PURPOSE: This study aims to assess the effects of psychosocial work environment and self-efficacy on stress, depression, and burn-out among office workers. METHODS: Survey data were collected from 331 office workers who worked in one workplace from April 10 to 30, 2012. The impact of psychosocial work environment and self-efficacy on stress, depression, and burn-out was analyzed with hierarchical multiple regression using SAS version 9.3. RESULTS: Work-family conflicts and emotional demands were identified as main factors influencing mental health. Other work environment factors influencing mental health were role clarity for stress, possibilities for development, meaning-of work, social support-from supervisors and job insecurity for depression, and social community at work for burn-out. Self-efficacy was correlated with most psychosocial work environment and factor with independent influence on stress and depression. The final models including general characteristics, psychosocial work environment, and self-efficacy accounted for 34%, 44%, and 36% for stress, depression, and burn-out respectively. CONCLUSION: To promote mental health in office workers, there is a need to decrease work-family conflicts and emotional demands and to improve work organization and job contents, social support, and self-efficacy.
Depression ; Mental Health ; Social Work

Hyperlipidemia and related heart disease will be growing public health problems as the population ages. It is therefore of great importance to identify modifiable risk factors. So this research investigated associations among life style, nutrient intake, and blood lipids in middle-aged men with borderline hyperlipidemia. Dietary intakes were assessed by food-frequency questionnaire and convenient method. The subject's histories of alcohol use and smoking were assessed via a questionnaire. Current smokers were classified as smokers, whereas past smokers and subjects who never smoked were classified as nonsmokers. With regard to alcohol intake, the subjects were stratified into drinkers and nondrinkers. In drinkers the frequency were measured. Frequency of alcohol intake and weight were associated with high blood lipids and blood pressure. The highest quartile of calcium intake had lower triglyceride concentration than did those in the lower three quartiles. High calcium intake was associated with low blood triglyceride concentration. These results suggest that healthy weight and high calcium intake and less alcohol intake can contribute to maintenance of healthy blood lipids in men.
Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Life Style* ; Male ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides

Hyperlipidemia and related heart disease will be growing public health problems as the population ages. It is therefore of great importance to identify modifiable risk factors. So this research investigated associations among life style, nutrient intake, and blood lipids in middle-aged men with borderline hyperlipidemia. Dietary intakes were assessed by food-frequency questionnaire and convenient method. The subject's histories of alcohol use and smoking were assessed via a questionnaire. Current smokers were classified as smokers, whereas past smokers and subjects who never smoked were classified as nonsmokers. With regard to alcohol intake, the subjects were stratified into drinkers and nondrinkers. In drinkers the frequency were measured. Frequency of alcohol intake and weight were associated with high blood lipids and blood pressure. The highest quartile of calcium intake had lower triglyceride concentration than did those in the lower three quartiles. High calcium intake was associated with low blood triglyceride concentration. These results suggest that healthy weight and high calcium intake and less alcohol intake can contribute to maintenance of healthy blood lipids in men.
Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Life Style* ; Male ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides

Soybean is a rich source of isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein. Soy isoflavones have both weak estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects and are structurally similar to tamoxifen, an agent that has an effect similar to that of estrogen in terms of reducing postmenopausal bone loss. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of differences in protein source (casein vs soy) and isoflavone levels (reduced vs higher levels) on selected bone markers and hormones in growing male rats. Thirty weanling Sprague-Dawley young rats were divided into 3 groups: The control group was fed a casein-based diet, the soy concentrate group was fed soy protein with totally reduced isoflavones content (isoflavones 0.07 mg/g protein), and the soy isolate group was fed soy protein with a higher than normal isoflavones content (isoflavones 3.4 mg/g protein). The degree of bone formation was estimated by measuring serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphoatase (ALP). By determining collagen cross-linkage by immunoassay and correcting with creatinine values, the bone resorption rate was compared. Serum osteocalcin, growth hormone, estrogen and calcitonin were analyzed using radio immunoassay kits. The bone formation marker and ALP activity were differentiated by protein source, showing higher values than casein in feeding either soy isolate or soy concentrate. In this study using growing rats, the differences in isoflavone contents were not a significant factor in either bone formation or bone reaborption markers. Moreover, the soy isolate group had significantly higher levels of growth hormone than the casein group. The findings of this study suggest that growth hormone is partially responsible for its bone-formation effects in young growing rats. Soy protein and the isoflavones in soy protein are beneficial for bone-formation in growing male rats. Therefore, exposure to soy protein and isoflavones early in life may have long-term health benefits in preventing bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Further study to evaluate the mechanism of action of isoflavones on bones is warranted.
Animals ; Bone Diseases ; Bone Resorption ; Calcitonin ; Caseins ; Collagen ; Creatinine ; Diet ; Estrogens ; Female ; Genistein ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Insurance Benefits ; Isoflavones* ; Male* ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Soybean Proteins* ; Soybeans ; Tamoxifen

This study investigated associations between nutrient intake, lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) , and bone mineral content (BMC) among 33 ovariectomized women (mean age =47.2 y) . Forty-five premenopausal women participated as a control group. The BMD and BMC of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Nutrient intake was estimated by the convenient method and a quantitative food frequency questionnaire was designed for this study that included the most commonly consumed foods sources of calcium. Participants were asked to identify all daily physical activities, and the number of hours per activity. The participants were also grouped by calcium intake. The total calcium intake of all participants was estimated by dietary calcium intake and then the subjects were divided into quartiles to assess the lumbar BMD and BMC of the highest quartile and the lowest quartile of calcium intake. The ovariectomized women consumed 602 mg/d of calcium which is 86% of RDA. There were significant differences in lumbar BMD and BMC between control and ovariectomized group. Within ovariectomized group the highest quartile calcium intake group had significantly greater lumbar bone mineral density and bone mineral content than the lowest quartile calcium intake group. Correlation analysis revealed that the ALP was positively associated with calcium index in control women, while ALP was positively associated with energy intake in ovariectomized women. And body weight was positively correlated with the spinal BMD and BMC in all women. The spinal BMD was negatively associated with menarche age, number of child, and the age of last child delivery, and age in control women. However, neither menarche age nor the age of last child delivery were associated with both spinal BMD in ovariectomized women. These results confirmed that ovariectomized and low calcium intake is associated with poor bone mineral density. Energy and calcium intake and adequate body weight should be recommended in ovariectomized women to prevent osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Body Weight ; Bone Density* ; Calcium ; Calcium, Dietary ; Child ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Humans ; Menarche ; Motor Activity ; Osteoporosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Spine

We found an title error in our published article.

The objective of this study was to investigate the association of nutrient intake and pregnancy outcome mediated by weight gain during pregnancy, job status, and household income. Maternal age, educational level, self-reported pre-pregnancy weights, educational level, and household income were collected from the women at 2 months postpartum. For each offspring, weight at birth, length at birth, and gestational age were collected. Participants were asked to report the frequency of consumption of foods between 28–42 weeks into the pregnancy. Diet was assessed by using a validated 106-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) and women were asked portions and quantities based on pictures, food models, and measuring tools such as cups or teaspoons. Results showed that women who gained below the recommended weight gain during pregnancy, within, and over were 25.3%, 38.7%, 36.0%, respectively. In comparison to weight gain and the offspring's length and weight at birth, the offspring of mothers with a lower weight gain had a higher length. Energy, protein, vitamin B2, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium were significantly lower at employed group. We did not observe a significant difference between birth characteristics and maternal nutrient intake by income. Infants with a higher ponderal index at birth were born to women with a higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI).
Ascorbic Acid ; Body Mass Index ; Calcium ; Diet ; Family Characteristics* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Maternal Age ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Postpartum Period ; Potassium ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy* ; Riboflavin ; Weight Gain* ; Weights and Measures

Taurine supplementation has been shown to have a beneficial effect on femur bone mineral content in ovariectomized rats. It therefore seemed desirable to find out whether the beneficial effect of taurine on ovariectomized rats fed calcium deficient diet could also be reproduced. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. One group was OVX and the other group received sham operation (SHAM), and received either control diet or a taurine supplemented diet for 6 weeks. All rats were fed on calcium deficient diet (AIN-93: 50% level of calcium) and deionized water. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured in spine and femur. The serum and urine concentrations of calcium and phosphorus were determined. Bone formation was measured by serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations. Bone resorption rate was measured by deoxypyridinoline (DPD) crosslinks immunoassay and corrected for creatinine. Urinary calcium and phosphorus excretion, osteocalcin in blood and cross link value were not significantly different among the groups. Within the OVX group, the taurine supplemented group had not higher femur bone mineral content than the control group. This study established the need for a study on the taurine effect on bone with different calcium levels.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Aluminum Hydroxide ; Amino Acids ; Animals ; Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Carbonates ; Creatinine ; Diet ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Phosphorus ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salicylamides ; Spine ; Taurine ; Water

PURPOSE: To identify the effects of foot reflexology massage on fatigue, stress and depression of postpartum women. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group pre-post design was used. A total of 70 women in a postpartum care center were recruited and were assigned to the experimental group (35) or control group (35). Foot reflexology massage was provided to the experimental group once a day for three days. Data were collected before and after the intervention program which was carried out from December, 2013 to February, 2014. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and t-test. RESULTS: The level of fatigue in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (t= - 2.74, p =.008). The level of cortisol in the urine of women in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (t= - 2.19, p =.032). The level of depression in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (t= - 3.00, p =.004). CONCLUSION: The results show that the foot reflexology massage is an effective nursing intervention to relieve fatigue, stress, and depression for postpartum women.
Adult ; Depression, Postpartum/*prevention & control ; *Fatigue ; Female ; Foot ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/blood ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; *Massage ; Postpartum Period/*psychology ; *Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Taurine supplementation has been shown to have an effect on lowering blood lipids in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. It therefore seemed desirable to find out whether the beneficial effect of taurine on OVX rats fed calcium-deficient diet could also be reproduced. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. One group was OVX and the other group received a sham operation (Sham). Each rat group was further divided into the control diet and the taurine supplemented (2.0 g/100 g diet) diet group. All rats were fed on calcium-deficient diet and deionized water ad libitum for 6 weeks. Plasma and liver lipids were determined by using commercial kits. LDL-cholesterol concentrations were estimated with the equation of Friedewald et al. (1972). There were no significant differences in body weight gain and food intake between the control and taurine group within Sham and OVX groups, but body weight gain, food intake, and food efficiency ratio was higher in the OVX group. Concentrations of plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol were significantly lower in the taurine fed group of OVX rats fed Ca deficient diet, while HDL-cholesterol concentration was increased in the taurine fed group. Therefore, in this study, we examined whether taurine also prevented hypercholesterolemia induced by ovarian hormone deficiency in ovariectomized rats when they were fed a calcium-deficient diet. These results indicate that taurine may have some beneficial effects on hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia in OVX rats fed calcium-deficient diet.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Liver ; Plasma ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salicylamides ; Taurine ; Water