• Clinical Nutrition Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.199-217
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• 2023

People with higher genetic predisposition to obesity are more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and healthy plant-based foods may be associated with reduced risks of obesity and other metabolic markers. We investigated whether healthy plant-foods-rich dietary patterns might have inverse associations with cardiometabolic risk factors in participants at genetically elevated risk of obesity. For this cross-sectional study, 377 obese and overweight women were chosen from health centers in Tehran, Iran. We calculated a healthy plant-based diet index (h-PDI) in which healthy plant foods received positive scores, and unhealthy plant and animal foods received reversed scores. A genetic risk score (GRS) was developed based on 3 polymorphisms. The interaction between GRS and h-PDI on cardiometabolic traits was analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM). We found significant interactions between GRS and h-PDI on body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.02), body fat mass (p = 0.04), and waist circumference (p = 0.056). There were significant gene-diet interactions for healthful plant-derived diets and BMI-GRS on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.03), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.04), alanine transaminase (p = 0.05), insulin (p = 0.04), and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (p = 0.002). Adherence to h-PDI was more strongly related to decreased levels of the aforementioned markers among participants in the second or top tertile of GRS than those with low GRS. These results highlight that following a plant-based dietary pattern considering genetics appears to be a protective factor against the risks of cardiometabolic abnormalities.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.640-650
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• 2020

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an atypical member of the FGF protein family which is highly synthesized in the liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue. Depending on the expression tissue, FGF21 uses endo- or paracrine features to regulate several metabolic pathways including glucose metabolism and energy homeostasis. Different physiologically stressful conditions such as starvation, a ketogenic diet, extreme cold, and mitochondrial dysfunction are known to induce FGF21 synthesis in various tissues to exert either adaptive or defensive mechanisms. More specifically, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha control FGF21 expression in adipose tissue and liver, respectively. In addition, the pharmacologic administration of FGF21 has been reported to decrease the body weight and improve the insulin sensitivity and lipoprotein profiles of obese mice and type 2 diabetes patients meaning that FGF21 has attracted huge interest as a therapeutic agent for type 2 diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, understanding FGF21 remains complicated due to the paradoxical condition of its tissue-dependent expression. For example, nutrient deprivation largely increases hepatic FGF21 levels whereas adipose tissue-derived FGF21 is increased under feeding condition. This review discusses the issues of interest that have arisen from existing publications, including the tissue-specific function of FGF21 and its action mechanism. We also summarize the current stage of a clinical trial using several FGF21 analogs.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.193-204
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• 1998

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in Korea. Their risk factors can be classified as either modifiable or nonmodifiable and among modifiable factors are high bood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol, obesity and cigarette smoking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for the cardiovascular diseases in a rural community and to get basic data for the development of a community-based rick reduction intervention program. Evaluation involved population-based, cross-sectional samples of adult residents in a rurual community. We measured blood pressure, body fat percent by bioelectric impedance fatness analyzer and serum cholesterol and interviewed adult residents over 20-year-old age. Blood pressure was checked twice and hypertension was classified by the sixth report of the Joint National Committee on Detection. Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. The Cutpoints for high blood cholesterol was used National Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines and those for obesity was 25% in male. 30% in female. The results were as follows: 1. Prevalence of definitive hypertension was 59.7% in males and 54.4% in female. 2. Prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 14.3% in male and 18.2% in female. 3. Prevalence of obese was 10.7% in male and 41.1% in female. 4. Among definitive hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity 52.1% possessed one risk factor, 12.6% two risk factors and 2.5% three risk factors in males. In females 41.4% possessed one risk factor and 27.6%. 5.7% respectively. 5. The smoking rate was 65.8% in males and 5.2% in females. Our results are used effectively for the community-based intervention towards cardiovascukr diseases risk reduction. However, because of limitations in our study design, further datas are needed including other risk factors and in-person clinical datas.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1701-1707
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• 2016

The present study investigated the anti-obesity effect of pine cone (PC, Pinus koraiensis) supercritical extract in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were treated with HFD, HFD+catechin, and HFD+PC [two different doses, 20 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) and 100 mg/kg b.w.] in each AIN93G supplement for 8 weeks. Treatment of HFD mice with both low and high doses of PC significantly reduced body weight gain compared to HFD mice. Liver weight of mice was reduced in both the low and high dose PC-supplemented groups (24.19% and 19.83%, respectively). Total adipose tissue weight of mice was reduced in both the low and high dose PC-supplemented groups (45.54% and 62.66%, respectively). Serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol were reduced in the low and high dose PC-supplemented groups, and ratios of HDL cholesterol to LDL cholesterol increased by 94.55% in the high dose PC-supplemented group. Serum leptin was significantly reduced in the low and high dose PC-supplemented groups (28.14% and 62.72%, respectively). These results were supported by genetic expression of protein and enzymes related to lipid metabolism assessed by real-time PCR. There was significant reduction of lipid regulatory transcription factors such as $PPAR-{\gamma}$, C/EBP, and SREBP and lipid enzymes such as fatty acid synthesis and lipoprotein lipase in the low and high dose PC-supplemented groups. However, there was no statistical difference between low and high dose PC treatments. These results suggest that pine cone supercritical extract supplementation is able to regulate serum lipid profiles by reducing total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL cholesterol levels, followed by regulation of expression of lipid metabolic factors, resulting in reduction of weight gain in HFD-induced obese mice.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.150-159
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• 2008

Purpose: To assess the relationship between lifestyle and metabolic syndrome in obese children and adolescents. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and laboratory results of 109 subjects (7~15 years of age) who visited our pediatric obesity clinic between January 2004 and December 2007. They completed the parent- and self-report questionnaire developed by the Committee on Nutrition of the Korean Pediatric Society to assess lifestyle. The metabolic syndrome was defined as having 3 or more of the following metabolic risk factors: obesity, hypertension, serum triglycerides ${\geq}$110 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol ${\leq}$40 mg/dL, fasting glucose ${\geq}$110 mg/dL, and insulin ${\geq}20{\mu}IU/mL$. Results: All subjects had at least 1 risk factor (obesity). Sixty-three percent of subjects had 2 or more risk factors, 32% of subjects had 3 or more risk factors, and 10% had 4 or more metabolic risk factors. Hypertriglyceridemia (36%), hypertension (32%), hyperinsulinemia (24%), and HDL-hypocholesterolemia (20%) were observed. Fasting blood glucose levels were normal in all subjects. Hypertension was significantly associated with an unbalanced diet and hyperinsulinemia was significantly associated with parental obesity (p<0.05). Those who ate after 8 PM were at a risk of hypertension (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0~6.1). Those who did not have a preference for exercise were at a risk of hyperinsulinemia (odds ratio, 10.4; 95% CI, 2~54.1). Those who watched TV for ${\geq}$3 hours/day were at a risk of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.2∼18.8). Conclusion: Lifestyle, such as eating late, no preference for exercise, and TV watching ${\geq}$3 hours/day, were related to metabolic syndrome in obese children and adolescents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2225-2229
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• 2013

Background: As data on the relation between obesity and lymph node ratio are missing in the literature, we here aimed to assess the impact of obesity on this parameter and other clinicopathological features of breast cancer cases and patient survival. Materials and Methods: Medical data of 646 patients, all referred to two centers in Tehran, Iran, were reviewed. Factors that showed significant association on univariate analysis were entered in a regression model. Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression were employed for survival analysis. Results: Obesity was correlated with the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptor (p=0.004 and p=0.039, respectively), metastasis to axillary lymph nodes (p=0.017), higher lymph node rate (p<0.001) and larger tumor size (p<0.001). The effect of obesity was stronger in premenopausal women. There was no association between obesity and expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor. Three factors showed independent association with BMI on multivariate analysis; tumor size, estrogen receptor and lymph node ratio. Obesity was predictive of shorter disease-free survival with a hazard ratio of 3.324 (95%CI: 1.225-9.017) after controlling for the above-mentioned variables. Conclusions: The findings of this study support the idea that obese women experience more advanced disease with higher axillary lymph node ratio, and therefore higher stage at the time of diagnosis. Furthermore, obesity was associated with poorer survival independent of lymph node rate.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.663-669
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• 2006

The dietary effects of soy fiber beni-koji(SBCA) containing chitosan-ascorbate on the body weight and serum lipids in obese rats induced by a high fat diet were investigated. The experimental plots(6 rats per each group) were divided into a normal group(NC), a high fat diet group(HF), a 1% SBCA diet group(SBCA1) and a 2% SBCA diet group(SBCA2), and fed for 6 weeks. Compared with the HF group, the mean body weight and the $R\'{o}hrer$ index of the SBCA1 and SBCA2 groups decreased by $3.4{\sim}7.4%$ and $8.1{\sim}13.9%$, respectively. In particular, the body lipids in the SBCA2 group decreased by 42.3%. The serum triglyceride content decreased by approximately $25.54{\sim}27.34%$ in the experimental diet groups. There was no significant difference in the serum total lipids between the HF and SBCA1 groups. On the other hand, the total lipids in SBCA2 group decreased by 19.12% compared with the HF group. In the SBCA2 group, the total serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol content decreased by 6.57% and 41.20% compared with the HF group, respectively, while the HDL-cholesterol increased by 10.0%. The risk factor index(RFI) in the SBCA2 group was decreased remarkably by 58.57%.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.499-508
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• 2010

Purpose: Cardiovascular risk factor modification is important for patients with coronary artery disease to prevent poor progression of the disease. Without an understanding and an awareness of risk factors, patients with coronary artery disease are not able to reduce their risk by the lifestyle modification. The aims of this study were to assess patient's awareness of risk factors and to identify predictors of awareness of risk factors. Methods: A descriptive correlational study using a cross-sectional survey method was performed. The sites of the study were three hospitals in Seoul, Korea. The sample consisted of 214 subjects. The awareness of risk factors and other subjects' characteristics were measured by a questionnaire developed for this study. Results: A range of subjects (gender: 72.0%; hyperlipidemia: 51.9%; hypertension: 40.7%; obese: 37.4%; age: 35.5%; smoking: 22.4%; diabetes: 19.2%; family history: 18.2%) were not able to accurately identify the risk factors. Among predictors, gender (${\beta}$=-.17) and diabetics (${\beta}$=-.25) had statistically significant influences on awareness of risk factors. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the lack of awareness of risk factors for coronary artery disease. The findings have important implications for nursing practice in terms of guiding educational strategies for the modification of risk factors for coronary heart disease.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.375-379
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• 2016

Increasing fat tissue of obese people, increases the rate of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndromes and dyslipidemia. An increase in the focal tissue of pancreas is a known risk factor of these diseases. Although there exists sufficient research on the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer, studies have been done on fatty pancreas. In this study, based on ultrasound imaging and using a texture characteristic of GLCM, fatty pancreas was divided into three categories: mild, moderate and severe. We compared and analyzed the three groups was by Pancreatic ultrasonography and body characteristics, serological tests, pressure and the degree of arteriosclerosis, against normal control group. The following parameters of control and test groups were measured: WC (waist circumference),BMI (body mass index), TC (total cholesterol), TG (triglyceride), HDL-C (High-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and LDL-C (Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), SBP (systolic blood pressure), BST (Blood Sugar Test) and aortic PWV (pulse wave velocity). We observed the values correspondingly increasing fat deposition. However, ABI (Ankle Brachial pressure index) stenosis and HDL-C levels decreased with increasing fat deposit (p <0.05); a drop in these parameters are known to be harmful to the human body. The difference in texture characteristics between normal control group and pancreatic fatty group (mild, moderate, and severe) was statistically confirmed. Ultrasound imaging of pancreatic steatosis categorized the disease as mild, moderate and severe based on the characteristic texture. In conclusion, we observed on increase in metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, and arteriosclerosis, proportional to the degree of pancreatic fat deposition. The escalation of these diseases was confirmed and was directly related with predictors of cardiovascular diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.428-438
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• 2014

Objectives: Obesity is an important cause of insulin resistance that leads to obese type 2 diabetes. Recently it has been found that obesity is associated with adipose tissue accumulation which causes systemic inflammation. In this study, we investigated effects of Inula helenium on the inflammation in high fat diet-induced insulin resistance mouse. Methods: Insulin resistance was induced in C57BL/6 male mice (19~21 g) on a 60% fat diet. Mice were divided into 3 groups (n=6) of normal, control and Inula helenium. After 12 weeks, body weight, FBS, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), serum level of insulin, epididymal fat pad, liver weight and the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, interleukin (IL)-10 and cluster of differentiation (CD) 68 were measured. Also, adipose tissue macrophage was analyzed by fluorescence activated cell sorting. Results: Inula helenium significantly reduces oral glucose tolerance levels, insulin serum level and adipose tissue macrophage. Also Inula helenium increased IL-10 gene expression and decreased CD68 gene expression. Conclusions: These results show that Inula helenium has anti-insulin resistance and anti-inflammatory effects on a high fat diet-induced insulin resistance mouse model.