• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.38-53
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Abdominal obesity is associated with metabolic disorders, and, in recent years, its prevalence in Korea has continuously increased. The change of lifestyle, particularly diet, is critical for the reduction of abdominal obesity. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention focused on dietary self-efficacy and behaviors on the improvement of abdominal obesity. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Abdominally obese adults with additional cardiovascular risk factors were recruited through 16 medical facilities in South Korea from the year 2013 to 2014. The participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: an intensive intervention group (IG) that received a multi-component intervention to reduce abdominal obesity, by mainly focusing on dietary attitude and dietary behavior change, and a minimal information intervention group (MG) that received a brief explanation of health status and a simple recommendation for a lifestyle change. The interventions were provided for 6 mon, and health examinations were conducted at baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-mon follow-ups. A path analysis was conducted to identify the process governing the changes in abdominal obesity. RESULTS: The IG showed an improvement in self-efficacy for eating control and diet quality at 6-mon follow-up. Abdominal obesity improved in both groups. Waist circumference was observed to be decreased through the path of "improved self-efficacy for eating control in food availability-eating restriction-improved dietary quality" in IG. Most changes in follow-ups were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The intensive program targeting the modification of dietary behavior influenced management of abdominal obesity, and the effect occurred through a step-by-step process of change in attitude and behavior. Generally, improvements were also seen in the MG, which supports the necessity of regular health check-ups and brief consultation. The results can be used for further development and implementation of more successful interventions.

• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1056-1064
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• 2015

This study was designed to provide the basic data of an effective nutrition education for desirable lifestyle and dietary habits to improve the nutritional status for the elderly by investigating health-related lifestyle, dietary habits, nutritional knowledge, and food intake of the elderly. The subjects included 58 elderly men and 146 elderly women. 35.8% had no more than an elementary school education. Most subjects (54.4%) were widows/widowers. Most subjects (71.0%) made over 150,000 won. 52.5% of subjects lived in houses. Smoking, drinking, exercise, the average sleeping time were significantly difference between the gender (p<0.05). In terms of dietary habits, our results showed that 80.9% of respondent eat regularly meals, including breakfast (83.5%). Both sexes prefer soft and salty food. Women enjoys more spicy and salty food compared with men and then shows meaningful difference (p<0.05). Their favorite meals are soup, stew, salad and boiled vegetables. Compared to women, men have a higher rate of correct answers about questions related to nutrition knowledge as showing significantly difference (p<0.05). In a study of dietary habits, they take in carbohydrates with the highest percentage and following by vegetables and fruits. The amount of meat, first and egg they eat is more than the previously. Eating meat is higher men as showing significant difference (p<0.05). In summary, nutritional status for the elderly shows healthy lifestyle and diet about half of those and most them try to live healthy life in future. It is hope that the elderly may need to learn proper nutrition knowledge for healthy lifestyle and nutrition education and counseling for building up healthy lifestyle and desirable dietary habits. Furthermore, it is necessary to start work to establish a baseline nutritious evaluation for the elderly and at a time to study the development of standard eating tool proven reliability and validity, consequently to provide a basic framework for the evaluation of nutritional status.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to verify the influence of health point system on the lifestyle among the patients with chronic diseases listed in iCDMS, a project of the Incheon Metropolitan Center for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention. Methods: The data were collected 1,000 persons among the patients listed in iCDMS from March 16, 2009 to December 21, 2010 by telephone survey. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$-test, odds ratio and logistic regression with the SPSS 18.0 program. Results: The higher the percentage of the accumulation of the points of necessary medical examinations they have, the better the lifestyle the participants practice moderation in drinking, exercise, and diet (p<.05). Also the higher the percentage e accumulative points of education and visit, the stronger the intention to improve the lifestyle such as for example, receiving the guidance of no smoking, giving up drinking, or being conscious of nutrition and obesity (p<.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that the motivation through an incentive system can increase self-care make an effect on the care of patients with chronic diseases.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.208-217
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• 2022

Purpose: This study investigated childhood cancer survivors' behavior related to a healthy lifestyle during their survival period by comparing reports between childhood cancer survivors and their parents. Methods: In this comparative descriptive study, a survey was conducted with a 33-item questionnaire and one open-ended question about areas for improvement. The participants comprised 69 childhood cancer survivors and 69 of their parents, for a total of 138. Results: The total mean healthy lifestyle score, on a 4-point Likert scale, reported by childhood cancer survivors was 2.97, while that reported by their parents was 3.03. No significant differences in children's healthy lifestyles were found between childhood cancer survivors' and their parents' reports (t=0.86, p=.390). For the open-ended question, the main keywords based on the results of degree and eigenvector centrality were "exercise", "unbalanced diet", and "food". These keywords were present in both the children's and parents' responses. Conclusion: Obtaining information on childhood cancer survivors' healthy lifestyles based on reports from themselves and their parents provides meaningful insights into the improvement of health care management. The results of this study may be used to develop and plan healthy lifestyle standards to meet childhood cancer survivors' needs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3293-3298
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• 2013

Background: The study investigated the influence of culturally-based health beliefs on engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviour. Specifically, the study compared levels of engagement between Western and Chinese youth in Australia and assessed the extent to which culture-specific attributions about the causes of illness, and health beliefs, predict engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviour. Materials and Methods: Ninety-four Western and 95 Chinese (N=189; Mean Age=20.8 years, SD=3 years) young adults completed an online questionnaire. Predictor variables were cultural health beliefs measured by the Chinese Cultural Views on Health and Illness scale (CCVH, Liang et al., 2008), and illness attributions beliefs measured by the Cause of Illness Questionnaire (CIQ, Armstrong and Swartzman, 1999). Outcomes variables were levels of engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviour. Results: Results indicated that Chinese participants have a significantly lower exercising rate and healthy dietary habits compared to the Western sample. Moreover, Chinese participants were found to believe more strongly than Westerners that cancer was associated with factors measured by the Traditional-Chinese-Model (TCM). Finally, the observed relationship between cultural health beliefs and physical inactivity was mediated by attributions of illness, in particular to the supernatural subscale, with the Sobel Test showing a significant mediation (z=-2.63, p=0.004). Conclusions: Mainstream approaches to encourage healthy lifestyles are unlikely to be effective when educating Chinese youth. Instead, health promotion programs should attempt to address the illness attribution beliefs and educate Chinese youth about the role of diet and exercise in prevention of diseases such as cancer.

• 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.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.459-471
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• 2010

The main behavioural and environmental risk factors for cancer mortality in the world are related to diet and physical inactivity, use of addictive substances, sexual and reproductive health, exposure to air pollution and use of contaminated needles. The population attributable fraction for all cancer sites worldwide considering the joint effect of these factors is about 35% (34 % for low- and middle-income countries and 37% for high-income countries). Seventy-one percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by tobacco use (lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally). The combined effects of tobacco use, low fruit and vegetable intake, urban air pollution, and indoor smoke from household use of solid fuels cause 76% of lung cancer deaths. Exposure to these behavioural and environmental factors is preventable; modifications in lifestyle could have a large impact in reducing the cancer burden worldwide. The evidence of association between lifestyle factors and cancer, as well as the main international recommendations for prevention are briefly reviewed and commented upon here.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.357-364
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• 2011

Selenium is an antioxidant trace element linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Although diet is a major source, relatively little else is known about independent determinants of selenium levels in free-living humans. In this study, we aimed to investigate the independent demographic. lifestyle, and dietary determinants of selenium levels in 1,997 men and 1,905 women in two large prospective U.S. cohorts. Toenail selenium levels were quantified using neutron activation analysis. Diet, geographic residence, demographic, and environmental factors were assessed by validated self-administered questionnaires. Multivariate generalized linear models were conducted to assess the independent relations of these factors with toenail selenium levels, correcting for measurement error in the diet. In multi variable-adjusted analyses, independent predictors of higher selenium were male gender (6.3% higher levels); living in West and Northern-Midwest U.S. regions (8.9% and 7.4% higher than Southern-Midwest regions, respectively); consumption of beef and bread products (between 0.7 - 2.5% higher per daily serving); and selenium supplement use (6.9% higher than non-users); whereas cigarette smoking (5-10% lower than never smokers), older age (0.6% lower per 5 years), and consumption of eggs, white rice, dairy products, coffee, and alcohol (between 0.1 to 2.0% lower per daily serving) were associated with lower selenium. Multiple dietary and non-dietary factors independently predicted selenium levels, suggesting that both consumption and non-dietary processes (e.g.. related to oxidant status) may affect levels. Significant geographic variation in selenium levels exists in the US.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2007-2017
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• 2016

Background: Modifying lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can reduce the risk of cancer. Psychological stress (PS) might be indirectly associated with cancer because it alters lifestyle factors. However, the relationship among these variables has not been fully investigated. Thus, we examined interactions between self-reported PS (SRPS) and habitual exercise on diet. Materials and Methods: In all, 5,587 men and 2,718 women were divided into "exerciser" and :non-exerciser" groips, based on whether they exercised reguarly, and classified into three SRPS levels: low, moderate and high. Diet was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Using a general linear model, food and nutrient consumption was estimated for each SRPS level in the 2 exercise groups, and the interactions between SRPS levels and exercise were calculated. Results: In women, the intake of pork and beef, low fat milk and yogurt, natto (fermented soybean), carrots and squash, other root vegetables, mushrooms, seaweeds, and wine along with the nutrients vegetable protein, soluble, insoluble and total dietary fiber, daidzein, genistein, carotene, retinol equivalents, vitamin B2, pantothenic acid, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron demonstrated significant interaction with SRPS and habitual exercise (p for interaction <0.05). In men, raw and green leafy vegetable and fruit and vegetable juice significantly interacted with SRPS and habitual exercise (p for interaction <0.05). Conclusions: We suggest that certain foods and nutrients, which are thought to have a protective effect against cancer, interact with SRPS and habitual exercise, especially in women. This information is valuable for understanding and improving interventions for cancer prevention.