• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.161-175
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• 2007

It is important for young adults to establish good dietary behavior for healthy life. The prevalence of obesity in college students has increased gradually. The obesity is one of the most prevalent health problems in S. Korea. Moreover, obesity is closely related with the disease such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate health practice, serum components and nutrient intake of the college students according to Body Mass Index (BMI) level. 400 male and female freshmen students in 4 year university located near to Seoul metropolitan area were surveyed respectively through the health check-up procedure for college entrance in February. Survey was carried out for them by questionnaires, including a 24-hour dietary recall and anthropometric measurements. Blood samples were obtained while fasting. Nutrient intake was expressed by DDS(Dietary Diversity Score by 5 food groups) and DVS(Dietary Variety Score). Nutrition level was analyzed by Can-Pro (Korea Nutrition Association). And for the quantity intake, percentage ratio against daily requirement(by KDRIs) and MAR(Mean Adequacy Ratio) were calculated. Underweight group($BMI<18.5kg/m^2$), normal weight group($18.5) and overweight group($BMI<23.0 kg/m^2$) were 18.5%, 61.2% and 19.3% respectively. Nutrient intake levels and food intake status were not significantly different among three groups. The mean nutrient adequacy ratio (MAR) was not significantly different by BMI status. Nutrient intakes of calcium, iron, and riboflavin were especially low for all the students. Overweight group showed high blood pressure(120.9/79.3 mmHg) compared with the underweight group (116.4/ 75.8mmHg) but the difference was not significant. The serum triglyceride level in overweight group (94,0mg%) was higher than that in normal (70.9mg%) or underweight group(70.8mg%)(p<0.05). HDL-cholesterol level in overweight (43.8 mg%) group was not significantly different from that in underweight group (45.9mg%). BMI was positively correlated with blood pressure, hemoglobin, and the intake of total fat and cholesterol. But it was negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol level. With these results overweight group is closely related with the cardiovascular disease risks, such as high blood pressure and high triglycerides and cholesterol. Thus, a health intervention program including weight control is required for young adults.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2022

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the experience and perception among adult women regarding weight control and the consumption of weight-control foods or health functional foods based on their body mass index (BMI). Methods: The subjects were 634 adult women from the Chungcheong province, Korea, and data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from July 2021 through September 2021. The subjects were divided into four groups based on their BMI status: underweight (< 18.5 kg/m², 7.6%), normal weight (18.5 ~ 22.9 kg/m², 53.3%), overweight (23 ~ 24.9 kg/m², 19.7%), and obese (≥ 25 kg/m², 19.4%). Results: Over the past 3 years, almost two-thirds (68.6%) of the adult women had tried weight control measures, despite the fact that a significant proportion of them were normal or underweight. More importantly, 57.6% of subjects reported the consumption of weight-control foods, with a lower proportion in the underweight (35.4%) group compared to the normal (56.2%), overweight (62.4%), and obese (65.0%) groups. The food items used for weight control were mostly salads, chicken breasts, low fat (soy) milk, slimming tea, protein shakes, low-calorie cereals, and energy/protein bars among others. In addition, one-third (31.1%) of the subjects reported the use of health functional foods containing ingredients for fat reduction. A significantly higher proportion of these was from the overweight (36.0%) and obese (38.2%) groups compared to the underweight (20.8%) and normal weight (28.1%) groups. Products containing Garcinia cambogia extract, green tea, or Cissus extract, were popular among users. Subjects who were obese had a poorer perception of their health and body. Most subjects felt the need for correct information regarding weight control, but this number was significantly more in the higher BMI groups. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the use of weight-control foods or health functional foods is popular among adult women, especially those who are obese. Thus, nutrition education courses covering facts about weight control and practice need to be developed and provided based on the BMI status of subjects.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.316-329
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between dietary quality based on the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI), and the prevalence of chronic conditions among middle-aged individuals (40-60 yrs of age) living alone. MATERIALS/METHODS: The participants were selected (1,517 men and 2,596 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016-2018 and classified into single-person households (SPH) and multi-person households (MPH). Nutrient intake, KHEI, and the prevalence of chronic conditions were compared according to household size. The odds ratios (ORs) of chronic conditions were analyzed according to the tertile levels of KHEI by gender within each household size category. RESULTS: Men in SPH had a significantly lower total KHEI score (P < 0.0001) and a lower prevalence of obesity (OR, 0.576) than those in MPH. For men, the adjusted ORs for obesity, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia in the first tertile (T1) of KHEI scores within SPH compared with the third tertile (T3) were 4.625, 3.790, and 4.333, respectively. Moreover, the adjusted OR for hypertriglyceridemia in the T1 group compared to the T3 group within the MPH was 1.556. For women, the adjusted ORs for obesity and hypertriglyceridemia in T1 compared to T3 within the SPH were 3.223 and 7.134, respectively, and 1.573 and 1.373 for obesity and hypertension, respectively, within MPH. CONCLUSIONS: A healthy eating index was associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions in middle-aged adults. Greater adherence to a healthy eating index could lower the risk of chronic conditions in middle-aged adults living alone.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1227-1232
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• 2014

Background: Given that there are many Iranian women who have never had a Pap smear, this study was designed to develop and validate a measurement tool based on the Protection Motivation Theory to assess factors influencing the Iranian women's intention to perform first Pap testing. Materials and Methods: In this psychometric research, to determine the Content Validity Index (CVI) and the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), a panel of experts (n=10) reviewed scale items. Reliability was estimated through the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (n=30) and internal consistency (n=240). Also, factor analysis (exploratory and conformity) was performed on the data of the sample women who had never had a Pap smear test (n=240). Results: A 26-item questionnaire was developed. The CVI and CVR scores of the scale were 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis loaded a 26-item with seven factors questionnaire (perceived vulnerability and severity, fear, response costs, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and protection motivation (or intention)) that jointly accounted for 72.76% of the observed variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit for the data. Internal consistency (range 0.70-0.93) and test-retest reliability (range 0.72-0.96) of sub-scales were acceptable. Conclusions: This study showed that the designed instrument was a valid and reliable tool for measuring the factors influencing the women's intention to perform their first Pap testing.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 2001

This study was performed to explore the family support. the quality of marital relationship, and health promoting behaviors of the mature gravidas. and to validate the relationship between them. From November, 1999 to June. 2000. mature gravidas older than 35(N=82) were recruited from K University Hospital located in Seoul and Kyungki Province. Korea. Data was collected using a self-rating method and semi-structured interview. The questionnaires were: Perceived Social Support from Family developed by Procidano & Heller (1983). Quality of Marital Index by Norton (1983). and Health Promoting Life-style Profile by Walker, Sechrist, & Pender (1987), Interviews were conducted using the interview guide with open-ended questions related to health concerns and health promoting behaviors. Data was analyzed using a pc-SAS program for quantitative data. The levels of the perceived family support and the quality of marital relationship were relatively high. The relationship between perceived family support and quality of marital relationship, and health promoting life-style behaviors was statistically significant. Six themes emerged as primary concerns for the mature gravidas during childbearing: 'Concerns related to the fetal wellbeing', 'Concerns related to fetal education', 'Concerns related to the maternal physical health', 'Concerns related to the maternal emotional health', 'Concerns related to safe delivery' and 'Concerns related to child-rearing'. Nursing implications for practice include expanding prenatal assessment inventories to address the concerns and support system of mature gravidas.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.10
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• pp.227-235
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• 2020

This study was conducted to induce changes in the correct oral hygiene management habits and attitudes of university students by grasping the relationship between oral hygiene status and of self-perception halitosis of university students, and to present basic data to improve oral health. The data survey was conducted on 322 university students under the age of 23 among the participants who visited the department of dental hygiene at K University in Daejeon for practice from September 23, 2019 to December 6, 2019. The degree of dental deposition was grade B, the patient hygiene performance index was 'normal' and the amount of tongue plaque was 'good' the highest, and the factors that were highly related to self-perception halitosis were the amount of tongue plaque and were dental deposits rating and grade. Also, oral hygiene status and self-perception halitosis were correlated with each other, and it was found that oral hygiene status had an important effect on self-perception halitosis. Therefore, it is necessary to actively develop interesting and practical oral health care programs and publicity plans so that the quality of life of oral health for university students can be improved.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.410-416
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The standard pattern of Brazilian food consumption is based on the combination of rice and beans served together in the main meals. This study assessed the effects of Brazilian-staple calorie-restricted (BS-diet) dietary advice, with brown rice and beans, on metabolic parameters, body composition, and food intake in overweight/obese subjects. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Twentyseven subjects were randomly assigned to a conventional-type calorie-restricted diet (CT-diet) (n = 13) or a BS-diet (n = 14). Glucose metabolism, lipid profile, anthropometric and body composition parameters, and food intake were measured before and after 16 weeks. Paired t-tests/Wilcoxon tests were used for comparison of differences from baseline and unpaired t-tests/Mann-Whitney tests were used for comparison of differences between the groups. RESULTS: After16 weeks, both groups showed reductions in weight and waist circumference (P < 0.02), and the BS-diet group showed a decrease in body fat (P = 0.0001), and significant improvement in glucose metabolism (fasting plasma glucose, glucose and insulin areas under the curve, Cederholm index, and HOMA2-$%{\beta}$) ($P{\leq}0.04$) and lipid profile (cholesterol, triacylglycerol, LDL-c, VLDL-c, and cholesterol/HDL-c ratio) ($P{\leq}0.05$). In addition, the BS-diet group showed significant improvement in HOMA2-$%{\beta}$, compared to the CT-diet group (P = 0.03). The BS-diet group also showed a significant reduction in energy, lipids, carbohydrate, and cholesterol intake ($P{\leq}0.04$) and an increase in fiber intake ($P{\leq}0.001$), while the CT-diet group showed a significant reduction in intake of energy, macronutrients, PUFA, and cholesterol ($P{\leq}0.002$). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the benefits of the BS-diet on metabolic parameters in obese subjects.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 1974

Data from this study support the View that the following factors are not sufficiently important in Korea to invalidate the relationships observed between age of marriage and fertility: (1) Premarital pregnancy and common law marriage, (2) shortening of birth intervals in late marriages, (3) adverse effects of very eary marriage in reproductive capacity, and (4) postponement of first pregnancy among early marriages. Thirteen variables which were considered to be potential predictors of fertility were studied to determine their influence on three indices of fertility. Age of marriage and family planning praetice are the strongest predictors and account for about 10% and 7% of the total variance, respectively. Seven other factors each account for an intermediate amount of variability; these are ideal number of children, rural versus urban study area, education, aspiration for daughter, index of exposure to mass media, economic index of respondent's home at survey, and residence before marriage. The remaining variables have no consistently significant relationship to fertility. Most of the relationships appear to be stable and consistent over time; others appear to be changing. The latter group include those variables which are associated with modernization indices of family planning practice, mass media exposure. and aspiration for daughters. Thus, the index of family planning practice is of limited significance for the $40{\sim}49$ age group but is the most important variable for the $20{\sim}29$ year women. The relationship is a direct one for the two age groups between 30 and 49 years which suggests that these groups already had high fertility when family planning services became available and that this high fertility then became an inducement to acccept contraception. The pattern of relationship is not yet clear for the $20{\sim}29$ year group. Similar interactions are observed for the other indices of modernity and are discussed. The thirteen variables together can account for a maximum of about 40% of the variance in the number of live births in the age group $30{\sim}39$, and for lesser amounts of variance in other age and fertility groupings.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.250-265
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to develop an app-based self-management program based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) for breast cancer survivors' exercise practice, as well as to investigate the program's effects on the stage of change for exercise, exercise self-efficacy, exercise decisional balance, exercise amount, and body composition. Methods: This non-randomized controlled study included 52 participants (26 in each of the experimental and control groups, respectively). An app-based self-management program based on the TTM was conducted with the experimental group for a 12-week period. The program comprised three components: individual coaching for each stage of change for exercise based on TTM, amount of exercise and body composition monitoring, and online self-help meetings. Results: Compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly higher stages of change for exercise (p < .001), exercise self-efficacy (p < .001), exercise decisional balance (p = .002), exercise amount (p < .001), and body composition (body weight [p = .006], body mass index [p = .005], and body fat percentage [p = .010]) immediately and four weeks after the intervention. Conclusion: An app-based self-management program based on the TTM improves exercise behaviors in breast cancer survivors and provides physical benefits.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.212-220
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, is highly consumed in South Asia. However, curry that contains turmeric as its main spice might be the major source of curcumin in most other countries. Although curcumin consumption is not as high in these countries as South Asia, the regular consumption of curcumin may provide a significant health-beneficial effect. This study evaluated whether the moderate consumption of curry can affect blood glucose and lipid levels that become dysregulated with age. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study used data obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 2012 to 2013, to assess curry consumption frequency as well as blood glucose and blood lipid levels. The levels of blood glucose and lipids were subdivided by age, sex, and body mass index, and compared according to the curry consumption level. The estimates in each subgroup were further adjusted for potential confounding factors, including the diagnosis of diseases, physical activity, and smoking. RESULTS: After adjusting for the above confounding factors, the blood glucose and triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the moderate curry consumption group compared to the low curry consumption group, both in older (> 45) male and younger (30 to 44) female overweight individuals who have high blood glucose and triglyceride levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that curcumin consumption, in an ordinary diet, can have health-beneficial effects, including being helpful in maintaining blood glucose and triglyceride levels that become dysregulated with age. The results should be further confirmed in future studies.