The growing aging population has led to an increased utilization of senior daycare centers. This study was conducted to design a program to enhance the health of older adults in senior daycare centers in Chuncheon City, South Korea. The study explored the health conditions and dietary patterns of older adults in senior daycare centers. Participants included staff and older adults from senior daycare centers in Chuncheon City. A mixed methods research design was used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative insights were obtained through in-depth interviews with 26 staff members and older adults, coupled with observations made at 10 senior daycare centers. The quantitative component comprised structured questionnaires and physical measurements of 204 older adults at these centers. Many of the older adults relied on the meals provided by the center due to their limited cooking abilities. Dental health issues and dysphagia were common. Interviews highlighted the budgetary constraints of the centers in providing wholesome meals and the need for government support to alleviate meal expenses and enhance quality. A structured survey of older adults showed that the average age was 83.3 yrs, with an average of 2 chronic conditions per participant. Frailty analysis of the participants revealed that 56.2% were prefrail and 32.0% were frail. Almost half of the participants (47.0%) used dentures. Based on these findings, a preventive intervention program was proposed, addressing the specific needs and challenges of older adults while promoting overall well-being and preventing frailty. Tailored health promotion strategies are crucial in senior daycare centers. Recommended interventions include staff nutrition education, improved dietary plans, and cost-effective strength training programs. These interventions aim to reduce frailty and enhance the quality of life of older adults in the community via interventions in daycare centers.

Over the past 10 yrs, the prevalence of diabetes in Korea has continued to incline, and the importance of lifestyle modification to manage diabetes has been highlighted. For patients with diabetes, carbohydrate intake reduction is effective in improving glycemic control; thus, we aimed to analyze the effect of carbohydrate intake ratio and suggest an appropriate carbohydrate intake ratio. Using the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019-2021), we analyzed the data including participants aged 30 yrs or older with diabetes, and they were stratified into good and poor glycemic control groups. To analyze the correlation between the dietary behavior characteristics of participants with diabetes and the carbohydrate intake ratio, sociodemographic characteristics, dietary behavior, and health behavior were adjusted, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to present the adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI). In the unadjusted crude model, when carbohydrate intake ratio in total energy intake increased by 1%, the likelihood of poor glycemic control increased by 1.007-fold (95% CI, 0.998-1.016; P = 0.121). In model 1, which uses age and sex as adjustment variables, an increase of up to 1.011-fold was possible (95% CI, 1.001-1.021; P = 0.008). In model 2, which added variables such as diabetes duration, frequency of fruit consumption, frequency of lunch and, frequency of dinner, the risk of poor glycemic control increased by 1.010-fold as the carbohydrate intake ratio increased (95% CI, 0.998-1.022; P < 0.001). This study confirmed that as the ratio of carbohydrate intake to total energy intake increases the likelihood of poor glycemic control also increases in patients with diabetes. Therefore, to improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes, controlling the carbohydrate intake may be helpful.

Depression and anxiety are common mental health problems. Anthocyanins from berries might have an inhibitory effect on monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes and alleviate various mood and anxiety symptoms. This study examined the effects of a daily supplement of an anthocyanin-rich product on mental health problems. This study was a secondary analysis from a randomized, 6-week, open-label trial in 300 healthy participants aged 18-60 years who consumed 1 or 2 servings of anthocyanin-rich mulberry milk daily. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to monitor mental health problems. In addition, the saliva activity levels of MAO-A, MAO-B, and cortisol were examined at the baseline and after 6 weeks. The total scores of the GHQ-28 and HADS and all their subscales decreased in both groups (all P < 0.05). The cortisol, MAO-A, and MAO-B activities decreased significantly (all P <0.05), but there were no significant differences between the groups (all P > 0.05). Significant correlations were noted between the decreased activity level of MAO-A enzyme and decreased scores from the GHQ-28 somatic subscale and the HADS depression subscale (all P < 0.05). Daily consumption of anthocyanin-rich mulberry milk possibly improves mental health problems by reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms in the working population. The suppression of MAO-A activity is a possible underlying mechanism. Thai Clinical Trial Registration: #TCTR20201031002.

Chronic alcohol consumption causes oxidative stress in the body, which may accumulate excessively and cause a decline in memory; problem-solving, learning, and exercise abilities; and permanent damage to brain structure and function. Consequently, chronic alcohol consumption can cause alcohol-related diseases. In this study, the protective effects of Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houz (PE) against alcohol-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment were evaluated using a mouse model. Alcohol (16%, 5 g/kg/day for 6 weeks) and PE (100, 250, and 500 mg/kg/day for 21 days) were administered intragastrically to mice. PE showed a protective effect against memory deficits and cognitive dysfunction caused by alcohol consumption, confirmed through behavioral tests such as the T-maze, object recognition, and Morris water maze tests. Additionally, PE attenuated oxidative stress by reducing lipid oxidation, nitric oxide, and reactive oxygen species levels in the mice's brains, livers, and kidneys. Improvement of neurotrophic factors and downregulation of apoptosis-related proteins were confirmed in the brains of mice fed low and medium concentrations of PE. Additionally, expression of antioxidant enzyme-related proteins GPx-1 and SOD-1 was enhanced in the liver of PE-treated mice, related to their inhibitory effect on oxidative stress. This suggests that PE has both neuroregenerative and antioxidant effects. Collectively, these behavioral and histological results confirmed that PE could improve alcohol-induced cognitive deficits through brain neurotrophic and apoptosis protection and modulation of oxidative stress.

The prevalence of obesity, a worldwide pandemic, has been increasing steadily in Korea. Reports have shown that increased intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, independent of body mass index. However, the relationship between dietary intake and IMAT accumulation in the Korean population remains undetermined. The objective of this study was to evaluate regional fat compartments using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. We also aimed to investigate the association between IMAT amounts and dietary intake, including carbohydrate intake, among Korean individuals with obesity. This cross-sectional study, performed at a medical center in South Korea, recruited 35 individuals with obesity (15 men and 20 women) and classified them into 2 groups according to sex. Anthropometry was performed, and body fat distribution was measured using MRI. Blood parameters, including glucose and lipid profiles, were analyzed using commercial kits. Linear regression analysis was used to test whether the IMAT was associated with daily carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrate intake was positively associated with IMAT in all individuals, with adjustments for age, sex, height, and weight. No significant differences in blood indicators were found between the sexes. Regardless of sex and age, higher carbohydrate intake was strongly correlated with greater IMAT accumulation. This suggests the need to better understand sex differences and high carbohydrate diet patterns in relation to the association between obesity and metabolic risk, which may help reduce obesity prevalence.

Obesity, characterized by abnormal fat accumulation and metabolic disturbances, presents a significant health challenge. Opuntia humifusa Raf., commonly known as Korean Cheonnyuncho, is rich in various beneficial compounds and has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its potential impact on glucose and lipid metabolism, particularly in obese rats, remains unexplored. We aimed to investigate whether O. humifusa stems and fruits could beneficially alter glucose metabolism and lipid profiles in a rat model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Thirty-two rats were allocated into 4 groups: normal diet (NF), HFD control (HF), HFD treated with 2% O. humifusa stems (HF-OS), and HFD treated with 2% O. humifusa fruits (HF-OF). Experimental diets were administered for 6 weeks. At the end of the treatment, liver and fat tissues were isolated, and serum was collected for biochemical analysis. The major flavonoid from O. humifusa stems and fruits was identified and quantified. After 6 weeks of treatment, the serum fasting glucose concentration in the HF-OS group was significantly lower than that in the HF group. Serum fasting insulin concentrations in both HF-OS and HF-OF groups tended to be lower than those in the HF group, indicating a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity in the HF-OS group. Additionally, the HF-OS group exhibited a tendency towards the restoration of adiponectin levels to that of the NF group. The 2% O. humifusa stems contain abundant quercetin and isorhamnetin, which alter fasting blood glucose levels in rats fed a HFD, leading to a favorable improvement in insulin resistance.

The objective of this study was to compare dietary habits and mental health among middle school students in urban and rural areas based on bedtime, and to provide evidence supporting appropriate bedtime for Korean middle school students in relation to their healthy dietary habits and mental well-being. The study population consisted of 25,681 second-year middle school students who participated in the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2020-2022. Participants were asked about their bedtime and wake-up time during the past 7 days and were classified into five categories. The study compared the general characteristics, academic factors, dietary habits, and mental health of urban and rural students based on their bedtime. Bedtime was found to be later in the following order: urban female students, rural female students, urban male students, and rural male students. As bedtime got later, the rates of smoking and alcohol consumption increased. Students who went to bed before 11 p.m. had lower academic performance, while rural male students who went to bed after 2 a.m. had lower academic performance. Later bedtime was associated with increased smartphone usage, skipping breakfast, consuming fast food, and drinking carbonated beverages. Later bedtime was also associated with higher perceived stress levels, particularly among students who went to bed after 2 a.m., higher rates of suicidal ideation, experiencing sadness and despair, as well as the prevalence of clinically significant anxiety disorders. These results suggest that middle school students who go to bed too late have higher rates of smoking and alcohol drinking, as well as unhealthy eating habits, stress, suicidal ideation, sadness, and anxiety. Therefore, it is necessary to provide educational and social institutional support to promote adequate sleep for the health of adolescents.