Korean Male Adults Research Articles

Association of a dietary pattern related to serum vitamin D levels with metabolic syndrome risk among Korean adults: based on the Korean national health and nutrition examination survey.

Vitamin D has a crucial role in our metabolic health. We aimed to examine associations of vitamin D status and its related dietary pattern (DP) with prevalent risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in 9,237 Korean adults aged 19-64 years based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Vitamin D status was examined by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). A vitamin D-related DP associated with 25(OH)D levels was derived using reduced rank regression (RRR). Associations of vitamin D status and its related DP with MetS prevalence were examined using multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Men with sufficient vitamin D status had a 44% lower risk of MetS prevalence (OR: 0.56; 95%CI: 0.36-0.87) compared to those with deficiency. A vitamin D-related DP derived using RRR was characterized by high intakes of vegetables, fish, fruits, and nuts and low intakes of eggs, oils, and mushrooms in this study population. Among men, the DP was significantly associated with a lower risk of MetS prevalence, showing a 12% (95%CI: 4-20%) reduction in risk for a one-unit increase in the DP score. However, there was no significant association among women. The study's findings suggest that a sufficient vitamin D status and a related DP with high intakes of vegetables, fish, fruit, and nuts were associated with the risk of MetS, particularly in Korean male adults.

Association between Breakfast Consumption Frequency and Chronic Inflammation in Korean Adult Males: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2018.

Skipping breakfast is associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to examine the association between breakfast-eating habits and inflammation, using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as a marker. A total of 4,000 Korean adult males with no history of myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, or current smoking were included. Data from the 2016-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for analysis. The frequency of breakfast consumption was assessed through a questionnaire item in the dietary survey section asking participants about their weekly breakfast consumption routines over the past year. Participants were categorized into two groups, namely "0-2 breakfasts per week" and "3-7 breakfasts per week"; hs-CRP concentrations were measured through blood tests. Comparing between the "infrequent breakfast consumption (0-2 breakfasts per week)" and "frequent breakfast consumption (3-7 breakfasts per week)" groups, the mean hs-CRP was found to be significantly higher in the "infrequent breakfast consumption" group, even after adjusting for age, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption, systolic blood pressure, blood pressure medication, fasting blood glucose, and triglycerides (mean hs-CRP: frequent breakfast consumption, 1.36±0.09 mg/L; infrequent breakfast consumption, 1.17±0.05 mg/L; P-value=0.036). Less frequent breakfast consumption was associated with elevated hs-CRP levels. Further large-scale studies incorporating adjusted measures of daily eating patterns as well as food quality and quantity are required for a deeper understanding of the role of breakfast in the primary prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Enzyme-Treated Zizania latifolia Ethanol Extract Improves Liver-Related Outcomes and Fatigability.

Long-term hepatic damage is associated with human morbidity and mortality owing to numerous pathogenic factors. A variety of studies have focused on improving liver health using natural products and herbal medicines. We aimed to investigate the effect of enzyme-treated Zizania latifolia ethanol extract (ETZL), which increases the content of tricin via enzymatic hydrolysis, for 8 weeks on liver-related outcomes, lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, and fatigue compared to a placebo. Healthy Korean adult males aged 19-60 years were randomized into ETZL treatment and placebo groups, and alcohol consumption was 24.96 and 28.64 units/week, respectively. Alanine transaminase, a blood marker associated with liver cell injury, significantly decreased after 8 weeks compared to the baseline in the ETZL treatment group (p = 0.004). After 8 weeks, the treatment group showed significant changes in the levels of high-density lipoprotein and hepatic steatosis index compared to the baseline (p = 0.028 and p = 0.004, respectively). ETZL treatment tended to reduce antioxidant-activity-related factors, total antioxidant status, and malondialdehyde, but there was no significant difference. In the multidimensional fatigue scale, ETZL treatment showed a significant reduction in general fatigue and total-fatigue-related values after 8 weeks compared to the baseline (p = 0.012 and p = 0.032, respectively). Taken together, the 8-week treatment of enzyme-treated Zizania latifolia ethanol extract demonstrated positive effects on liver-related outcomes, lipid metabolism, and mental fatigue without adverse effects on safety-related parameters.

Comparative study on the health and dietary habits of Korean male and female adults before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: utilizing data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019–2021)

Comparative study on the health and dietary habits of Korean male and female adults before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: utilizing data from the 8^th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019–2021)

Association between Chronic Obsructive Pulmonary Disease and Dietary Inflammatory Index in Korean Men Over 40s-based on the 2016-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background: This study aimed to explore the association between chronic obsructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and dietary inflammatory index (DII) in Korean male adults.Methods: The subjects consisted of 4,267 Korean male adults aged over 40 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2016-2019. Subjects were categorized into four groups based on quartiles of dietary inflammatory index score.Results: Individuals with high DII score had poor health habits such as drinking, smoking, activity limitations. The intake of anti-inflammatory items except monounsaturated fatty acid decreased as the DII item score increased. The higher the score of DII, the lower the forced expiratory volumn in 1 sec (FEV<sub>1</sub>), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV<sub>1</sub>/FVC which are lung function measures. The prevalence of COPD increased in the highest quartile of the DII score.Conclusions: It was found that dietary inflammatory index was significantly associated with lung function and COPD. The promotion of a healthy diet with anti-inflammatory properties may help to prevent COPD in male adults.

Association between smoking status and handgrip strength in Korean male adults: based on Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2019

BackgroundSmoking is a well-known risk factor of frailty. Handgrip strength (HGS) is highly representative of muscular strength and is used in the diagnosis of frailty; however, the relationship between smoking and HGS is not clear. We evaluated the relationship between smoking status and HGS.ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the association between HGS and smoking status.MethodsWe enrolled adult males between the ages of 19 and 80 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VII–VIII. A chi-square test and ANOVA were performed to compare the mean handgrip strength (mean HGS) between non-smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between the smoking status and mean HGS, and additional analyses were performed by dividing subgroups by age.ResultsA total of 7,649 participants were analyzed. When the mean HGS and mean dominant HGS were compared according to smoking status, HGS was higher in the right hand (value of p = 0.03) and left hand (value of p < 0.001) in the order of current smokers, ex-smokers, and non-smokers. Comparing HGS of stronger hands, the mean HGS ex-smokers [aOR, (95% confidence interval): 0.61 (0.46–0.82)] and current smokers: 0.55 (0.38–0.78) was higher than that of non-smokers. When subgroup analysis was performed according to age, current smokers aged >60 years had a higher grip strength than non-smokers.ConclusionCurrent smokers had a stronger mean HGS than that of ex-smokers and non-smokers. Current smokers older than 60 years appeared to have a stronger mean HGS than ex-smokers and non-smokers of the same age group.

Effects of the abdominal fat distribution on the relationship between exposure to air pollutants and thyroid hormones among Korean adult males

BackgroundSeveral significant associations between air pollution and thyroid function have been reported, but few studies have identified whether these associations differ by obesity, particularly its regional distribution. We assessed the relationship between ambient air pollution and thyroid hormone, and whether this relationship is modified by abdominal adiposity, as indicated by the waist circumference, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio (VSR) in Korean men.MethodsWe included 2440 male adults in the final analysis and used each person’s annual average exposure to four air pollutants: particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). Abdominal fat deposition was quantified by computed tomography. Serum thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations were measured for thyroid hormone. To evaluate the relationship between air pollution and thyroid hormone according to adiposity, we performed multiple linear regression analysis on the two subgroups stratified by abdominal fat level.ResultsAbdominal adiposity was significantly related to FT4 concentration. The exposures to air pollutants were associated with increased TSH and decreased FT4 concentrations. In stratified analysis using abdominal fat traits, ambient air pollution except for SO2 was significantly related to increased TSH and decreased FT4 concentrations in the high adiposity group (all p < 0.05), but not in the normal adiposity group. Among the air pollutants, PM10 showed an association with an increase of TSH concentration in all group with high adiposity, including high VAT, high SAT, and high VSR groups (all p < 0.05). In case of FT4, CO showed a similar pattern. Among the abdominal fat-related traits, the VSR in the high adiposity group had the largest effect on the relationship between exposure to air pollutants and thyroid hormone.ConclusionsThis study suggests the first clue that the relationship between air pollution exposure and thyroid hormone differs according to abdominal fat distribution among Korean adult males.

Effect of Drinking Pattern on the Quality of Sleep Among Korean Male Adults Below 65 Years.

This study aimed to analyze the differences in sleep quality according to drinking patterns and identify factors associated with poor sleepers among Korean male adults younger than 65 years. Data from 68,711 male participants from the Korean Community Health Survey collected in Korea in 2018 were analyzed. After dividing them into binge drinking and nonbinge drinking groups, each group was further categorized into three subgroups according to the frequency of drinking: less than occasionally, frequent, and very frequent. The quality of sleep and depression were assessed through face-to-face interviews using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively. Total sleep quality was the lowest in the group that participated in "very frequent" binge drinking; the groups that participated in "frequent" binge drinking and "very frequent" nonbinge drinking had similar levels of sleep quality. Poisson regression with robust variance analysis revealed an almost 50% higher prevalence of poor sleep in the "very frequent" binge drinking group (prevalence ratio = 1.49, p < .001) compared with the reference group (nonbinge drinking, less than occasionally) after controlling for confounding variables. Significantly higher prevalence ratios of poor sleep were found in the "frequent" and "very frequent" drinking groups compared with the reference group. Health policies could emphasize the importance of reducing one's frequency and amount of drinking. In addition, it is also necessary for healthcare professionals to assess drinking patterns when caring for people experiencing poor quality sleep and support them in correcting such drinking behaviors.

Unraveling the Contributing Factors of Sarcopenia in Young Korean Male Adults: A Study of Occurrence, Somatometric, Biochemical, and Behavioral Characteristics

Unraveling the Contributing Factors of Sarcopenia in Young Korean Male Adults: A Study of Occurrence, Somatometric, Biochemical, and Behavioral Characteristics

The association between meat intake and the risk of coronary heart disease in Korean men using the Framingham risk score: A prospective cohort study

Background and aimsResearch suggests that meat intake may increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but most studies take place in Western countries, where the types and amount of meat products consumed differ from those in Asian countries. We aimed to identify the association between meat intake and CHD risk in Korean male adults, using the Framingham risk score. Methods and resultsWe used data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) Health Examinees (HEXA) study, including 13,293 Korean male adults. We estimated the association of meat intake with ≥20% 10-year CHD risk using Cox proportional hazards regression models to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subjects with the highest total meat intake had a 53% (model 4: HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.05–2.21) increased 10-year CHD risk compared to those with the lowest intake. Those with the highest red meat intake had a 55% (model 3: HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.16–2.06) increased 10-year CHD risk compared to those with the lowest intake. No association was observed between poultry or processed meat intake and 10-year CHD risk. ConclusionsConsumption of total meat and red meat was associated with a higher risk of CHD in Korean male adults. Further studies are needed to provide criteria for the appropriate meat intake by meat type to reduce CHD risk.

Mediating effect of life satisfaction and depression on the relationship between cognition and activities of daily living in Korean male older adults

This study investigated the mediating effects of life satisfaction and depression on the relationship between cognition and activities of daily living (ADL) among male older adults. A secondary analysis was conducted utilizing data from the 2020 Elderly Survey. The participant pool consisted of 4035 Korean male older adults aged 65 years and above, selected from the total survey population of 10,097. The study focused on four variables: cognition, Korean Activities of Daily Living (K-ADL), life satisfaction and depression. The main analysis employed Hayes’s PROCESS Macro for SPSS v.4.0, and Model 6 was applied to determine the mediating effect of life satisfaction and depression on the relationship between cognition and ADL. The analysis revealed a negative correlation between ADL and cognition scores. ADL scores exhibited positive correlations with both life satisfaction and depression scores. A positive correlation emerged between life satisfaction and depression scores. The examination unveiled an indirect mediating effect between life satisfaction and depression scores. It is necessary to establish an intervention strategy that considers life satisfaction and the degree of depression when establishing a strategy to predict and prevent the decline in daily living ability in older adults with cognitive decline.

Changes in physical activity trends and the health status in south Korean adult males before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study aims to investigate changes in physical activity and health trends before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea using data from the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Korea National Sports Participation Survey (KNSPS). A total of 15,656 adult males (5487 people in 2019, 4791 people in 2020, and 5378 people in 2021) were selected for this research. Descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square test, and one-way analysis of variance were performed. In this study, we revealed changes in sports activities, participation levels, health and fitness status perception, and health and fitness maintenance factors of Korean adults before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the participation rate in outdoor sports activities, such as walking, gate ball, golf, and fishing has increased compared to before the COVID-19 outbreak. On the other hand, the participation rate of indoor sports activities, such as bodybuilding, swimming, yoga, and Pilates showed a decreasing trend. Participation period, frequency, and intensity, which evaluate the level of sports participation, also showed significant differences during COVID-19, but as the sports participation levels have not changed regularly, it cannot be attributed to COVID-19. Finally, health and fitness status perception were found to be worse after the COVID-19 outbreak than before. In addition, the rate of considering regular physical activity participation as a factor to maintain health and fitness after the COVID-19 outbreak increased. The results of this study can be used as basic data to recognize the impact of the pandemic on our lives and promote healthy and regular physical activity in preparation for any pandemic that may occur in the future.

Diagnostic significance of calf circumference in sarcopenia of healthy korean adult males.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between sarcopenia and physical function, and the best method of diagnosing sarcopenia in healthy adults. Early prevention of sarcopenia is important; however, no studies have been conducted in healthy and relatively young adults. In addition, it remains unclear whether calf circumference is associated with sarcopenia-defined variables. A total of 85 healthy male participants were enrolled, and the mean standard deviation age of the participants was 59.76 (8.12) years. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) was performed to measure muscle areas. All subjects were divided into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups based on skeletal muscle mass index using computed tomography. Sarcopenia showed a tendency to be related to lower grip strength, five times sit-to-stand and timed up and go tests for physical function. This result shows that overweight and obesity in the sarcopenia group had fully adjusted odds ratios of 0.026 (95% CI: 0.002–0.317) and 0.008 (95% CI: 0.001–0.096), respectively. Calf circumference was higher specificity (71.43 and 64.86) better than bioelectrical impedance analysis-based skeletal mass index and had a similar sensitivity (72.09 and 82.35). In conclusion, calf circumference suggests the need to consider its use as a tool for assessing muscle mass in the diagnosis of sarcopenia.

Smoking culture seen through Korean Protestant Christianity

Most South Korean male adults smoke. Korean Protestant Christianity regarded smoking as ‘sinful’ and it was forbidden. However the Protestants in Korea today do not consider the consumption of tobacco as sinful, although they tend to avoid alcohol and tobacco as they hinder the teachings of the Bible. In accordance with the Constitution and laws, the Korean government permits smoking by recognizing the inherent right of human beings, although smoking is prohibited in public places such as schools and hospitals or restricted to certain places. Unfortunately, the number of smokers is rising in all spheres of society, including the Church. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to facilitate the conversion of smoking cessation into a purification movement in Korean society by presenting measures to prevent it.

Stature Trend of Korean Male Adults in the Colonial Period －Focusing on Police Records in the South Sakhalin Area－

Statistics show that the economy of colonial Korea has grown. However, there is debate as to when economic growth began. Controversy over the distribution of ethnic groups also continues. In order to solve these problems, this study examined the stature and trend of Korean male adults during the colonial period. The data is based on the documents of the Sakhalin-area Police Department in the Russian National Archives. During the colonial period, adult Korean men were taller on average than Japanese. However, the height of Korean male is decreasing while the height of Japanese remains almost the same. Such a decrease does not appear to be due to bias in coal miner-centered samples. Regression showed that people born in the 1910s were shorter than those born in the 1900s. This suggests that living standards may have fallen in the 1920s compared to the 1910s. However, it is difficult to determine whether the results are related to the industrialization puzzle or due to sampling bias. It is hoped that more cases will be collected and discussions will begin in the future.

Organ dose conversion coefficients in CT scans for Korean adult males and females

Dose monitoring in CT patients requires accurate dose estimation but most of the CT dose calculation tools are based on Caucasian computational phantoms. We established a library of organ dose conversion coefficients for Korean adults by using four Korean adult male and two female voxel phantoms combined with Monte Carlo simulation techniques. We calculated organ dose conversion coefficients for head, chest, abdomen and pelvis, and chest-abdomen-pelvis scans, and compared the results with the existing data calculated from Caucasian phantoms. We derived representative organ doses for Korean adults using Korean CT dose surveys combined with the dose conversion coefficients. The organ dose conversion coefficients from the Korean adult phantoms were slightly greater than those of the ICRP reference phantoms: up to 13% for the brain doses in head scans and up to 10% for the dose to the small intestine wall in abdominal scans. We derived Korean representative doses to major organs in head, chest, and AP scans using mean CTDIvol values extracted from the Korean nationwide surveys conducted in 2008 and 2017. The Korean-specific organ dose conversion coefficients should be useful to readily estimate organ absorbed doses for Korean adult male and female patients undergoing CT scans.

Verification of a theory of planned behavior model of medication adherence in Korean adults: focused on moderating effects of optimistic or present bias

BackgroundTo prevent or recover from a disease, the prescriptions for medications must be correct, and the patient must comply with the medication’s instructions. Therefore, this study verified the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model to predict medication adherence among Korean adults and examined the role of optimistic or present bias in that model.MethodsThe participants were 357 Korean male and female adults whose ages ranged from 18 to 76 (M = 41.53, SD = 9.89). Their medication adherence was measured with the Morisky Green Levine Scale. The study examined TPB factors with modified items related to medication adherence and optimistic bias with items developed based on the concept and on previous studies.ResultsAn alternative TPB model, including a direct path from attitude to behavior, a direct path from the perceived behavioral control to the behavior, and an insignificant path from behavioral intention to behavior, was validated for Korean adults’ medication adherence. This model was found to be moderated by optimistic or present bias.ConclusionsThe findings of this study should provide useful information for future research and for medical or health professionals who wish to improve the medication adherence of their patients.

Moderating Effects of the Ego-Energy in Relation to Stress, Drinking Motives, and Depression in Korean Adult Males.

Although there have been numerous studies using stress and coping theories to explain the relationship between stress, drinking motives, and depression, few of them have attempted to verify these theories against adult male data. There is also a shortage of Korean studies, both theoretical and empirical, on the role of ego-energy as a moderating variable in the relationship between stress, drinking motives, and depression. This study uses a multiple-group analysis to investigate the moderating effects of the ego-energy on the aforementioned relationship in adult males. A transactional analysis tool showing the total amount of ego-energy called Ego-gram is used in this study. The tool reflects personality traits based on ego-energy state structural and functional analyses. The researchers collected empirical data to test the research model by conducting an online survey of adult males aged 20–50, residing in seven metropolitan cities and in the Gyeonggi Province. The survey yielded 567 samples. The data were then analyzed through structural equation modeling to understand the relationship between various factors. The results showed that, first, stress was positively correlated with drinking motives. Second, drinking motives had some influence on depression. Third, stress, drinking motives, and depression had statistically significant relationships between low-ego-energy and high-ego-energy groups. Overall, this study found a difference between the two ego-energy groups concerning the relationship between stress, drinking motives, and depression. Based on these results, practical implications were discussed as to how to strengthen the ego-energy, while also presenting future research directions to shed light on the precise mechanism of depression. This study is significant for exploring ways in which adult males cope with and prevent stress and depression, while also offering the basic data for improving the mental and physical health of adult males. This study is also significant for drawing attention to the necessity of developing various health and wellness programs adapted to the needs of this specific population segment while providing the data that may serve as the basis for developing such programs.

Comparison of Pharmacokinetic Profiles of Beraprost Sustained Release in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Healthy Adult Males.

Beraprost sodium (BPS), an orally administrable prostaglandin I2 derivative, is used for the treatment of chronic arterial occlusion and pulmonary arterial hypertension and has potential efficacy in nephropathy. Beraprost sustained release (beraprost SR) is an oral sustained-release formulation of BPS. To confirm the dose rationale reported in a multi-regional study of nephropathy patients in Asia, this open-label study evaluated ethnic differences in the pharmacokinetic profiles of BPS and its active diastereomer (BPS-314d) after beraprost SR administration among healthy Japanese, Chinese, and Korean adult males. Twelve healthy subjects in each ethnic group were enrolled. Subjects received a single oral dose of 120μg beraprost SR under fasting conditions. The geometric mean ratio (90% confidence interval) of the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to time of the last quantifiable concentration (AUClast) of BPS was 1.12 (0.85-1.48) and 1.40 (1.05-1.86) in Chinese, and 1.18 (0.90-1.55) and 1.18 (0.89-1.58) in Korean compared to Japanese subjects. These differences were not clinically relevant. Similarly, differences in the Cmax and AUClast of BPS-314d were also small among the ethnic groups. Urinary excretion of BPS and BPS-314d was limited in all ethnic groups. Together, these findings indicate that the pharmacokinetics of beraprost SR are not affected by ethnic background. There were no clinically meaningful ethnic differences in the pharmacokinetics of BPS and BPS-314d following beraprost SR administration among Japanese, Chinese and Korean populations.

Association of Coffee Consumption and Its Types According to Addition of Sugar and Creamer with Metabolic Syndrome Incidence in a Korean Population from the Health Examinees (HEXA) Study.

Coffee is widely consumed worldwide, and numerous studies indicate that coffee consumption may potentially affect the development of chronic diseases. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) may constitute a risk factor for chronic diseases. We aimed to prospectively evaluate the association between coffee consumption and MetS incidence. All participants were selected from the Health Examinees study. MetS was defined by the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the relationship between coffee consumption and MetS incidence. In comparison with non-consumers, male moderate consumers (≤3 cups/day) showed a lower risk for low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (≤1 cup/day, hazard ratio (HR): 0.445, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.254–0.780; 1–3 cups/day, HR: 0.507, 95% CI: 0.299–0.859) and high fasting blood glucose (FPG) (≤1 cup/day, HR: 0.694, 95% CI: 0.538–0.895; 1–3 cups/day, HR: 0.763, 95% CI: 0.598–0.972). Male 3-in-1 coffee (coffee with sugar and creamer) consumers also showed a lower risk for low HDL-C (HR: 0.423, 95% CI: 0.218–0.824) and high FPG (HR: 0.659, 95% CI: 0.497–0.874). These findings indicate a negative association between moderate coffee consumption and low HDL-C and high FPG among Korean male adults.