• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.113-119
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• 2008

Purpose: This study investigated whether a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located at position -2 in the Kozak sequence of the TFF1 gene is associated with H. pylori infection and the development of gastric cancer in Koreans. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 167 patients with gastric cancer from January 2000 to December 2003 and also 299 healthy controls during the same period. The genotype of the TFF1 SNP was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and single strand conformation polymorphism. We also examined the H. pylori infection by Giemsa staining. Results: No significant difference in the allele or the TFF1 SNP genotype frequency was observed between the patients with gastric cancer and the control subjects (P=0.595 and P=0.715, respectively). When stratified by the histological subtype of gastric cancer and the age of the patients, the risk was not statistically significant between the two study groups (P=0.088 and P=0.551, respectively). H. pylori infection was detected in 39 cases and it was not associated with the TFF1 genotype. Conclusion: These findings suggest that this TFF1 gene polymorphism is not associated with H. pylori infection and gastric cancer in Koreans and so it doesn't contribute to the susceptibility to gastric cancer in Koreans.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to test the association between APOA5 3'-UTR variants (rs662799) and cardiometabolic traits in Koreans. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For this study, epidemiological data, Apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) genotype information, and lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) biospecimens from a subset of the Ansung-Ansan cohort within the Korean Genome and Epidemiology study (KoGES-ASAS; n = 7,704) as well as epidemiological data along with genomic DNA biospecimens of participants from a subset of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2011-12; n = 2,235) were obtained. APOA5 mRNA expression was also measured. RESULTS: APOA5 rs662799 genotype distributions in both the KoGES-ASAS and KNHANES groups were 50.6% for TT, 41.3% for TC, and 8.1% for CC, which are similar to those in previous reports. In both groups, minor C allele carriers, particularly subjects with CC homozygosity, had lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and higher triglyceride levels than TT homozygotes. Linear regression analysis showed that the minor C allele significantly contributed to reduction of circulating HDL cholesterol levels [${\beta}=-2.048$, P < 0.001; ${\beta}=-2.199$, P < 0.001] as well as elevation of circulating triglyceride levels [${\beta}=0.053$, P < 0.001; ${\beta}=0.066$, P < 0.001] in both the KoGES-ASAS and KNHANES groups. In addition, higher expression levels of APOA5 in LCLs of 64 healthy individuals were negatively associated with body mass index (r = -0.277, P = 0.027) and circulating triglyceride level (r = -0.340, P = 0.006) but not significantly correlated with circulating HDL cholesterol level. On the other hand, we observed no significant difference in the mRNA level of APOA5 according to APOA5 rs662799 polymorphisms. CONCLUSIONS: The C allele of APOA5 rs662799 was found to be significantly associated with cardiometabolic traits in a large Korean population from the KoGES-ASAS and KNHANES. The effect of this genotype may be associated with post-transcriptional regulation, which deserves further experimental confirmation.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2008

Purpose: The objective of this study is anthropometric analysis of mouth and lower face of Korean. The relationship of soft-tissue to underlying bony structures determine the overall aesthetics of the face. The goal of aesthetic surgery of the face is to achieve the ideal normal and enhance the aging face. The purpose of present study was to determine the change of the morphology of the mouth and lower face based on soft-tissue landmarks according to age group to facilitate prediction during aesthetic surgery. Methods: The standardized photographs of 2,018 healthy volunteers(18 to 79 years of age; 1,070 males, 948 females) were investigated. Age groups were classified into young, middle-aged, and elderly groups. Five and seven items were measured on frontal and lateral view photographs, respectively. Individual dimensions were compared in the three age groups and between males and females. Results: The width of mouth is 4.5 times larger than that of philtrum. Most of measured data decreased with age. However, woman's lip width of the mouth somewhat increased from the young to elderly. The width of lower face is 2.5 times larger than mouth in young age group and increased slightly from the young to middle-aged and thereafter slightly decreased to elderly group. Upper lip was more higher than lower lip and male lip was more higher than female. But male and female lip height is similar at old age. Conclusion: Most of Koreans showed prominent lower face because of the development or protrusion of the mandible. And the descent of soft-tissue around the mouth was one of the significant characteristics of senile change. The posterior retrusion of the subnasal was an another characteristic. This study will help to elucidate the age-related dimensional differences of the human being and to provide useful information for clinical applications in oral and aesthetic surgery.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.116-127
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the coverage of the current mandatory nutrition labeling system on the nutrient intake of Koreans. Methods: KNHANES dietary intake data (2013) of 7,242 subjects were used in the analysis. KNHANES dietary intake data were collected by a 24-hour recall method by trained dietitians. For analysis, all food items consumed by the subjects were classified into two groups (foods with mandatory labeling and other foods). In the next step, all food items were reclassified into four groups according to the food type and nutrition labeling regulations: raw material food, processed food of raw material characteristics, processed foods without mandatory labeling, and processed foods with mandatory labeling. The intake of energy and five nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat, saturated fat, and sodium) of subjects from each food group were analyzed to determine the coverage of the mandatory nutrition labeling system among the total nutrient intake of Koreans. Results: The average intake of foods with mandatory labeling were 384g/day, which was approximately one quarter of the total daily food intake (1,544 g/day). The proportion of energy and five nutrients intake from foods with mandatory labeling was 18.1%~47.4%. The average food intake from the 4 food groups were 745 g/day (48.3%) for the raw food materials, 54 g/day (3.5%) for the processed food of raw material characteristics, 391 g/day (25.3%) for the processed foods without mandatory labeling, and 354 g/day (22.9%) for the processed foods with mandatory labeling. Conclusions: Although nutrition labeling is a useful tool for providing nutritional information to consumers, the coverage of current mandatory nutrition labeling system on daily nutrient intake of the Korean population is not high. To encourage informed choices and improve healthy eating habits of the Korean population, the nutrition labeling system should be expanded to include more food items and foodservice menus.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2017

Purpose: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an indicator of arterial stiffness, and is considered a marker of vascular damage. However, a genome-wide association study analyzing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) has not been conducted in healthy populations. We performed this study to identify SNPs associated with baPWV in healthy populations in Korea. Materials and Methods: Genomic SNPs data for 2,407 individuals from three sites were analyzed as part of the Korean Genomic Epidemiologic Study. Without replication samples, we performed multivariable analysis as a post hoc analysis to verify the findings in site adjusted analysis. Healthy subjects aged between 40 and 70 years without self-reported history or diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer were included. We excluded subjects with a creatinine level >1.4 mg/dL (men) and 1.2 mg/dL (women). Results: In the site-adjusted association analysis, significant associations (P<$5{\times}10^{-8}$) with baPWV were detected for only 5 SNPs with low minor allele frequency. In multivariable analysis adjusted by age, sex, height, body mass index, mean arterial pressure, site, smoking, alcohol, and exercise, 11 SNPs were found to be associated (P<$5{\times}10^{-8}$) with baPWV. The 5 SNPs (P<$5{\times}10^{-8}$) linked to three genes (OPCML, PRR35 and RAB40C) were common between site-adjusted analysis and multivariable analysis. However, meta-analysis of the result from three sites for the 11 SNPs showed no significant associations. Conclusion: Using the recent standard for genome-wide association study, we did not find any evidence of significant association signals with baPWV.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.491-499
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• 2003

Selenium is a strong antioxidant trace mineral, scavenging free radicals. The prevalence of chronic degenerative diseases is increasing in Korean adults with increasing age. The increased cell damage from free radicals has been implicated in the etiology of these diseases, and evidence is accumulating that the low selenium status that comes with advanced aged is involved in the prevalence of age-associated diseases. However, little is known about the selenium status of Koreans, its age-related change and its relationship to dietary nutrient intake. In this study, the serum selenium levels of healthy adult females according to life cycle and its association with blood albumin levels and nutrient intake were examined. Serum selenium level was measured with the Huwo research reactor using the neutron activation analysis method (NAA). The overall proportion of women with selenium deficiency, serum selenium concentrations below 7.0 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, was 9.4%. The average serum selenium levels were 12.39 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, 9.45 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl and 9.16 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl in the young adult, middle-aged and elderly groups, respectively, showing a reduction of selenium status with advancing age. Selenium deficiency was seen only in the elderly group. Generally, serum selenium levels positively or negatively correlated with nutrient intake, but these association patterns differed depending on the age. The nutrients that showed positive correlations with selenium levels were proteins and phosphate in the young adult group (p < 0.05, p < 0.05), and total calcium, potassium and vegetable-origin calcium in the middle-aged group. Vitamin C and fiber were the negative correlated nutrients with serum selenium levels in the elderly group (p < 0.05, p < 0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis of the determining factors responsible for selenium status showed that age and serum albumin levels were important factors which explained up to 26.9% variances in serum selenium levels. The average selenium concentrations of Korean adult female subjects were above the deficiency levels in all three age groups. There was a tendency toward decreasing selenium levels as the age of the subjects increased. The factors with the strongest in-fluence on selenium status in healthy adult Korean females were age and serum protein status. (Korean J Nutrition 36(5): 491~499, 2003)

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.729-738
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• 1998

Background and purpose : Stroke is a leading cause of death in Korea. Early measures to prevent stroke are extremely important since it has no cure. Korean might have different risk factors since their dietary habits and socio-economical status differ from most western countries. However, the risk factors for stroke in Korea have not yet been identified. Moreover, the lifestyle of healthy Korean adults has not been investigated. In this study we investigate the lifestyle of healthy adults living in Seoul and rural areas and compare the lifestyles of the two. Methods : One hundred seventy one subjects were studied. Among the subjects studied, 128 were from Seoul, the other 43 were from the country area. The age of the subjects was limited to over 40 years. Blood pressure, fast blood sugar, and cholesterol were measured. The subjects' height, weight, body mass index, total body fat, skinfolds thickness of triceps, subscapular and abdomen were measured to determine obesity. Using a structured interview, we assessed : sodium intake, physical activity and exercise, consumption of vegetables, fat, fish and fruits. The results of the two groups were compared. Results : There were no statistical differences in age and education between the two groups of subjects. The mean age of the subjects were 66 years old. The subjects residing in rural areas had a higher intake of sodium(p<0.05), lower physical activity(P<0.05), and higher BMI and body fat (p<0.05) as compared to the subjects in Seoul. Subjects with hypertension were between 24% and 33% and the prevalence of hypertension was the highest when compared to the prevalence of DM or hypercholesterolemia. However, the prevalence of hypertension, DM, hypercholesterolemia, were not significantly different in these areas. Conclusion : Our results show that subjects living in rural areas eat more salty food, exercise less, and tend to be obese. The finding of this study lead to speculation that Korean living in rural areas have less information about the effects of diet on health than city dwellers do. General health and nutrition education programs aimed at the prevention of stroke and other such conditions for rural area Koreans may close the risk factor gap between rural and urban dwellers.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.441-455
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• 2001

Korean food habits, dietary behaviors and perception of food were compared according to gender and age. The subjects were composed of 274 males and 315 females. According to age, the age group of 10s was 26.3%, 20s 24.6%, 30s 16.8%, 40s 18.7%, and 50s and over 13.6%, respectively. The majority (65.2%) of all age groups except the 20s took meals 3 times a day and the ratio 20s eating twice a day was higher than other age groups. All age groups took cooked rice(bap) two or three times a day and the 20s group took smaller amount than other age groups did. The younger age groups of 10s and 20s took larger amount of processed food. The older age groups appeared to have higher frequency of eating fish, bean, vegetable, Kimchi, laver.brown seaweed, soybean oil, sesame oil, coffee, tea, and rice cake(ddhuk). The younger groups have the higher frequency of eating ramyeon, corn flake, milk, milk-processed food, butterㆍmargarine, ham.sausage, carbonated drink candyㆍchocolate, hamburger, and pizza. All age groups perceived cooked rice(bap), meat, fish, egg, vegetable, fruit, and Kimchi to be the delicious, excellent and healthy food. According to the above results, age groups of 30s and over had relatively better food habits compared with those of younger groups. On the other hand, the groups of 10s and 20s had meals irregularly, showed a high ratio of skipping meals, and took processed food much. These results raised a concern of their nutritional imbalance in the future. Therefore, the correct nutritional education must be conducted to make these age groups have a healthy food habits.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.372-386
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• 2000

This study was conducted to assess anthropemrtric, health status, nutritional status, and their correlations in 120 female college students in Kyunggido area. The questionnaires on general living habits, food habits and energy expenditure were used, and nutrient intakes were estimated by Convenience Method. Anthropometric measurement, blood pressure, hemoglobin(Hb), hematocrit(Hct) were also determined. The mean values for BMI, RBW, and blood pressure of the subjects were 20.4$\pm$2.4, 92.9$\pm$16.0% and 108.9/69.6mmHg, respectively. Estimation of body fat from two sites of skinfolds thickness(20.6$\pm$6.0%) and four sites of skinfolds thickness(20.1 $\pm$8.6%) was similar, but different from BIA method(23.9$\pm$3.9%). The subjects of 36.9% considered themselves healthy, and 15.4% of them considered themselves not healthy. The mean values for Hb and Hct were 13.4$\pm$ 1.6g/dl, and 41.5$\pm$0.4%, respectively. The prevalence rates of iron deficiency assessed by Hb and Hct were found to be 19.8% and 6.3%, accordingly. The mean energy intake of subjects was 1,841 kcal. The proportion of energy derived from carbohydrates, protein and fat was 64.9%, 14.7%, and 20.4%, respectively As nutrient intake was compared to RDA for Koreans, intakes of energy, calcium, iron, and vitamin A fell short of recommendations. Intakes of energy, fat, iron, vitamin B$_2$, and niacin were positively correlated with total energy expenditure. These results suggest that appropriate reference data are important to maintain the health of female college students.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.220-234
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the adherence to dietary guidelines among college students in the post-COVID-19 era and examine the changes in their dietary habits as the learning environment transitioned from remote to in-person classes. Methods: We conducted a survey involving 327 college students in Daejeon from March to April 2023. The survey questionnaires included various factors, including age, gender, type of residence, frequency of use of delivery food, convenience food, and eating out. In addition, we investigated the extent of adherence to the dietary guidelines for Koreans and the degree of dietary changes following the post-COVID-19 shift in class format were investigated. For comparative analysis of the level of adherence to dietary guidelines in relation to dietary habit changes, an ANOVA and a post hoc Scheffe test were employed. We also performed a multiple linear regression analysis to identify dietary factors influencing the level of adherence to dietary guidelines. Results: The study revealed a high rate of convenience food consumption and a low rate of homemade food intake among students. There was a marked increase in the consumption of processed foods, convenience foods, dining out, sweet foods, high-fat fried foods, beverages, and alcohol following the transition from online to in-person classes. When examining adherence to Korean dietary guidelines, the highest scored practice was 'Hydration', and the lowest was 'Breakfast habit'. Increased consumption of convenience foods, late-night snacks, and dining out were negatively correlated with adherence levels to dietary guidelines, specifically correlating with 'Healthy weight', 'Hydration', 'Breakfast habit', and the total score of adherence. The adoption of 'regular meals' was positively associated with increased adherence levels to dietary guidelines. Conclusions: The transition from remote to in-person classes post-COVID-19 led to increased intake of convenience foods, dining out, sweet foods, high-fat fried foods, and alcohol. The rise in convenience food and late-night snack consumption negatively influenced several aspects of the dietary guidelines adherence, thereby suggesting the need for strategies to encourage healthy dietary habits among college students.