PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the most prominent health-related behaviors impacting the academic performance of Korean adolescents. METHODS: The 2012 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey data were analyzed using an ordinal regression analysis after adjusting for general and other health behaviors. RESULTS: Before adjustment, all health behaviors were significantly associated with academic performance. After adjustment for other health behaviors and confounding factors, only smoking [odds ratio (OR) = 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.98, 2.16), p < .001], alcohol consumption [OR = 1.22, 95% CI (1.18, 1.27), p < .001], and physical activity [OR = 1.09, 95% CI (1.06, 1.13), p < .001] were associated with lower academic performance, and engaging in a regular diet [OR = 0.65, 95% CI (0.65, 0.62), p < .001] was associated with higher academic performance. CONCLUSIONS: Regular diet, reducing smoking and alcohol drinking, and physical activity should be the target when designing health interventions for improving academic performance in Korean adolescents.
*Achievement ; Adolescent ; Alcohol Drinking/psychology ; Diet/psychology ; Educational Status ; Exercise/psychology ; Female ; *Health Behavior ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Republic of Korea ; Smoking/psychology ; Social Class

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder. Up to 96% of IBS patients experience bloating, resulting in poor response to conventional therapies and high consultation rates. Many IBS patients report that food triggers symptoms, particularly diets with poorly absorbed, short-chain carbohydrates, and restrict intake of certain foods to control their symptoms. IBS patients are especially susceptible to an attack due to visceral hypersensitivity. An emerging therapeutic strategy excludes fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) from the diet. There is evidence supporting the efficacy of a low FODMAP diet in improving symptoms of bloating in IBS patients. Individualised, structured dietary guidance may benefit those with persistent troublesome symptoms despite traditional therapies. In view of the multifactorial aetiology of the condition, it is probably best to use a multipronged approach, involving combination therapies, to address bloating in IBS patients.
Diet ; Disaccharides ; Fermentation ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; diet therapy ; psychology ; Monosaccharides ; Nutrition Policy ; Oligosaccharides ; Polymers ; Quality of Life ; Severity of Illness Index

Bloating is one of the most common and troublesome problems in a large proportion of patients with gastrointestinal disorders but the mechanism is not completely understood. Several factors, including gas-producing intestinal microbiota, disturbed handling of intestinal gas, visceral hypersensitivity, abnormal viscero-somatic responses, fermentable diet, and psychological factors, have been suggested as mechanisms. For an assessment, thorough medical history-taking and physical examination are the first steps. On the other hand, organic disorders should always be considered first for a differential diagnosis. The therapeutic options available are considered challenging and still limited in clinical practice. The treatment strategy may include diet modification, pharmacologic approach, psychiatric approach, biofeedback, etc. Further studies will be needed to explore the variable mechanism of bloating and develop an efficient treatment.
Biofeedback, Psychology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diet ; Food Habits ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Physical Examination ; Psychology

OBJECTIVES: We previously developed a dish-based semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for Korean adolescents and reported that it had reasonable reliability and validity. The objective of the current study was to construct a web-based dietary evaluation system applying the FFQ for Korean adolescents and examine its applicability in the context of reliability and validity. METHODS: A web-based food frequency questionnaire system was designed using a comprehensive approach, incorporating not only dietary data survey but also up-to-date nutrition information and individualized eating behavior guidelines. A convenience sample of 50 boys and girls aged 12~18 years agreed to participate in the study and completed the FFQ twice and 3 days of dietary recall on the developed website during a two-month period. The FFQ’s reliability and validity was examined using correlation and cross classification analysis. We also measured participants’ subjective levels of the web site’s usability, visual effect, understanding, and familiarity. RESULTS: Spearman correlation coefficients for reliability ranged from 0.74 (for vitamin A) to 0.94 (for energy). From cross-classification analyses, the proportion of subjects in the same intake quartile was highest for energy (82.0%) and lowest for vitamin A (56.0%). With regard to validity analysis, Spearman correlation coefficients ranged from 0.34 (for fiber) to 0.79 (for energy). The proportions of subjects in the opposite categories between the first FFQ and 3-day diet recall data were generally low from 0.00% (for fat) to 36.2% (for sodium). Average subjective levels of the website’s usability, visual effect, understanding, and familiarity were all found to be over 4 points out of 5 points. CONCLUSIONS: The web-based dietary evaluation system developed can serve as a valid and attractive tool for administering FFQ to Korean adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Classification ; Diet ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Reproducibility of Results ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Understanding individual's intention, action and maintenance to increase fruit and vegetable intake is an initial step in designing nutrition or health promotion programs. This study aimed to determine stages of change to increase fruit and vegetable intake and its relationships with fruit and vegetable intake, self-efficacy, perceived benefits and perceived barriers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 348 public university staff in Universiti Putra Malaysia. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire and two days 24-hour diet recall were used. RESULTS: Half of the respondents (50%) were in preparation stage, followed by 43% in action/maintenance, 7% in pre-contemplation/contemplation stages. Respondents in action/maintenance stages had significantly higher self-efficacy (F = 9.17, P < 0.001) and perceived benefits (F = 5.07, P < 0.01) while respondents in pre-contemplation/contemplation and preparation stages had significantly higher perceived barriers (F = 4.83, P < 0.05). Perceived benefits tend to outweigh perceived barriers pre-ceding to taking action. Self-efficacy is important in motivating individuals to increase fruit and vegetable intake as self-efficacy and perceived barriers crossed over between preparation and action/maintenance. Respondents in action/maintenance stages had the highest adjusted mean serving of fruit and vegetable intake (F = 4.52, P < 0.05) but the intake did not meet recommendation. CONCLUSION: Intervention strategies should emphasize on increasing perceived benefits and building self-efficacy by providing knowledge and skills to consume a diet high in fruits and vegetables in order to promote healthy changes in having high fruit and vegetable intake.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diet ; Fruit* ; Health Promotion ; Intention ; Malaysia ; Psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vegetables*

BACKGROUND: Diabetes has a critical effect on elderly diabetic patients' quality of life. Elderly diabetic patients have many difficulties in diabetes self-management because their physical, psychological and social functions are decreased as a result of the aging process. Therefore, we evaluated the current status of self-management and barriers in elderly diabetic patients METHODS: The sample was 124 elderly diabetic patients (over 61 years) who visited a hospital and two senior welfare centers in Seoul from July to August 2006. The results of the study were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, T-test, and hierarchical regression. RESULTS: 1) Diabetes self-management was composed of insulin injection, diet, exercise, foot management, smoking and drinking alcohol. An average score of self-management in the elderly diabetic patients was 4.5784. In demographic variables, only job status showed a significant effect on self-management. 2) Barriers such as 'forgetting taking diet and medication', 'being interrupted by others', and 'lack of family and social support' were significant factors in diabetes self-management. 3) These barriers for diabetes self-management were still significant in the case of controlling demographic and clinical variables. CONCLUSION: Diabetic educator should identify the significant factors that affect patient's self-management such as whether they have a full-time job, or the type of their job. In addition, diabetes education should focus on assertiveness training to deal with various interpersonal barriers and empowerment for enhancing patient's self-efficacy. These approaches would benefit patients who experience barriers of diabetes self-management
Aged ; Aging ; Assertiveness ; Diet ; Drinking ; Foot ; Humans ; Insulin ; Power (Psychology) ; Quality of Life ; Self Care ; Smoke ; Smoking

This study was carried out to find out stress-eating relationship in obese high school girls and to investigate the factors related to stress-induced eating. The conceptual framework used in this study was individual difference model. The research method was methodological triangulation. The data of the study were collected from purposively sampled 309 normal high school girls and 314 obese high school girls in S city. 15 volunteers, obese high school girls, enrolled in this qualitative research. Quantitative data was collected from May 6 to June 10, 1997 through questionnaires about stress and stress-related eating changes and from June 23 to August 26, 1997, qualitative data was collected. The results of the study were as follows: 1. Obese high school girls were unaffected by stress(t=-1.84, p=0.0662). 2. Through quantitative analysis, obese people divided into two groups in their response to stress. One group was composed of stress- eater. The other group was composed of non- stress eater. 3. Disinhibition(t=-3.1275, p=0.0019), cognitive restrain (t=-3.1597, p=0.0017), hunger(t=-3.5878, p=0.0004) were significantly different between stress-eaters and non-stress eaters. 4. According to the interview, 5 subjects of obese girls were stress eaters, and 10 subjects were non-stress eaters. Through qualitative research, the related factors of eating were eating attitude & behavior, stimuli situations on eating, and personality. In stress-eater group, they constantly went on a diet, however, they were prompted to eat when an uneasy feeling such as anxiety, depression, annoyance developed. Their personality were entirely optimistic. Whereas non-stress eater group had no interest in diet and didn't appear to have psychological factors to stimulate eating in stressful situations. Their personality was not only optimistic but also keenly characteristic. 5. To compare obese-normal high school girls on the effect of stress in eating. Normal weigh high school girls decreased their eating when stressed(t= -13.62, p=0.0001). In conclusion, this study suggests that there are two different groups in obese high school girls in regards to eating responses on stressful situations. As a result of these finding, clinical and school nurses can detect the stress-eaters who need stress management intervention, and can apply appropriate management program according to the individual needs.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Diet ; Eating* ; Female* ; Humans ; Individuality ; Psychology ; Qualitative Research ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Volunteers

The comprehensive medical care delivered by family physicians should involve education and practice of health-sustaining habits such as diet, exercise, relaxation etc. as well as drug prescription. Among those, problem drinking is one of the most frequent issues encountered in health promoting sessions. However they are not competent to cover the realm of counseling in problem drinking in a continuous way. The drinking problems go up, unnoticed and uninhibited, to the self-destructive stages by the process of denial and avoidance on the part of patient as well as therapists. The explanation by which moderate drinking can't be easily embedded into healthy life styles and the practical strategies for dealing with problem drinkers and alcohol dependents will be presented in the context of health-sustaining habits.
Counseling ; Denial (Psychology) ; Diet ; Drinking ; Drug Prescriptions ; Humans ; Life Style ; Naltrexone ; Physicians, Family ; Relaxation

OBJECTIVETo study the current situation of ten types of junk food consumption (assessed by World Health Organization) among children and adolescent as well as the contributing factors in Haidian District, Beijing so as to provide evidence for developing preventive and control measures and interventions.

METHODSA questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the consumption of ten types of junk food practices in 1019 children and adolescent aged 8-16 years in Beijing Haidian District.

RESULTSOne month prior to the study, 97.50% of the children and adolescent had eaten at least one type of junk food and 15.88% of them had eaten all types of them. Rates on having eaten deep fried food, pickled food, processed meat products, biscuits, coke or alike drinks, convenience/fast food, canned food, dried or preserved fruit, cold and sweet food, barbecue food etc. appeared to be 70.43%, 60.14%, 79.72%, 64.24%, 69.63%, 78.72%, 42.16%, 51.95%, 68.13%, 60.14% respectively. The rate on eaten more than once a day of these ten types were 26.95%, 36.88%, 34.84%, 32.97%, 27.40%, 28.18%, 37.91%, 26.15%, 37.39%, 22.10% respectively. The rates for "do not like" and "dislike" these ten types junk food were 10.96%, 27.42%, 7.08%, 12.11%, 6.56%, 6.59%, 17.80%, 13.59%, 3.42%, 5.19% respectively. Most of the children and adolescent ate junk food mainly during breakfast at home. Most of the surveyed children and adolescent did not have correct idea on nutrition of junk food. They received the information of junk food mainly from sources as advertisement on TV (67.95%), mother (9.02%), newspaper or magazines (6.71%). Many factors, such as individual factors (including physiological and psychological situations), social factors, family factors and the characteristics of food contributed to the eating junk food practices of children and adolescent.

CONCLUSIONEating junk food is a popular event among children and adolescent in Beijing Haidian District. Education strategies on nutrition should be developed and launched in order to help children develop their own healthy eating behaviors.

Child ; Diabetes Mellitus ; etiology ; Diet ; Humans ; Hypertension ; etiology ; Lipids ; blood ; Obesity ; complications ; prevention & control ; psychology