• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.2
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• pp.102-110
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• 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major health burden worldwide, with over 600 million confirmed cases and 6 million deaths by 15 December 2022. Although the acute phase of COVID-19 management has been established, the long-term clinical course and complications due to the relatively short outbreak is yet to be assessed. The current COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant morbidity and mortality around the world. Interestingly, epidemiological studies have shown that fatality rates vary considerably across different countries, and men and elderly patients are at higher risk of developing severe diseases. There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 infection causes neurological deficits in a substantial proportion to patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome. Furthermore, lack of physical activity and smoking are associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) susceptibility. We should therefore explore why lack of physical activity, smoking, etc causing a population more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and mechanism involved. Thus, in this review article, we summarize epidemiological evidence related to risk factors and lifestyle that affect COVID-19 severity and the mechanism involved. These risk factors or lifestyle interventions include smoking, cardiovascular health, obesity, exercise, environmental pollution, psychosocial social stress, and diet.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.369-377
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• 2006

Data from the 2001 Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey, were analyzed to assess prevalence of health intended food use overall and in relation to socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Health intended food were classified into four broadly defined categories: vitamin and mineral supplements, health aid food, animal protein based restorative food and medicinal plants. Thirty three percent of adults aged 20 years or older reported taking health intended food in the past year : twenty four percent took vitamin or mineral supplements and medicinal plants were taken by 17 % of adults, health aid food by 15% and animal protein based restorative food by 6%. In multivariate logistic regression, female gender, older age, more education, regular exercise and non smoking were associated with greater use of vitamin or mineral supplements. Dietary quality was significantly associated with use of vitamin or mineral supplements or health aid food but not with use of medicinal plants or animal protein based restorative foods. Obese persons were less likely to take vitamin or mineral supplements. These findings suggest that epidemiologic studies of diet, demographic or lifestyle and health take health intended food use into account because of high prevalence of use of the food by the population and differential use of the food by socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate outbreak, treatment, and lifestyle in children with atopic dermatitis (AD) for developing a health promotion education program. Method: Data were collected from 2,920 children with AD in preschool and elementary schools in K city. Result: The majority of children (43.75%) were onset in less than 1 yr after the birth. The locations of skin lesion were face, extension of extremities, and flextion of extremities, neck and trunk. The types of treatment were complement therapies, and medical treatment such as pediatrics and dermatology. Their parents chose a type of treatment for their children. Of complement therapies, the most common type was aroma oil. Herbal medicine was the most eating type among complement therapies. In lifestyle, the preferred bathing method was shower. In applying moisturizer, the most common time was within 3 min after bath. The highest frequency of taking instant/processed diet was 1-2 times per week and the most preferred type was pork. Conclusion: A Health promotion educational program with AD in preschool and elementary school children should included a specificity of disease, the recent treatment guideline, life therapy and evidenced complement therapy by child and family unit for the promotion of their health.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5695-5699
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• 2012

We investigated the relationships between demographics, lifestyle characteristics, and serum total prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentration and examined the population-based distribution of total PSA by age among 2,246 Korean men with a median age of 45 years. We obtained data about demographic and lifestyle characteristics based on self-reporting using a quetionnaire. We also performed physical examinations, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical measurements. The PSA concentration increased with age and there was a significant difference in total PSA concentration between the age groups of 21-60 years and >60 years. Age >60 years, height ${\geq}1.8$ m, a low frequency of alcohol consumption, and taking nutritional supplements showed a significantly increased odds ratio for increased PSA when 3.0 ng/mL was chosen as the PSA cut-off level. Smoking status, BMI, percent body fat, diabetes mellitus, fatty liver, herbal medicine use, vitamin use, and diet were not significantly associated with total PSA regardless of the cut-off level. When interpreting a single PSA test, height, alcohol consumption, and nutritional supplement use should be considered, in addition to age.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was to determine diabetes fatalism of diabetic patients with and without diabetic foot and its association with lifestyle, diet, and self-care. Methods: The subjects were diabetic patients with (male/female 48/21) and without diabetic foot (male/female 33/26). We administered the questionnaires which were designed to determine diabetes fatalism, lifestyle, diet, and self-care. Diabetes fatalism was determined by Diabetes fatalism scale (DFS), which consisted of total 12 items in three subscales namely, emotional stress, religiou spiritual coping, and perceived self-efficacy. Results: The patients with diabetic foot had undesirable diets more frequently (1.37 and 0.91 days/week respectively) and their desirable diets (2.74 and 3.61 days/week respectively) and foot care (4.61 and 5.53 days/week respectively) were less frequent than those without diabetic foot (p < 0.05). An item analysis of the 12 DFS items revealed a Chronbach' ${\alpha}$ of 0.614 and 0.869, respectively in diabetic patients with and without diabetic foot. Perceived self-efficacy related DFS of subjects without diabetic foot was positively associated with smoking (r=0.350, p<0.01), undesirable diet (r=0.295, p<0.05), and drinking (r=0.257, p<0.05), while its negative association with exercise (r=-0.224, p<0.088) and foot care (r=-0.247, p<0.059) did not reach to statistical significance. Conclusions: This work was the first study reporting the potential usefulness of DFS, especially perceived self-efficacy related subscale as a predictor of lifestyle, diet and self-care on the Korean diabetic patients, at least those without severe diabetic foot to screen those who should be the first target for diabetes education.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2016

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most prevalent liver diseases associated with an altered lifestyle, besides genetic factors. The control and management of NAFLD mostly depend on lifestyle modifications, due to the lack of a specific therapeutic approach. In this context, we assessed the effect of carrot juice on the development of high fructose-induced hepatic steatosis. For this purpose, male weanling Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups, fed either a control (Con) or high fructose (HFr) diet of AIN93G composition, with or without carrot juice (CJ) for 8 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, plasma biochemical markers, such as triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase, and ${\beta}$-hydroxy butyrate levels were comparable among the 4 groups. Although, the liver injury marker, aspartate aminotransferase, levels in plasma showed a reduction, hepatic triglycerides levels were not significantly reduced by carrot juice ingestion in the HFr diet-fed rats (HFr-CJ). On the other hand, the key triglyceride synthesis pathway enzyme, hepatic stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), expression at mRNA level was augmented by carrot juice ingestion, while their protein levels showed a significant reduction, which corroborated with decreased monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), particularly palmitoleic (C16:1) and oleic (C18:1) acids. Notably, it also improved the long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6) content of the liver in HFr-CJ. In conclusion, carrot juice ingestion decreased the SCD1-mediated production of MUFA and improved DHA levels in liver, under high fructose diet-fed conditions. However, these changes did not significantly lower the hepatic triglyceride levels.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.33-45
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• 2012

Objectives: Many female college students today control their lifestyle not for the purpose to promote their health but to maintain slender figures. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the lifestyle of female college students from their own perspectives. Methods: Data was collected through interviews of 25 female students and was analyzed by using Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenology(1978). The phenomenon of interest was described, followed by collecting participants' descriptions of the phenomenon and extracting concepts from significant statements. These concepts were then organized into thematic clusters, followed by exhaustive descriptions into which data was applied to extract the final categories. Results: The results were deduced into 226 re-statements, 38 constructed meanings, 23 themes, 11 theme clusters, and 5 categories. The five categories include 'Increased interest in physical health,' 'Selective dietary patterns influenced by lifestyle,' 'Lifestyle formed by social adaptation,' 'Health complications caused by self-body images,' 'Engages in healthy dietary behavior'. Conclusion: This study described the experiences of female college students' lifestyles after completing a course in health promotion. These findings have important implications on health education for college students which should be considered in developing health education programs in preparation for adult years of life.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.135-143
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the factors associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: Patients with MS between 30 and 74 years of age were recruited in an outpatient clinic of a cardiovascular center in Seoul, South Korea. MS and the risk of OSA were evaluated by Berlin questionnaire survey, the medical records of the participants were reviewed and a comprehensive lifestyle survey was performed. SPSS WIN 21.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: BMI (OR: 1.31, CI: 1.14-1.51, p<.001) and lifestyle score (OR: 0.96, CI: 0.93-0.99, p=.028) were associated with the risk of OSA. Physical activity, weight control and diet were specifically associated with the risk of OSA after controlling for age, gender and BMI. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that lifestyle was an important factor associated with OSA risk in patients with MS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.602-612
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• 2016

The purposes of this study were to explore food-related lifestyle segments for commercialization of ready-to-eat Korean foods, to identify their demographic characteristics, and to evaluate perceptions and preferences related to Korean foods. The subjects consisted of 266 Koreans and 212 non-Koreans in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Daejeon, Korea including in Grapevine of the US. Koreans' scores for food-related lifestyle of taste seeking and convenience seeking were significantly higher than those of non-Koreans. Through cluster analysis, four segments for Koreans were identified: health-oriented group, diet-oriented group, rationality-oriented group, and price-sensitive group. The clusters for non-Koreans were classified into four segments: taste-oriented group, rationality-oriented group, diet-oriented group, and convenience-oriented group. Significant differences were detected among the four segments in terms of demographic characteristics. There were significant differences in perceptions and preferences related to Korean foods by food-related lifestyle segments of non-Koreans. Japchae, Bibimbap, and Naengmyeon were selected as the most likely to purchase ready-to-eat food items for Korean clusters, whereas Bulgoggi and Bibimbap were selected for non-Korean clusters. This study shows that food companies wanting to promote commercialization of Korean foods should consider characteristics of each segment of food-related lifestyle.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.288-299
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the weight fluctuations in college students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and identify lifestyle and dietary changes related to weight gain. Methods: An online survey was conducted on 270 college students from September 22 to October 26, 2021. A logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the relationship of weight gain with the general characteristics, lifestyle, and dietary changes of the students. Results: Among the respondents, 42.9% of men and 44.7% of women reported weight gain. The main reasons given for weight gain were reduced activities due to restrictions during lockdown and diet changes, mainly relating to delivered or fast foods. Among the general characteristics and lifestyle factors poor perceived health (odds ratio [OR], 3.97, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.98-7.96) and being underweight (OR, 0.19, 95% CI, 0.05-0.83) were significantly associated with weight gain. With respect to the diet, increased frequency of eating breakfasts (OR, 4.44, 95% CI, 1.76-11.21), decreased frequency of eating snacks (OR, 0.35, 95% CI, 0.16-0.77), decreased frequency of fruit intake (OR, 3.0, 95% CI, 1.32-6.80), increased frequency of carbonated and sweetened beverage intake (OR, 2.74, 95% CI, 1.26-5.99) and increased frequency of fast food consumption (OR, 2.32, 95% CI, 1.14-4.70) were significantly associated with weight gain. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic affected weight gain and caused lifestyle and dietary changes. Specific health and nutrition management plans should be prepared for handling future epidemics of infectious diseases based on the results of surveys conducted on larger sample size.