, 97.8% respectively.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.455-463
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• 2011

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of skipping breakfast on diet quality and metabolic disease risk factors in healthy Korean adults. Subjects included 415 employees (118 men, 297 women; 30-50 years old) of Jaesang Hospital in Korea and their acquaintances. Data collected from each subject included anthropometric measurements, 3-day dietary intake, blood pressure, and blood analyses. The subjects were classified into three groups based on the number of days they skipped breakfast: 'Regular breakfast eater', 'Often breakfast eater', or 'Rare breakfast eater'. Participants in the 'Rare breakfast eater' group consumed less rice, potatoes, kimchi, vegetables, fish and shellfish, milk and dairy products, and sweets than did participants in the other two groups (P for trend <0.05) and ate more cookies, cakes, and meat for dinner (P for trend <0.05). Participants in the 'Rare breakfast eater' group consumed less daily energy, fat, dietary fiber, calcium, and potassium than did participants in the other groups (P for trend <0.05). The percent energy from carbohydrates was lower and fat intake was higher in the 'Rare breakfast eater' group than in the other groups (P for trend <0.01). When diets were compared using the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for Koreans, 59.1% of subjects in the 'Rare breakfast eater' group consumed more energy from fat compared with the other two groups (P <0.005). According to the Estimated Average Requirements for Koreans, intake of selected nutrients was lower in the 'Rare breakfast eater' group than in the other two groups (P <0.05). The risk of elevated serum triglycerides was decreased in the 'Rare breakfast eater' group (OR, 0.3 [0.1-1.0], P for trend=0.0232). We conclude that eating breakfast regularly enhances diet quality, but may increase the risk of elevated serum triglycerides.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.130-140
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• 2016

This study analyzed annual catch trend during 45 years and monthly catch of the least 10 years (2005~2014) for chub mackerel caught in the Korean coastal waters. To determine fishing status of chub mackerel, fork length measurements were conducted at least twice every week for 100 individuals randomly selected at the Busan Cooperative Fish Market from January of 2012 to December of 2014; and biological characteristics and proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash) were analyzed by length class (I~IV) on a monthly basis from January to December of 2014. Monthly catch trend showed low level below 5,000 mt from February to July, whereas high level above 15,000 mt from October to December. For the period between 2012 and 2014, annual average catch proportion of juvenile were relatively high at 68.1%, 53.1% and 53.2% from January to April, before spawning season, while those were low at 21.5%, 20.7% and 29.12% from June to November. As for the change in the proximate composition per 100 g of muscle, protein and ash did not change much by seasons and length class, whereas fat and moisture contents showed large fluctuations and complementary relationship between the two factors. Regardless of length class, monthly average fat content, containing Omega-3, showed the lowest at 7.18 g in April and highest at 19.27 g in December, which exhibited 2.6 times difference from one another. Regardless of fishing seasons, fat content by length class were 19.06 g for the class I and 6.43 g for the class IV, which showed three times difference. Fat contents of the class I were high at 26.97 g and 27.19 g in November and December, while low at 8.37 g and 9.99 g in April and May. Especially, fat contents from January to May were 5.0 g, which was the lowest. Therefore, it is expected that consumer could indirectly contribute fisheries management through their understanding and wise consumption based on fishing status and fluctuation of proximate composition.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.940-955
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare the degree nutrient intake, health status and other characteristics of females aged 65 years and over in a longevity area according to family arrangement. For analysis, 585 female elderly were recruited from the Kugoksoondam area (Kurye, Goksung, Soonchang and Damyang counties), known as the longevity-belt region in Jeonla province, Korea. The subjects were categorized into three groups according to family arrangement (living alone, living with spouse only and living with family). Demographic characteristics were collected, as well as information on physical measurements, blood tests for biochemical indicators, health status and health-related life style, dietary behavior, favorite food groups, consumption frequency of food groups, nutrient intake and mini nutrition assessment. In the group living with their spouse only, the highest education, physical activity, diverse food intake, frequency of eating meats and fish, energy and nutrients intake, and score on the mininutrient status assessment (MNA) were found to be significantly favorable factors. Taken together, these results demonstrated that the group living with their spouse only had relatively superior nutrient intake and the quality of diet. In contrast, the group living alone showed the lowest self-rated economic status, diversity of food intake, and physical activity, with the highest frequency of drinking, smoking and regular exercise for almost everyday compared with the other groups. On the other hand, those living with family demonstrated the lowest intake of supplements or functional foods, and levels of hemoglobin hematocrit MCH, but the highest HBA1c and blood sugar. Therefore, the group living with family was assumed to be at risk of anemia and diabetes. These results could be useful to plan effective strategies to increase the health-life expectancy of Korean elderly people living in rural areas, according to family arrangement.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.177-181
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• 2016

This cross-sectional descriptive and qualitative study was aimed to study the people participation and their approaches toward the human carcinogenic liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, prevention and control in Ban Chaun sub-district administrative organization (BCSAO) and Bamnet Narong sub-district municipality (BNSM), Bamnet Narong district, Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand between June 2013 and February 2014. Participants were purposive selected, included chiefs of sub-district administrative organizations, sub-district municipalities, sub-district health promotion hospitals (SHPHs), heads of village, and a further sample was selected with a multi-stage random sampling for public health volunteers, and villagers. The pre-designed questionnaire contained items for individualized status and the participatory steps of sharing ideas, decision-making, and planning, procession, evaluation, and mutual benefit, for the project O. viverrini prevention and control (POPC). In-depth interviews were used for collection of need approaches to POPC. With 375 participants who completed the questionnaire, it was found that people had a high level regarding to participate in the POPC, particularly in the process stage ($\bar{X}=3.78$, S.D. = 0.56), but the lowest level was found in sharing ideas, decision making, and planning step ($\bar{X}=3.65$, S.D. = 0.63). By comparison, participant status and organization did not significantly differ with people participation. In each step, Ban Chaun sub-district had a high level of participation in the step of sharing ideas, decision making, and planning toward POPC, more than Bamnet Narong sub-district municipality (t=2.20, p=0.028). Approaches for POPC in Ban Chaun sub-district and Bamnet Narong sub-district municipality included requirements for budget support, annual campaigns for liver fluke prevention and control, campaign promotion, risk group observation, home visiting, community rules regarding reducing raw fish consumption in their communities, and a professional public health officer for working in their communities, BCSAO, BNSM, and SHPH, for O. viverrini prevention and control. This study indicates that people realize that eradication of the liver fluke needs a continuous people participation for O. viverrini prevention and control in their communities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8815-8822
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• 2014

Background: The incidence of stomach cancer in India is highest in the state of Mizoram. In this population based matched case-control study, we evaluated the relationship between CYP450 2E1 RsaI polymorphism and risk of stomach cancer taking into considering various important dietary habits along with tobacco, alcohol consumption and H. pylori infection status. Materials and Methods: A total of 105 histologically confirmed stomach cancer cases and 210 matched healthy population controls were recruited. CYP2E1 RsaI genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP and H. pylori infection status by ELISA. Information on various dietary, tobacco and alcohol habits was recorded in a standard questionnaire. Results: Our study revealed no significant association between the CYP2E1 RsaI polymorphism and overall risk of stomach cancer in Mizoram. However, we observed a non-significant protective effect of the variant allele (A) of CYP2E1 against stomach cancer. Tobacco smokers carrying C/C genotype have three times more risk of stomach cancer, as compared to non-smokers carrying C/C genotype. Both Meiziol and cigarette current and past smokers who smoked for more than 10 times per day and carrying the (C/C) genotype are more prone to develop stomach cancer. Smoke dried fish and preserved meat (smoked/sun dried) consumers carrying C/C genotype possesses higher risk of stomach cancer. No significant association between H. pylori infection and CYP2E1 RsaI polymorphism in terms of stomach cancer was observed. Conclusions: Although no direct association between the CYP2E1 RsaI polymorphism and stomach cancer was observed, relations with different tobacco and dietary risk habits in terms of developing stomach cancer exist in this high risk population of north-eastern part of India. Further in-depth study recruiting larger population is required to shed more light on this important problem.