The purpose of this study is to compare menu patterns by sex and age (3-6, 7-12, 13-19, 20-29, 30-49, 50-64, 65 over years old) between the 1998 and 2001 National Health and Nutrition Surveys of Korea. Frequently consumed menu patterns were investigated using the 24-hour recall data for 19,809 subjects (1998:10,102; 2001:9,707). To analyze patterns, dishes were classified into 29 categories by cooking method (KHIDI 2003). The results are as follows: the most frequent menu patterns were "rice + soup + kimchi" and "rice + stew + kimchi" in both men and women in both 1998 and 2001. Intake frequency of these menu patterns, a traditional Korean menu pattern, was higher with increased age. Intake frequency of "noodles" and "bread" increased in 2001 in both men and women, compared to 1998. And these patterns increased in the younger age groups, especially women in their twenties. Menu patterns of 2001 showed greater variety than those of 1998. Overall, the men's menu patterns showed more side dishes than those of women; intake frequencies of "seasoned vegetables", "stir-fried foods", and "grilled foods" were higher in men than in women. In short, so far the main menu pattern has been "rice-style" in both men and women, and in all age groups in Korea, whereas the Western menu pattern is increasing in younger age groups. The diet of 2001 showed more side dishes than that of the 1998 menu pattern; however, certain groups such as female and males in adolescents and young adults were still a simple menu pattern. Consequently, to make recommended menu patterns and nutrition education programs for Koreans should take into consideration sex and age.
Adolescent ; Cooking ; Diet ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Young Adult

In Korea, children aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from March 2022. Due to this age group not being at a high risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, each major country has different, circumstance dependent, immunization policies for children. In this review, the COVID-19 vaccination policies for 5–11 years old children in major countries were reviewed and considerations were presented for Korea, where children 5–11 years old are starting to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The purpose of this study is to find differences in dietary patterns through menu analysis by economic status. The data was obtained from the 1998 and 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey of Korea. The main variables were economic status, sex, and area by urbanization. The economic status was classified into low, middle, high, and top classes using a poverty line based on the 1998 and 2001 minimum standard cost of living. The areas were divided into metropolis, small city, and rural areas. The dishes of 3 meals were classified into 29 categories by cooking method. The most frequent pattern was "rice + soup + kimchi". The frequency of this Korean basic dietary pattern was the lowest in the top income class and metropolis areas, while the highest in the low income class and rural areas. The frequency of Korean recommended dietary pattern, that is, "rice + soup or stew + kimchi + side dish" was the highest in the top income class. The metropolis group preferred side dishes using meat and a cooking method that saved time, but the rural group preferred side dishes using vegetables and cooking methods that take a longer time. In comparison of dietary pattern between male and female by economic status, the higher economic status, the male's dietary patterns showed more side dishes than those of female. But the main side dish was kimchi in male low class. onsequently, the major dietary pattern in Korea is rice-style, though the western pattern is increasing in the top income class, especially in metropolis areas. Therefore, to make a better dietary pattern, we should develop and spread low-priced recipes of various side dishes and teach financial skills such as ability to make a food budget for lower income classes. Also, we should emphasize the importance of the balance between meat and vegetables and traditional diet and western diet for the top income class, especially in the metropolis areas.
Budgets ; Cooking ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Meals ; Meat ; Nutrition Surveys ; Poverty ; Urbanization ; Vegetables

Background: University students have been known as having a higher rate of problem drinking than the general population in South Korea. In particular, the university freshmen may experience problem drinking from increased occasions of frequent social gatherings at the first school year as they have increased time to freely use compared to the high school days. Problem drinking among university freshmen may be influenced by multiple factors. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of problem drinking and to identify individualand family-level factors associated with university freshmen's problem drinking. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlation study was conducted. Participants were 227 university freshmen (70 men and 157 women) under the parenting of mother and father from 10 universities in Seoul. The problem drinking was evaluated by using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale and Parental Authority Questionnaire for parenting behaviors were used. Results: The prevalence of problem drinking was 58.6% among university freshmen. An individual-level factor of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy was significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.96) among university freshmen. However, any of family-level factors including types of parenting behaviors were not significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking. Conclusions Alcohol abstinence self-efficacy may be a strong protective factor against university freshmen's problem drinking. University-based alcohol abstinence programs should comprise of nursing strategies including the enhancement of abstinence self-efficacy at the first school year.

The nutrient intake and association between dish group intake and blood glucose and serum lipid level (TG, cholesterol, LDL and HDL) was analyzed among 3 groups: 452 subjects in normal blood glucose group (NG: fasting blood glucose < 100 mg/dL and 2 hours postprandial blood glucose < 140 mg/dL), 258 subjects in impaired fasting glucose group (IFG: fasting blood glucose 100~125 mg/dL and 2 hours postprandial blood glucose > or = 140 mg/dL) and 101 subjects in diabetic group (DG: fasting blood glucose > or = 126 mg/dL and 2 hours postprandial blood glucose > or = 140 mg/dL). The data were obtained from the 2005 National Health and Nutrition Survey of Korea. The 811 subjects were adults aged 40~64 without dietary treatment. In nutrients intake, IFG was the highest and DG the lowest in both quantity and quality. DG, especially, had the lowest intake in carbohydrates, fiber, proteins, Ca, P, K, vitamins B1 and C, and consumed the highest amount of alcohol. In macronutrients distribution ratio, the DG diet showed a lower energy intake from carbohydrates but higher from fat than the NG diet, while IFG showed a higher energy intake from carbohydrates and lower intake from fat in supper out of 3 meals and snacks. IFG preferred salt-fermented foods and DG preferred soups, braised foods and kimchi compared to other groups. NG preferred multi-grain cooked rice and both IFG and DG preferred plain white cooked rice. Regarding the association between dish group intake and blood glucose, cooked rice, soups, salt-fermented foods and kimchi were significantly related to blood glucose. In blood lipids, steamed-foods, beverages and fruits were inversely related to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, whereas cooked rice, stews, saltfer- mented foods, seasoned-fermented foods and seasoned vegetables were directly proportional to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and related diseases. Therefore, it is beneficial to avoid rich, salty and fatty foods and heavy alcohol consumption for controlling blood glucose and blood lipids, while steamed foods, foods rich in fiber (like multigrain rice) as a staple, and fruits and teas are recommended for preventing or managing type 2 diabetes risks.
Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Beverages ; Blood Glucose ; Carbohydrates ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Diet ; Energy Intake ; Fasting ; Fruit ; Glucose ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals ; Nutrition Surveys ; Proteins ; Seasons ; Snacks ; Steam ; Tea ; Vegetables ; Vitamins

Pregabalin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid analogue; it has been used clinically as an anticonvulsant and analgesic agent. Few documented reports exist of deaths resulting from pregabalin overdose. This report discusses a case of pregabalin intoxication in a 27-year-old male, who was found unconscious in a prison and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy and toxicological analysis revealed the presence of pregabalin, alprazolam, diazepam, escitalopram, fluoxetine, lorazepam, bromazepam, flunitrazepam, zolpidem, and piroxicam. The concentrations of pregabalin and alprazolam were 10.3 mg/L and 0.10 mg/L in heart blood, and 11.4 mg/L and 0.08 mg/L in femoral blood, respectively. The other detected drugs were within therapeutic concentrations. Ethyl alcohol was not detected in the blood. Although the pregabalin concentration was within the therapeutic or toxic range, the concomitant use of other drugs, particularly benzodiazepines and zolpidem, likely enhanced its toxicity. Based on the autopsy findings and toxicological results, the cause of death was determined to be multidrug intoxication, including pregabalin. Although pregabalin is generally considered safe and deaths from its use alone are very rare, it can be fatal at relatively low blood concentrations when combined with opioids or other medications. The rising use of pregabalin in Korea increases the risk of overdose deaths, similar to this case. Therefore, in forensic practice, the possibility of such fatalities should be considered when pregabalin is detected.

Pregabalin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid analogue; it has been used clinically as an anticonvulsant and analgesic agent. Few documented reports exist of deaths resulting from pregabalin overdose. This report discusses a case of pregabalin intoxication in a 27-year-old male, who was found unconscious in a prison and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy and toxicological analysis revealed the presence of pregabalin, alprazolam, diazepam, escitalopram, fluoxetine, lorazepam, bromazepam, flunitrazepam, zolpidem, and piroxicam. The concentrations of pregabalin and alprazolam were 10.3 mg/L and 0.10 mg/L in heart blood, and 11.4 mg/L and 0.08 mg/L in femoral blood, respectively. The other detected drugs were within therapeutic concentrations. Ethyl alcohol was not detected in the blood. Although the pregabalin concentration was within the therapeutic or toxic range, the concomitant use of other drugs, particularly benzodiazepines and zolpidem, likely enhanced its toxicity. Based on the autopsy findings and toxicological results, the cause of death was determined to be multidrug intoxication, including pregabalin. Although pregabalin is generally considered safe and deaths from its use alone are very rare, it can be fatal at relatively low blood concentrations when combined with opioids or other medications. The rising use of pregabalin in Korea increases the risk of overdose deaths, similar to this case. Therefore, in forensic practice, the possibility of such fatalities should be considered when pregabalin is detected.

Pregabalin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid analogue; it has been used clinically as an anticonvulsant and analgesic agent. Few documented reports exist of deaths resulting from pregabalin overdose. This report discusses a case of pregabalin intoxication in a 27-year-old male, who was found unconscious in a prison and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy and toxicological analysis revealed the presence of pregabalin, alprazolam, diazepam, escitalopram, fluoxetine, lorazepam, bromazepam, flunitrazepam, zolpidem, and piroxicam. The concentrations of pregabalin and alprazolam were 10.3 mg/L and 0.10 mg/L in heart blood, and 11.4 mg/L and 0.08 mg/L in femoral blood, respectively. The other detected drugs were within therapeutic concentrations. Ethyl alcohol was not detected in the blood. Although the pregabalin concentration was within the therapeutic or toxic range, the concomitant use of other drugs, particularly benzodiazepines and zolpidem, likely enhanced its toxicity. Based on the autopsy findings and toxicological results, the cause of death was determined to be multidrug intoxication, including pregabalin. Although pregabalin is generally considered safe and deaths from its use alone are very rare, it can be fatal at relatively low blood concentrations when combined with opioids or other medications. The rising use of pregabalin in Korea increases the risk of overdose deaths, similar to this case. Therefore, in forensic practice, the possibility of such fatalities should be considered when pregabalin is detected.

Pregabalin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid analogue; it has been used clinically as an anticonvulsant and analgesic agent. Few documented reports exist of deaths resulting from pregabalin overdose. This report discusses a case of pregabalin intoxication in a 27-year-old male, who was found unconscious in a prison and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy and toxicological analysis revealed the presence of pregabalin, alprazolam, diazepam, escitalopram, fluoxetine, lorazepam, bromazepam, flunitrazepam, zolpidem, and piroxicam. The concentrations of pregabalin and alprazolam were 10.3 mg/L and 0.10 mg/L in heart blood, and 11.4 mg/L and 0.08 mg/L in femoral blood, respectively. The other detected drugs were within therapeutic concentrations. Ethyl alcohol was not detected in the blood. Although the pregabalin concentration was within the therapeutic or toxic range, the concomitant use of other drugs, particularly benzodiazepines and zolpidem, likely enhanced its toxicity. Based on the autopsy findings and toxicological results, the cause of death was determined to be multidrug intoxication, including pregabalin. Although pregabalin is generally considered safe and deaths from its use alone are very rare, it can be fatal at relatively low blood concentrations when combined with opioids or other medications. The rising use of pregabalin in Korea increases the risk of overdose deaths, similar to this case. Therefore, in forensic practice, the possibility of such fatalities should be considered when pregabalin is detected.

Background: University students have been known as having a higher rate of problem drinking than the general population in South Korea. In particular, the university freshmen may experience problem drinking from increased occasions of frequent social gatherings at the first school year as they have increased time to freely use compared to the high school days. Problem drinking among university freshmen may be influenced by multiple factors. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of problem drinking and to identify individualand family-level factors associated with university freshmen's problem drinking. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlation study was conducted. Participants were 227 university freshmen (70 men and 157 women) under the parenting of mother and father from 10 universities in Seoul. The problem drinking was evaluated by using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale and Parental Authority Questionnaire for parenting behaviors were used. Results: The prevalence of problem drinking was 58.6% among university freshmen. An individual-level factor of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy was significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.96) among university freshmen. However, any of family-level factors including types of parenting behaviors were not significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking. Conclusions Alcohol abstinence self-efficacy may be a strong protective factor against university freshmen's problem drinking. University-based alcohol abstinence programs should comprise of nursing strategies including the enhancement of abstinence self-efficacy at the first school year.