• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.10
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• pp.1082-1089
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• 2005

Purpose : Abdominal obesity is encountered as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, the anthropometric cut-off value to estimate the cardiovascular risk, has not been suggested. This study was designed to find the relationship between the abdominal fat and various parameters of obesity to find the cardiovascular risk factors related to abdominal obesity and to establish practical methods to measure them. Methods : Twenty seven obese Korean adolescents of moderate to severe degree and 22 healthy adolescents were enrolled. The body mass index(BMI), arm circumference and skinfold thickness were measured. Furthermore, blood lipid, sugar, insulin and four different cytokines' levels were checked and the distribution of body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat thickness by abdominal ultrasonography(US) and the total and intra-abdominal fat area by abdominal computerized tomography(CT) were measured in the obese group. Results : The most accurate method to measure abdominal fat in children is abdominal CT and the fat mass measured by bioelectrical impedance was strongly correlated with it(r=0.954). It was also correlated with arm circumference, fat thickness measured by abdominal US, BMI, aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and triglyceride level. Conclusion : Abdominal CT is the most accurate method to measure intra-abdominal fat, and it can be replaced by abdominal US for cost effectiveness. The screening methods that can be used at school or in outpatient basis include bioelectrical impedance, waist/hip ratio, and arm circumference. The cardiovascular risk factors include leptin, triglyceride and insulin level.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.125-141
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• 1998

The purpose of this research is to analyze the effects of aerobic exercise on body composition, cardiopulmonary function, serum lipid level and antioxidants of obese and normal college female students. The subject group was made up of 13 normal students (below 30% body fat ratio) and 12 obese students (above 30% body fat ratio). After a pretest, the subjects were given an 8-week aerobic program. Then the subjects were given a posttest and analyzed of body composition, serum lipid level, antioxidants and cardiopulmonary function after the 6th and the 8th week of the program. The program schedule was made up of 4 days per week, 60 minutes per day. Test includes B.W., subscapular and triceps subcutaneous fat thickness, change of respiratory gas, and two blood sampling before treadmill exercise and post all out state, which analyzed serum lipid and antioxidants. The subjects performed treadmill exercise starting with 4km/hr of walking and then gradually increase the speed of 1km/hr per minute until all out state. The obtained data were analyzed using SAS program. The statistical methods employed here were one-way ANOVA with repeated measure, Duncan Multiple range test, paired-t test and t-test. The test results and conclusion of this research were as follows. 1. The effects of aerobic exercise on body composition were as follows ; Percent body fat was significantly reduced 6 weeks after the program and lean body mass was significantly increased 8 weeks after the program in both groups(obese group: F=3.44 P=.044, normal group: F=3.30 P=.048). subscapular skinfold of the obese group showed a remarkable decrease after the 6th week(F=4.33 P=.021) triceps skinfold of the normal group showed a remarkable decrease after the 6th and the 8th week(F=4.55 P=.017) compared with readings before the aerobic program, the aerobic program made a bigger difference concerning body fat, lean body mass, subscapular skinfold in the obese group than in the normal group(t=2.41 P=.024, t=2.40 p=.025, t=2.43 p=.028). 2. The effects of aerobic exercise on cardiopulmonary function were as follows ; Maximal $O_2$ uptake/kg was significantly increased 6 weeks after the program in the obese group(F=3.20 P=.054), but not much difference was observed in the normal group. Maximal pulse rate was significantly reduced in both groups after 6 weeks of the program(obese group: F=2.77 P=.087, normal group: F=7.17 P=.001). 3. The effects of aerobic exercise on serum lipid level were as follows ; In a resting period, total cholesterol, Triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol were slightly higher in the obese group than in the normal group, but HDL-cholesterol was higher in the normal group. But, with the aerobic program, total-cholesterol, Triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol were reduced gradually and HDL-choleterol got increased in both groups, but not much change was noticed in the normal group. However, in the obese group, serum HDL-cholesterol level got increased significantly(F=5.12 P=.012). 4. The effects of aerobic exercise in serum antioxidants were as follows ; In a resting period, the obese group's serum Free Radical and GSSG content were higher than the normal group's and the normal group's serum GSH content was higher than the obese group's. After 6 weeks of the aerobic program, Free Radical was reduced significantly in both groups(obese group: F=13.87 P=.000, normal group: F=18.60 P=.000) In the obese group, 8 weeks after the program, GSH was increased significantly(F=13.78, P=.000). In the normal group, 6 weeks after the program, GSH was reduced but increased again after 8 weeks(F=6.07 P=.005). Plasma GSSG was significantly increased after 8 weeks of exercise in both groups(obese group: F=19.75 P=.000, normal group: F=22.42 P=.000,) Compared with readings before the aerobic program, the aerobic program made a bigger difference serum GSH in the normal group than in the obese group(t=3.37 p=.003). As this result shows, it is known that the regular aerobic exercise improves cardiopulmonary function, body composition, serum lipid effectively and through the serum Free Radical reduction and antioxidant system activation, oxidant stress was suppressed. This effect was higher in the obese group than in the normal one. At least 6weeks exercise period need for improvement of body composition, cardiopulmonary function and activation of antioxidant system. This result suggest that improvement of serum lipid profile was needed longer than 8weeks exercise period.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.642-655
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• 2022

Purpose: We examined the effects of the 8-week moderate-intensity Pilates exercise program on body composition, balance ability, metabolic parameters, arterial condition, and eating habits among overweight and obese women. Methods: From the general sample of overweight or obese Korean women (body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m² ), those who had not been diagnosed with any chronic degenerative diseases were enrolled in the study (n = 39). After 8 weeks of the Pilates exercise program, the participants were subdivided into adherence and non-adherence groups. Among the study participants, 24 women were matched for age and menopausal status to reduce the bias, and then finally included for the comparison (Pilates-adherence, n = 12; Pilates-non-adherence, n = 12). Results: The body balance measured by the Y-balance test, body mass index, and subcutaneous fat areas were significantly improved in both groups. However, the Pilate-sadherence group showed more positive changes in body balance and had significant improvement in body composition parameters such as waist size, visceral fat area, systolic blood pressure, arterial aging index, fasting blood glucose, and glycated hemoglobin than the Pilates-non-adherence group. In addition, the nutrition quotient for Korean adults (balance, moderation, and behavior except diversity) were significantly improved in both groups after dietary education. However, the participants did not show dramatic improvement in the metabolic parameters, because all the study subjects were in relatively good health and did not have any diagnosed diseases. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that higher adherence to the Pilates exercise program together with a modification of eating habits may effectively improve body balance, body composition, and obesity-related parameters among overweight and obese women.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.249-258
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• 2008

Purpose : Abdominal obesity with visceral fat accumulation have been known to be intimately associated with the development of metabolic syndrome. Therefore, it is important to estimate the precise amount of visceral fat. Ultrasonography has been reported that it is a simple and noninvasive method for visceral fat evaluation. Purpose of this study is to evaluate the association of ultrasonographic visceral fat thickness, anthropometric indexes, and risk factor of metabolic syndrome, and to investigate the cut-off value of abdominal visceral fat thickness leading to increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Materials and methods : The subject included 200 men and 200 women who visited D healthcare center in Daejeon from January to April 2008. The subcutaneous fat thickness and visceral fat thickness were measured by ultrasonograph. As anthropometric index, we measured body mass index, waist circumference and waist/height ratio. As for the risk factor of metabolic syndrome, we measured blood pressure, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride and fasting serum glucose. Results : VFT was significantly correlated with waist circumference, (r=0.683/M, r=0.604/F), waist to height ratio (r=0.633/M, r=0.593/F) and BMI (r=0.621/M, r=0.534/F) in both men and women. In addition it was significantly correlated with Systolic blood pressure (r=0.229/M, r=0.232/F), Diastolic blood pressure ((r=0.285/M, r=0.254/F), high density cholesterol (r=-0.254/M, r=-0.254/F), Triglyceride (r=0.475/M, r=0.411/F), and Fasting blood sugar (r=0.158/M, r=0.234/F) in both men and women. The cut-off value of visceral fat thickness leading to the increased risk of metabolic syndrome was 4.58cm (sensitivity89.2%, specificity 71.2%) in men and 3.50cm (sensitivity61.2% specificity 80.8%) in women respectively. The odds ratio of the risk of metabolic syndrome was dramatically increased with the abdominal visceral fat thickness level over 6cm in men and 5cm in women. Conclusion : The visceral fat thickness using ultrasonography was significantly correlated with anthropometric indexes and risk factors of metabolic syndrome in both men and women. The cut-off value of visceral fat thickness leading to the increased risk of metabolic syndrome was 4.58cm in men and 3.50cm in women.