• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.350-360
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study examined and compared the associations of the iron status and food intake with the blood lead, mercury, and cadmium concentrations among Korean adolescent girls, premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women. Methods: The data from the 2010~2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) was used. The subjects were classified into three groups: adolescent girls (n = 268), premenopausal women (n = 1,157), and postmenopausal women (n = 446). The iron status was assessed by hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum ferritin, and iron concentrations, as well as the total iron binding capacity (TIBC). The food intake was estimated by a food frequency questionnaire. Results: The blood heavy metal concentrations and poisoning rate in postmenopausal women were higher than in the other groups. The iron status in the adolescent girls and postmenopausal women was higher than that in the premenopausal women. In the adolescent girls, the iron status was inversely associated with the blood cadmium concentration. The dairy food intake was inversely related to the blood lead and cadmium concentrations. In premenopausal women, the iron status was inversely associated with the cadmium concentrations. The fish and shellfish food intakes were positively associated with the mercury concentrations. In postmenopausal women, the iron status was positively associated with the mercury and cadmium concentrations. Fast foods and fried foods were inversely associated with the lead concentration. Conclusion: The premenopausal women showed a lower iron status than the adolescent girls and postmenopausal women. The associations of the iron status with the blood heavy metal concentrations were different among the adolescent girls, premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women. In addition, the relationships of the food intakes with the blood heavy metal concentrations differed among adolescent girls, premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women. Further studies will be needed to confirm these findings.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.776-784
• /
• 2014

Korean dishes, Hansik are characterized by healthful vegetable intake. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of commonly consumed vegetables by Koreans on obesity/metabolic disease-related inflammation. Through statistical analysis of the KNHANES database ($1^{st}$ 1998, $5^{th}$ 2010, 2011) and a literature review, we selected vegetables for study. Among the vegetables, main or sub ingredients of Kimchi were excluded. Samples were prepared using only edible portions and freeze-dried. After grinding, samples were extracted with ethanol, evaporated and finally lyophilized. The cytotoxicity of samples was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, at various concentrations that do not affect cell viability. Raw 264.7 macrophages were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and 11 kinds of samples or positive control (troglitazone) dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). After 24 hours, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production were determined. Excepts for young pumpkin and bracken, nine samples effectively reduced NO production compared with control treated with LPS and DMSO. NO levels of five samples (bean sprouts, leeks, eggplant, mugwort, and pumpkin) were similar to that of the positive control. These five samples showed significantly decreased TNF-${\alpha}$ or MCP-1 compared to the control group. Our results suggest that consumption of commonly consumed vegetables contributes to partial prevention of obesity and related metabolic syndrome through reduction of NO, TNF-${\alpha}$, and MCP-1 production.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.49 no.6
• /
• pp.437-446
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate dietary intake of vitamin D and the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentration and bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean adults using the 2011 data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods: Daily intake of vitamin D and ratio of subjects that consumed less vitamin D than adequate intake (AI) were estimated in 4,879 Korean adults. The relationship between daily intake of vitamin D and serum 25OHD and BMD were analyzed. Results: Average daily intakes of vitamin D were $3.84{\pm}0.23{\mu}g/day$ for men and $2.22{\pm}0.11{\mu}g/day$ for women. Approximately 72~97% of men and 80~99% of women consumed less than the AI of vitamin D for Koreans. Serum 25OHD concentration increased with age, and the ratios of serum vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) were 47.8~81.1% for men and 59.4~92.8% for women. Average intake of vitamin D was higher in subjects aged < 50 yr than in those ${\geq}50yr$, but lower in serum 25OHD concentration. In subjects aged < 50 yr, serum 25OHD was higher in subjects that consumed $10{\mu}g/day$ of vitamin D than in those that consumed less than $5{\mu}g/day$. In female subjects aged ${\geq}50yr$, average intake of vitamin D was associated with higher bone mineral density. Conclusion: It was found that dietary intake of vitamin D could increase serum 25OHD concentration in young adults and bone mineral density in old women. Therefore, nutrition policies for enriched foods with vitamin D and nutrition education to consume more vitamin D-rich foods are needed to ameliorate vitamin D status of the Korean population. Adequate intake for Korean population aged < 50 yr might be adjusted upwardly up to $10{\mu}g/day$.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.10-24
• /
• 2017

Purpose: GST (glutathione S-transferase) M1 and T1 gene polymorphisms are known to affect antioxidant levels. This study was carried out to evaluate genetic susceptibility by measuring the effect of DNA damage reduction in the Korean diet by vegetable food according to GST gene polymorphisms using the ex vivo method with human lymphocytes. Methods: Vegetable foods in the Korean diet based the results of the KNHANES V-2 (2011) were classified into 10 food groups. A total of 84 foods, which constituted more than 1% of the total intake in each food group, were finally designated as a vegetable food in the Korean diet. The Korean diet applied in this study is the standard one-week meals for Koreans (2,000 Kcal/day) suggested by the 2010 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans. Ex vivo DNA damage in human lymphocytes was assessed using comet assay. Results: In the Korean food group, the DNA damage protective effect of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was found to be greater in mutant type and wild-type, respectively. and the DNA damage protective effect according to the combined genotype of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was different depending on the food group. On the other hand, in Korean Diet, the DNA damage protective effect appeared to be larger in GSTM1 wild-type than in mutant type and was found to not be affected by GSTT1 genotype. Conclusion: These results can be used as basic data to demonstrate the superiority of the antioxidant function of Korean dietary patterns and food groups. Furthermore, it may be a starting point to begin research on customized antioxidant nutrition according to individual genes.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.161-175
• /
• 2014

Objectives: This study investigates the prevalence of suicide ideation and its the related factors by gender among Korean adults. Methods: National cross-sectional data from the database of the first and second year of $5^{th}$ Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1, V-2) were used for this study. 13,165 adults (${\geq}20$ years) were included in this analysis. Results: The prevalence of suicide ideation was 9.8% for men, 18.9% for women. Renal failure, depression, melancholy, stress, perceived health status, and smoking were significant risk factors among both men and women for suicide ideation. Divorced, separated or widowed of marital status and severe physical activity were related factors of suicide ideation for men. Low educational attainment, and alcohol dependency were associated factors of suicide ideation for women. Conclusions: There was gender difference of prevalence and risk factors of suicide ideation. These gender differences should be considered for planning and implementing suicide prevention program.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.99-110
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of commonly consumed vegetables in Korea on lipid accumulation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines related to obesity/metabolic syndrome. Using KNHANES (Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) raw data ($1^{st}$; 1998, $5^{th}$; 2010, 2011) and a literature search, we selected vegetables for study. Edible portions of samples were prepared, ethanol-extracted, and then freeze-dried. 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 hepatocytes cells were used as in vitro models. Lipid accumulation determined by Oil-red O staining showed that all samples except bracken had inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Especially, crown daisy and mugwort effectively reduced accumulation of lipids, and their inhibition rates were more than 60% of the control group. Young pumpkin, leeks, crown daisy, and mugwort showed significantly decreased MCP-1 levels compared to the control group. However, adiponectin protein level did not increase in the vegetables experimental group. In HepG2 hepatocytes, all samples showed inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation at one of the two concentrations. Although adiponectin protein levels did not increase, MCP-1 protein levels decreased in adipocytes. Further, lipid accumulation in adipocytes and hepatocytes decreased. In conclusion, all samples showed one or more improved obesity/metabolic syndrome indicators. Among them, young pumpkin, leeks, crown daisy, and mugwort were selected as the most effective portions of vegetables based on improvement of obesity/metabolic syndrome-related indicators.