• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.385-392
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• 2013

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent, primarily due to limited sun exposure, which may be observed in urban areas, or as a result of modern lifestyles. Common myths about vitamin D persist, including that it is mostly obtained from the diet and is only essential for bone and mineral homeostasis. Nonetheless, advances in biomedical science suggest that vitamin D is a hormone that is integral to numerous physiologic functions in most cells and tissues. Therefore, abnormal vitamin D levels may contribute to health disturbances. A number of recent reports on potential associations between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease have highlighted its role in this system. A focus over the previous decade has been to better understand the mechanisms behind vitamin D regulation and the pathophysiology associated with suboptimal vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is highly associated with the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, even when considering other well-known risk factors. In this process, the renin-angiotensin system is disrupted, and hypertension and endothelial dysfunction contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease. Likewise, clinical outcomes upon the normalization of vitamin D levels have been investigated in different patient populations. It makes sense that vitamin D supplementation to improve vitamin D status among vitamin D-deficient individuals could be useful without requiring a sudden lifestyle change. This manuscript provides a brief overview of vitamin D metabolism and the vitamin D receptor. It also summarizes the current clinical research relating to vitamin D supplementation and its effects on hypertension and endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular medicine.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9747-9751
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• 2014

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide and a leading cause of mortality. Incidences continues to rise and vary substantially between populations. Although the prevalence of prostate cancer is relatively low in Vietnam, some hospital-based reports have shown an upward trend in recent years. While certain non-modifiable factors such as age, race and genetics are known to be mainly responsible, the literature has also suggested that environmental exposures can delay the onset of this disease. The present study provides a review of the epidemiology of prostate cancer in Vietnam by systematically searching several electronic databases. The results confirm an increasing trend of prostate cancer over the past decade, with age-standardised rate more than doubled from 2.2 per 100,000 men in 2000 to 4.7 per 100,000 men in 2010. However, no study has been found on modifiable risk factors, with the exception of one in vitro experiment that showed the inhibitory effect of garlic on the growth of prostate cancer cells. The lack of epidemiological information poses a difficulty to develop public health interventions to prevent this emerging malignant disease in Vietnam.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.71-86
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• 2003

Over the past few decades, changes in patterns of behavior (e.g., diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity) have led to major changes in health status, characterized by increases in obesity, Type II diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. This epidemiologic transition is largely the result of rapid increases in immigration to developed countries and rural-urban migration within developing countries, which is usually accompanied by environmental and lifestyle changes. In particular, adoption of “Western” dietary patterns, which tend to be high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables, is of concern since diet is a potent contributor to chronic disease risk. However, until recently, the process by which immigrants and rural-urban migrants adopt the dietary practices predominant in their new environments, known as dietary acculturation, has received very little research attention. Dietary acculturation is multidimensional, dynamic, and complex, and varies considerably depending on a variety of personal, cultural, and environmental characteristics. Therefore, to intervene successfully on the negative aspects of dietary acculturation, it is important to understand the process and identify factors that predispose and enable it to occur. The purpose of this article is to provide a practical model for understanding and investigating the effect of dietary acculturation on food and nutrient intake. Thus, this report 1) gives an overview of acculturation, 2) defines dietary acculturation and presents a model for how it occurs, 3) discusses measurement issues around dietary acculturation,4) reviews the literature on dietary acculturation in Korean Americans; 4) suggests a paradigm for acculturation research; and 5) offers some recommendations for future research in this area.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.245-257
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply intervention mapping (IM) to develop a community-based disease self-management support program for patients with osteoarthritis. Methods: IM was applied as follows: i) a needs assessment has been carried out by a literature review, survey and interview with osteoarthritis patients; ii) on the basis of the needs assessment, identification of expected outcomes and change objectives for the target population; iii) selection of theory-based methods and practical applications to influence self-management and the determinants of behavior; iv) design of the intervention by developing activities and materials such as osteoarthritis self-management guide and smart patient pocket book. The activities were integrated into an existing healthcare activities; v) implementation and evaluation plan has been developed. Results: The program is aimed at improving health status through activating patients by a patient-centered and tailored intervention for patients with osteoarthritis; consists of 8 sessions with coaching and cognitive emotional psychological skills; includes smart patient, communication, osteoarthritis, medication adherence, pain control, depressive mood control, physical activity and healthy diet. Conclusion: The IM is a systematic and feasible method for developing the program. The next step is to evaluate the impact of the intervention on activation, and health status.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-36
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• 2013

Korea has been recognized as a safe country about the substance abuse, but now is not safe country because there are over 10 thousand drug related offenses in a year since 1999. Seventy percent of them are drug abusers, so Korea government must have stronger political strategies about the prevention and the treatment of the drug abuse. Till now Korea government has focused on the imprisonment rather than the treatment for the drug abusers. So the relapse rates are over 40% among the incarcerated drug abusers. Now we need more treatment strategies and development of treatment methods to decrease the relapse rates. Substance abuse is a brain disease with a chronic relapsing nature and has a bio-psycho-social etiology. So treatment process has three steps, motivation enhancement treatment for substance-free lifestyle, rehabilitation aimed at maximizing multiple aspects of life functioning, and relapse prevention. To improving the treatment strategies the Government must execute the national survey about the substance abuse, enforce a law to operate the drug court and to sentence a treatment order with a probation, and establish a national addiction institute for study and education about the substance abuse.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the level of knowledge on preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and nicotine dependency among smoking male college students, and to examine the predicting factors of nicotine dependency. Methods: This study was conducted as cross-sectional descriptive research using structured questionnaires. Data were collected from 411 smoking male college students ($22.5{\pm}2.59$ yr) at two universities located in two cities in Korea from September 2012 to April 2013. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate age-adjusted odds ratios of nicotine dependency. Results: The mean value of nicotine dependency was $4.2{\pm}1.96$ and the percentage of participants who had strong nicotine dependency (${\geq}7$) was 10.7%. Logistic regression analysis showed that, when adjustment was made for age, nicotine dependency was predicted by the frequency of alcohol drinking (${\geq}3$ times/week), knowledge on CVD prevention, the age starting drinking, and the total length of smoking. Conclusion: Nicotine dependency was strongly related to the frequency of drinking alcohol and lower knowledge on CVD prevention. Therefore, male college students who have a dependent smoking habit and drink alcohol frequently need to take more interest in health through educational counseling to modify their lifestyle behaviors and to have preventive knowledge related to CVD.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.244-252
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was aimed to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular risk factors among workers at small-sized companies having fewer than 50employees in Korea. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a secondary data analysis on workers' health examination data. Data from 21,784 employed workers were analyzed, including 16,488 males (mean age 38.7years)and 5,296 females (mean age 40.5 years). Participants were newly enrolled in annual health check-ups at a professional health clinic from 2009 to 2011. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify age-adjusted gender specific predicting factors of MetS incidence. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 13.4% in male and 7.7% in female workers. Logistic regression analysis showed that, when age was adjusted for, family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) was a predicting factor in both male and female workers. For male workers, heavy alcohol drinking and non-manual occupation (office workers/drivers) predicted MetS. Conclusion: Health care providers should screen for MetS periodically in small work places especially for those with a family history of CVD. Educational counseling needs to be given to male workers with sedentary occupations with an aim to reduce heavy drinking and encourage lifestyle modification.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2002

Eating behavior change as a result of nutrition education interventions as secondary prevention strategies can contribute to an increase in life expectancy and better health for older adults in the United States (U.S.). Many of the chronic conditions prevalent in older adults are modifiable by dietary changes, including heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and osteoporosis. Important demographic observations in the U.S. including the projected large increase in number of older adults by 2030 have implications for nutrition education focus and services. A comprehensive review of nutrition education interventions for older adults in the U.S. published in 1995 identified elements from adult education theories that contribute to the effectiveness of nutrition education. These elements have been the focus of more recent studies with older adults providing additional evidence for relationships between concepts from commonly used behavior change theories and dietary patterns or change. In the U.S, an important program contributing to nutritional adequacy of the diet for older adults is the Elderly Nutrition Program which provides resources for congregate dining and includes a mandatory nutrition education component. Nutrition education is also provided through clinic based programs, and print and broadcast media. Application of the Transtheoretical Model has shown that the level of interest or motivation to comply with dietary guidance may be greater for some older adults due to an increasing burden of chronic disease and poorer quality of life, while others may not feel a need to change lifestyle habits.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.sup1
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• pp.3-11
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• 2013

Over the last two decades, significant research attention has been given to the acute effect of a single bout of exercise on postprandial lipaemia. A large body of evidence supports the notion that an acute bout of aerobic exercise can reduce postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations. However, this effect is short-lived emphasising the important role of regular physical activity for lowering TAG concentrations through an active lifestyle. In 1995, the concept of accumulating physical activity was introduced in expert recommendations with the advice that activity can be performed in several short bouts throughout the day with a minimum duration of 10 minutes per activity bout. Although the concept of accumulation has been widely publicised, there is still limited scientific evidence to support it but several studies have investigated the effects of accumulated activity on health-related outcomes to support the recommendations in physical activity guidelines. One area, which is the focus of this review, is the effect of accumulating exercise on postprandial lipaemia. We propose that accumulating exercise will provide additional physical activity options for lowering postprandial TAG concentrations relevant to individuals with limited time or exercise capacity to engage in more structured forms of exercise, or longer bouts of physical activity. The benefits of accumulated physical activity might translate to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in the long-term.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 2019

In the past gut microbiome has been the main focus of microbiome research. Studies about the microbiome inside oral cavities and other organs are underway. Studies about the relationship between noninfectious diseases and periodontal diseases, and the negative effects of harmful oral microbes on systemic health have been published in the recent past. A lot of attention is being paid towards fostering a healthy oral microbial ecosystem. This study aimed to understand the roles and effects of the microbiome inside the human body can potentially help cure various diseases including inflammatory bowel diseases with no known cure such as Crohn's disease, atopic dermatitis, obesity, cancer, diabetes, brain diseases and oral diseases. The present study examined technological trends in the correlation between the human microbiome and diseases in the human body, interactions between the human body's immunity, the metabolic system, and the microbiome, and research trends in other countries. While it has been proven that human microbiome is closely correlated with human diseases, most studies are still in the early stage of trying to compare the composition of microbiomes between health and patient groups. Since the oral environment is a dynamic environment that changes due to not only food intake but also other external factors such as lifestyle, hygiene, and drug intake, it is necessary to continue in-depth research on the microbiome composition characteristics to understand the complex functions of oral microorganisms. Analyzing the oral microbiome using computational technology may aid in disease diagnosis and prevention.