• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2011

Objectives : This study compared covert narcissistic propensity in adolescents with internet addiction tendency to normal adolescents. Further, we investigated the correlation between such propensities and anonymity in cyberspace, presence feeling and interactivity in internet gaming, and achievement motivation in adolescents with internet addiction tendencies. Methods : Male middle school students with internet addiction tendencies (Addiction Tendency Group, N=27) and normal students (Control Group, N=29) were recruited. The scale of internet use, Covert Narcissism Scale, scale of achievement motivation, scale of anonymity in cyberspace, scale of presence feeling in internet games, and the scale of interactivity in internet games were administered. A comparison of the average scores and correlation analyses were performed. Results : 1) Compared with Control Group, the Addiction Tendency Group showed significantly higher scores on all subscales of the Covert Narcissism Scale, and both the scale of presence feeling and that of interactivity in internet games. Further, the score on the scale of achievement motivation for the Addiction Tendency Group was significantly lower than that of the Control Group. 2) In the Addiction Tendency Group, the scores on several subscales of the Covert Narcissism Scale were significantly positively correlated with the scores on the scale of presence feeling in internet games, anonymity in cyberspace, and interactivity in internet games. However, in the Control Group, the scores of several subscales on the Covert Narcissism Scale were significantly negatively correlated with the score on the scale of achievement motivation, and was significantly positively correlated with the score on the scale of interactivity in internet games. There were no other significant correlations between the scores on the subscales of the Covert Narcissism Scale and the scores of either presence feeling in internet games or anonymity in cyberspace. Conclusion : These results suggested that adolescents with a tendency to be addicted to the internet exhibited higher covert narcissistic propensities than normal adolescents and that the covert narcissistic tendencies were related with presence feeling in cyber games as well as with anonymity in cyberspace.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.231-238
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• 2016

Purpose: Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) is a 65-kDa acute phase protein, derived from the liver, which is present in high concentrations in plasma. Data regarding the association between circulating plasma LBP levels and obesity-related biomarkers in the pediatric population are scarce. We aimed to determine whether there was a difference in plasma LBP levels between overweight/obese and normal-weight adolescents and to assess the correlation of circulating LBP levels with anthropometric measures and obesity-related biomarkers, including insulin resistance, liver enzyme levels, and lipid profiles. Methods: The study included 87 adolescents aged 12-13 years; 44 were overweight/obese and 43 were of normal-weight. We assessed anthropometric and laboratory measures, including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, insulin resistance, liver enzyme levels, and lipid profiles. Plasma LBP levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean age of the participants was $12.9{\pm}0.3$ years. Circulating plasma LBP levels were significantly increased in overweight/obese participants compared with those in normal-weight participants ($7.8{\pm}1.9{\mu}g/mL$ vs. $6.0{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/mL$, P<0.001). LBP levels were significantly and positively associated with BMI, systolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, fasting glucose and insulin, and insulin resistance as indicated by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (all P<0.05). In multivariate linear regression analysis, BMI and HOMA-IR were independently and positively associated with plasma LBP levels. Conclusion: LBP is an inflammatory biomarker associated with BMI and obesity-related insulin resistance in adolescents. The positive correlation between these parameters suggests a potentially relevant pathophysiological mechanism linking LBP to obesity-related insulin resistance in adolescents.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.111-125
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• 2018

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify differential impacts on smoking and drinking behaviors according to early menarche. Methods: 31,277 Korean female adolescents who had undergone menarche were included. Among them, 1,822 participants(5.8%) who experienced menarche in elementary school under 4th grade were assigned to early menarche group and others were was assigned normal menarche group. Using 11th(2015) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: Adjusted confounding variables were analyzed and it was found that both drinking and smoking behaviors were higher in early menarche group. The participants with early menarche showed higher risk of non-daily smoking(OR=1.39, 95%CI=1.18-1.63), light daily smoking(OR=1.64, 95%CI=1.14-2.35) and moderate-to-heavy daily smoking(OR=3.15, 95%CI=2.02-4.92). Also, in the drinking behaviors, the risk of light and heavy drinking was higher than those of normal menarche group. Conclusions: Finding of this study showed Early menarche adolescents were associated with heavy smoking and drinking behaviors compared to normal menarche. Further studies are needed more evaluations.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.11
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• pp.582-587
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• 2021

Background: Syncope is a common problem in children and adolescents. However, a large proportion of syncope cases have no underlying cause. Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the severity of syncope using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Methods: This retrospective study included 61 children and adolescents with syncope who underwent echocardiography. The head-up-tilt test (HUT) was performed when there was a more severe syncopal event. We compared the echocardiographic findings between the execute HUT and nonexecute HUT, negative HUT result and positive HUT result, and normal electrocardiogram (ECG) and abnormal ECG groups. Data were analyzed using an unpaired t test post hoc analysis. Results: In the execute and nonexecute HUT groups, the odds ratios were 0.55 for medial E/E' (P=0.040) and 0.64 for lateral E/E' (P=0.049). Comparison of the results of the decreased, normal, and increased groups for lateral E/E' revealed a significant difference in the execution HUT and nonexecute HUT groups (overall, P=0.004; decreased vs. increased, P=0.003; normal vs. increased, P=0.050). Conclusion: Medial E/E' and lateral E/E' were decreased in patients with severe syncopal events. These findings suggest that the presence of left ventricular diastolic deterioration may cause hypoperfusion even in the absence of organic causes and, consequently, increase syncope severity and frequency. The TDI measured by echocardiography can be used as an index to predict syncope recurrence and/or severity.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Purpose: Several morphometric studies have been performed to investigate brain abnormalities in congenitally deaf people. But no report exists concerning structural brain abnormalities in congenitally deaf adolescents. We evaluated the regional volume changes in gray matter (GM) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in congenitally deaf adolescents. Materials and Methods: A VBM8 methodology was applied to the T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of eight congenitally deaf adolescents (mean age, 15.6 years) and nine adolescents with normal hearing. All MRI scans were normalized to a template and then segmented, modulated, and smoothed. Smoothed GM data were tested statistically using analysis of covariance (controlled for age, gender, and intracranial cavity volume). Results: The mean values of age, gender, total volumes of GM, and total intracranial volume did not differ between the two groups. In the auditory centers, the left anterior Heschl's gyrus and both inferior colliculi showed decreased regional GM volume in the congenitally deaf adolescents. The GM volumes of the lingual gyri, nuclei accumbens, and left posterior thalamic reticular nucleus in the midbrain were also decreased. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that early deprivation of auditory stimulation in congenitally deaf adolescents might have caused significant underdevelopment of the auditory cortex (left Heschl's gyrus), subcortical auditory structures (inferior colliculi), auditory gain controllers (nucleus accumbens and thalamic reticular nucleus), and multisensory integration areas (inferior colliculi and lingual gyri). These defects might be related to the absence of general auditory perception, the auditory gating system of thalamocortical transmission, and failure in the maturation of the auditory-to-limbic connection and the auditorysomatosensory-visual interconnection.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS), metabolic abnormalities, and nutrient intakes in Korea children and adolescents using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2008. Methods: A sample of 838 children and adolescent males (n=442) and females (n=396) aged 10-18 was used from the 2008 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination survey. The diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome subjects was adapted from modified National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III by Ford. To compare nutrient intakes, we used a judgment sampling. The first group was composed of all children and adolescents (n=46) with MS. The second one along with the first group had children and adolescents with the same age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) but without MS (n=46). The control group like the first two had children and adolescents with same sex and same age but with normal BMI and without MS (n=46). Results: In this randomized controlled controlled trial, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 5.8%. The risk factors was associated with the MS were abdominal obesity 9.4%, hypertriglyceridemia 25.0%, low HDL-cholesterol 10.3%, hypertension 23.4%, and hyperglycemia 7.1%. Among metabolic abnormalities, blood pressure was significantly affected by sex, age and obesity. On the other hand, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and waist circumference were directly linked to obesity. There were no significant differences in nutrient intakes among the three groups. Conclusions: The prevalence of MS was higher in children (10-11 years old) than in adolescents (12-18 years old). There was a difference in hypertension among risk factors by gender, and there were no significant differences in nutrient intakes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.240-250
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the risk of being underweight between multicultural and Korean-origin adolescents. Methods: This study used the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey data of 2016. A total of 46,457 underweight and normal-weight adolescents were included. General characteristics, health status and health behavior variables, and weight related variables were included. Weighted percentage and means were used to describe the sample. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were conducted using SAS 9.2. Results: From the simple and multiple logistic regression, multicultural adolescents showed a higher risk of being underweight (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.20~2.20; AOR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.01~2.27) than Korean-origin adolescents. Among the covariates, being female (AOR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.72~2.10), being older (AOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.15~1.22), having poor self-health perception (AOR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.24~1.82), having longer hours of sleep (AOR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.09~1.16), having fewer days of exercise (AOR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.91~0.96), and doing vigorous exercise less (AOR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.68~0.89) showed a higher risk of being underweight. Self-rated health and effort to control weight were also significantly related to being underweight. Conclusion: Since multicultural adolescents are vulnerable to being underweight, it is necessary to develop intervention programs to reduce the number of underweight multicultural adolescents.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.406-417
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• 2022

Purpose: The incidence of chronic diseases is increasing and the age of onset is decreasing in South Korea. Healthy eating habits to prevent chronic diseases are established in adolescence. This study verified the identified factors and dynamics that affect diet self-assessment for sustainable adolescent health and the prevention of chronic diseases. Methods: Data were collected from 492 middle and high school students in South Korea from June to July 2018, and the participants answered a questionnaire on dietary safety management competency for sustainable health. Results: The healthy dietary self-assessment scores of overweight/obese adolescents and adolescents who perceived their health as normal were significantly lower than those of other groups. Factor analysis verified the validity of the items that comprised each study area before a multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the factors affecting healthy dietary self-assessment. Sweet and salty diets, anxiety, food and nutrition knowledge, weight management knowledge, stress management, exercise, basic eating habits, and healthy eating habits significantly affected healthy dietary assessment among adolescents. A higher perception of one's health indicated a higher healthy dietary self-assessment, dietary safety knowledge, and health management practice scores (p < 0.01). Factors like healthy dietary self-assessment, food and nutrition knowledge, and weight management knowledge appear to have a significant correlation with other identified factors, except overeating. The adolescents' awareness, knowledge, and dietary safety practices influenced healthy dietary self-assessment, which can prevent chronic diseases and achieve sustainable health. Conclusion: This study illustrated how the adolescents' awareness, knowledge, and practices of dietary safety influenced their healthy diet self-assessment. The results indicate that diet-based health management competency education relative to the adolescents' self-perception and weight levels should be implemented.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.277-285
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• 1996

Somatoform disorders do occur among children and adolescents. Among the seven disorders under the grouping of somatoform disorders of DSM-IV, three disorders, namely somatization disorder, pain disorder and conversion disorder are seen relatively more often than one can expect in childhood and adolescence. Pain disorders are more prevalent among children before adolescence, whereas conversion disorder and somatoform disorder are seen more often during adolescence and early adulthood. Diagnoses of somatofram disorders should not be made by the process of exclusion, but based on positive findings that positive evidence that normal functioning is possible and that a positive history of psychosocial stress and or intrapsychic conflict exists. Treatment strategy should be mindful of including collaboration with primary care health professionals and family therapy staff in addition to all the basic treatment modalities essential for the treatment of children and adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2017

Objectives: We examined the relationships between the body mass index, body weight perception, and depressed mood in a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents. Methods: We analyzed the data from the 2013 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey and evaluated the relationships between the body mass index, body weight perception, and depressed mood by gender (36655 boys and 35780 girls). Results: For boys, a low body mass index and perceiving oneself as underweight were related to depressed mood. For girls, both low and high body mass indices were negatively related to depressed mood. In addition, self-perceptions of being underweight or overweight were positively related to depressed mood. Body weight perception was not a significant mediator in the relationship between body mass index and depressed mood. Conclusion: These results suggest that both body mass index and body weight perception significantly contribute to Korean adolescents' depressed mood. Thus, research and clinical attention needs to be given to underweight as well as overweight adolescents, because those who perceive their weight as not normal are at risk for depression.