PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to validate waist circumference (WC) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) corresponding to body mass index (BMI) of 25kg/m2 and to survey the prevalence of hypertension according to obesity in female college students. METHOD: Weight, height, waist and hip circumferences and blood pressure were measured for each of 286 female college students in J City, Chungbuk. RESULTS: The subjects' mean BMI was 21.4kg/m2, and the estimated prevalence of obesity was 11.2%. The subjects, the 80th-90th percentile of whom had BMI exceeding 25kg/m2, were found to have WC of 75-78.1 cm and WHR of 0.79-0.80, respectively. Of the subjects with obesity(BMI> or =25kg/m2), 53.1% exhibited abdominal obesity (WC> or =80cm) and 40.6% had WHR over 0.80. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were correlated with BMI, WC, and WHR. The prevalence rate of hypertension in subjects with obesity(BMI> or =25kg/m2) was 25%. Additionally, the prevalence rate of hypertension in subjects with abdominal obesity (WC> or =80cm) was 39.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that WC corresponding to BMI of 25kg/m2 in female subjects in their twenties is different from that of adult women. We also found that the prevalence rate of hypertension in subjects with abdominal obesity was high. Therefore. we suggest further studies to determine the cutoff value of WC for evaluating abdominal obesity and to investigate the long-term effects of obesity on women in their twenties.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Prevalence ; Waist Circumference* ; Waist-Hip Ratio*

This study was designed to investigate the effects of behavior modification and aerobic exercise on the degree of obesity, eating behavior, depression and self esteem among adolescent girls who were overweight and obese. Forty seven subjects were selected from one girl's middle school located in Seoul. Seventeen girls received the behavior modification program by joining 60-90 minute group session weekly. Behavior modification, in this study, consisted of self-monitoring, changing patterns of life style and attitudes, teaching nutrition and physical activities, and asking personal help. The aerobic exercise program was given to 16 girls 3 times per week with 60 minutes each time. Fourteen girls received both behavior modification and aerobic exercise. These interventions continued for 8 weeks. Changes after intervention were examined twice after 4 weeks and 8 weeks for degree of obesity and once after 8 weeks only for eating behavior, depression and self esteem. The results were as follows : 1. Degree of obesity was significantly decreased after 4 weeks and 8 weeks in 3 groups. Degree of obesity after 4 weeks and 8 weeks were not significantly different among 3 groups. 2. The mean score of eating behavior related to obesity decreased significantly after intervention in the behavior modification group only. There was significant difference in eating behavior among 3 groups after intervention. 3. The behavior modification group showed no significant changes in depression and self esteem after intervention. In the aerobic exercise group and group who participated in both behavior modification and aerobic exercise, the level of depression decreased significantly. There were no significant differences in the level of depression and self esteem among 3 groups after intervention. These findings indicate that behavior modification might be effective in decreasing degree of obesity and eating behavior related to obesity, aerobic exercise be effective in decreasing degree of obesity and the level of depression, and also in increasing the level of self esteem.
Adolescent* ; Behavior Therapy* ; Depression* ; Eating* ; Exercise* ; Feeding Behavior* ; Female* ; Humans ; Life Style ; Motor Activity ; Obesity* ; Overweight ; Self Concept* ; Seoul

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 8 weeks smoking cessation program(SCP) developed by researchers. METHOD: One group pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The subjects were 88 male university students who consented to participate in the 8 weeks SCP. The SCP in this study consisted of a stop-smoking class, e-mail, SMS(short message service), cellular phone, internet cafe, displayed panel, and patch or acupuncture for quitting smoking. Korean version of questionnaire for nicotine dependency by Ahn et al.(2002), the smoking self-efficacy scale translated by Choi(1999) and subjects' opinion about the SCP were measured. The data were analyzed by using frequency, Chi-Square test, paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS WIN 10.1 Program. RESULTS: 1) The rate of quitting smoking was 31.8% after 8 weeks SCP. 2) There was no significant decrease in the nicotine dependency score among smoking subjects after SCP. 3) There was a significant increase in self-efficacy after SCP. The mean score of self -efficacy in the quitting smoking group increased significantly, but did not significantly change in the smoking group. 4) The stop-smoking class was the most helpful among contents of the SCP. Contents of the SCP except for internet cafe were useful for quitting smoking in this study. CONCLUSION: The above results indicated that the 8 weeks SCP would be a helpful intervention to quit smoking for male university students.
Acupuncture ; Cellular Phone ; Electronic Mail ; Humans ; Internet ; Male* ; Nicotine* ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 8 weeks smoking cessation program(SCP) developed by researchers. METHOD: One group pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The subjects were 88 male university students who consented to participate in the 8 weeks SCP. The SCP in this study consisted of a stop-smoking class, e-mail, SMS(short message service), cellular phone, internet cafe, displayed panel, and patch or acupuncture for quitting smoking. Korean version of questionnaire for nicotine dependency by Ahn et al.(2002), the smoking self-efficacy scale translated by Choi(1999) and subjects' opinion about the SCP were measured. The data were analyzed by using frequency, Chi-Square test, paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS WIN 10.1 Program. RESULTS: 1) The rate of quitting smoking was 31.8% after 8 weeks SCP. 2) There was no significant decrease in the nicotine dependency score among smoking subjects after SCP. 3) There was a significant increase in self-efficacy after SCP. The mean score of self -efficacy in the quitting smoking group increased significantly, but did not significantly change in the smoking group. 4) The stop-smoking class was the most helpful among contents of the SCP. Contents of the SCP except for internet cafe were useful for quitting smoking in this study. CONCLUSION: The above results indicated that the 8 weeks SCP would be a helpful intervention to quit smoking for male university students.
Acupuncture ; Cellular Phone ; Electronic Mail ; Humans ; Internet ; Male* ; Nicotine* ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the critical thinking disposition, problem solving ability, and clinical competence of nursing students in a 4-year baccalaureate university program. METHODS: In this study, a descriptive survey design was used with convenience sample of 228 nursing students at a University in Chungbuk Province. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple stepwise regression. RESULTS: The mean scores for critical thinking disposition, problem solving ability, and clinical competence were at the intermediate level. Significant positive correlations among critical thinking disposition, problem solving ability, and clinical competence were found. The regression model explained 46.8% of clinical competence. Problem solving confidence was the most significant predictor of clinical competence, other variables were intellectual fairness, intellectual eagerness/curiosity, and prudence. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggest that nursing students with higher levels of critical thinking disposition and problem solving ability will have a higher level of clinical competence. Furthermore, problem solving confidence might be the most important predictor in clinical competence. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the new teaching strategies in nursing education, strategies that will improve critical thinking disposition, problem solving ability, and clinical competence.
Clinical Competence ; Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Problem Solving ; Students, Nursing ; Thinking

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify whether neck circumference might be correlated with other obesity indices and to determine the neck circumference cutoff level for obesity in female college students. METHOD: The data were obtained by measuring other anthropometric indices including BMI and neck circumference from 325 female college students in J city, Chungbuk Province. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve(ROC curve) analysis was used to find the optimal neck circumference cutoff level against BMI 25kg/m2. RESULTS: The mean BMI was 21.4kg/m2, and the prevalence of obesity was 12.6%. Neck circumference was significantly correlated with body weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio, % body fat, triceps skinfold thickness, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Neck circumference of 31.95cm was the best cutoff level for determining female students with a BMI over 25kg/m2, and the characteristic was acceptable with 97.6% sensitivity and 85.6% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Neck circumference was strongly correlated with the other conventional obesity indices. Female college students with neck circumference over 31.95cm require an additional evaluation of obesity.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Female* ; Hip ; Humans ; Neck* ; Obesity* ; Prevalence ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skinfold Thickness ; Waist Circumference

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC according to obesity in young adult women. METHODS: Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and percent body fat (PBF) were obtained by using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Neck circumference (NC), waist circumference (WC) and spirometric values (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC) were obtained for 135 women college students who were healthy and non smokers. RESULTS: Mean BMI and PBF were 21.8kg/m2 and 30.5%. Obesity prevalence according to BMI and PBF were respectively 13.3%, and 50.9%. Lean body mass (LBM) was positively correlated with FVC, FEV1, and PBF was negatively correlated with FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. FVC and FEV1 of the underweight or obese group were lower than those of normal weight group. CONCLUSION: PBF, but not BMI, is negatively associated with pulmonary function in women college students.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Neck ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Thinness ; Vital Capacity ; Waist Circumference ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify how accurately body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) detect obesity in young adult women. METHOD: Measurements of height, weight, WC, and percent body fat (% BF) were obtained and bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to estimate body fat in 329 female college students. The sensitivity and specificity to screen obesity by BMI and WC were determined using SPSS. Received operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the appropriate BMI and WC predicting % BF. RESULTS: % BF-defined obesity (> or =30%) had higher prevalence than BMI-defined obesity (> or = 25kg/m2) and WC-defined obesity (> or =80cm). BMI > or =25kg/m2 and WC > or =80cm had high specificity (both, 100%), but low sensitivity (respectively, 13.5% and 22.9%) in detecting % BF-defined obesity. The BMI and WC cutoff values corresponding to % BF-defined obesity were 21.2kg/m2 and 73cm, which were lower than recommended reference values for Korean women. These values decreased specificity but increased sensitivity to detect obesity. The areas under the ROC curve were good (0.84, 0.86) for BMI and WC. CONCLUSION: BMI and WC have good specificity but miss more than 77~86% of people with excess fat. Therefore, BMI and WC cutoff values need to be revised and body fat should be considered when screening for obesity in young adult women.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Mass Index ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Reference Values ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Waist Circumference ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare obesity-related quality of life according to obesity classification by BMI (body mass index) and self-assessment. METHODS: The participants were 286 female college students in J City. Data were obtained by measuring height, weight and BMI, and using a questionnaire for self-assessment of obesity, weight control, and quality of life. The quality of life was measured using 14 items of the Korean version of obesity-related quality of life (KOQOL). RESULTS: Thirty five percent of the students assessed themselves as overweight and obese despite their BMI <23m2/kg(false overweight). True overweight students with BMI > or =23m2/kg who perceived themselves as overweight and obese were 23%. The total KOQOL score between true and false overweight students showed no significant difference. True overweight students had a lower total KOQOL score including psychosocial, physical, daily living, sex related, and food-related domains than true normal weight students. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of life was not different between true and false overweight students. These results indicate that self-assessment about obesity affects the quality of life like as actual BMI in female college students. Therefore, it is necessary to care students who distort themselves as obese.
Body Mass Index ; Classification ; Female ; Humans ; Obesity ; Overweight* ; Quality of Life* ; Self-Assessment ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Erotica* ; Female ; Humans ; Internet*