BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The association between nutritional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is not fully understood. This study was conducted to understand the role of nutritional status on HRQoL among people with and without T2DM. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Structured survey and direct measurement of anthropometric data were conducted among people with and without T2DM. Nutritional status was measured with Mini Nutritional Assessment tool and HRQoL was measured with a 36-item Short Form Healthy Survey. Data collection was conducted in Chuncheon, South Korea with 756 participants who are older than 40 yrs of age. RESULTS: This study found that overall HRQoL were significantly lower in people with T2DM than people without T2DM after controlling for key covariates. When stratified by nutritional status, a greater degree of negative impact of T2DM on overall physical HRQoL was observed among well-nourished or at risk of malnutrition, whereas significant and more evident negative impact of diabetes on overall psychological HRQoL was observed only among malnourished. CONCLUSIONS The study results suggest the role of nutritional status among people with T2DM on overall, especially psychological aspects of HRQoL. Future longitudinal or intervention studies are warranted to test the impact of nutritional status on HRQoL among people with T2DM.

Objectives: Transformation through a sustainable food system to provide healthy diets is essential for enhancing both human and planetary health. This study aimed to explain about sustainable diets and illustrate appropriate measurement of adherence to sustainable diets using a pre-existing index. Methods: For literature review, we used PubMed and Google Scholar databases by combining the search terms “development,” “validation,” “sustainable diet,” “sustainable diet index,” “planetary healthy diet,” “EAT-Lancet diet,” and “EAT-Lancet reference diet.” For data presentation, we used data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017–2018, among adults aged 20 years and older (n = 3,920). Sustainable Diet Index-US (SDI-US), comprising four sub-indices corresponding to four dimensions of sustainable diets (nutritional quality, environmental impacts, affordability, and sociocultural practices), was calculated using data from 24-hour dietary recall interview, food expenditures, and food choices. A higher SDI-US score indicated greater adherence to sustainable diets (range:4–20). This study also presented SDI-US scores according to the sociodemographic status.All analyses accounted for a complex survey design. Results: Of 148 papers, 16 were reviewed. Adherence to sustainable diets fell into 3 categories: EAT-Lancet reference diet-based (n = 8), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) definitionbased (n = 4), and no specific guidelines but including the sustainability concept (n = 4).Importantly, FAO definition emphasizes on equal importance of four dimensions of diet (nutrition and health, economic, social and cultural, and environmental). The mean SDI-US score was 13 out of 20 points, and was higher in older, female, and highly educated adults than in their counterparts. Conclusions This study highlighted that sustainable diets should be assessed using a multidimensional approach because of their complex nature. Currently, SDI can be a good option for operationalizing multidimensional sustainable diets. It is necessary to develop a Korean version of SDI through additional data collection, including environmental impact of food, food price, food budget, and use of ready-made products.

Background: The effects of excessive ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption on body composition measures or sociodemographic disparities are understudied in Korea. We aimed to investigate the association of UPF intake with percent body fat (PBF) and percent appendicular skeletal muscle mass (PASM) by sociodemographic status in adults. Methods: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2011 (n=11,123 aged ≥40 years). We used a NOVA system to classify all foods reported in a 24-hour dietary recall, and the percentage of energy intake (%kcal) from UPFs was estimated. PBF and PASM were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Tertile (T) 3 of PBF indicated adiposity and T1 of PASM indicated low skeletal muscle mass, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjusting covariates. Results: UPF intake was positively associated with PBF-defined adiposity (ORper 10% increase, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.002 to 1.08) and low PASM (ORper 10% increase, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.09). These associations were stronger in rural residents (PBF: ORper 10% increase, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.23; PASM: ORper 10% increase, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.23) and not college graduates (PBF: ORper 10% increase, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.11; PASM: ORper 10% increase, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.12) than their counterparts. Conclusion A higher UPF intake was associated with higher adiposity and lower skeletal muscle mass among Korean adults aged 40 years and older, particularly in those from rural areas and with lower education levels.

Background: The effects of excessive ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption on body composition measures or sociodemographic disparities are understudied in Korea. We aimed to investigate the association of UPF intake with percent body fat (PBF) and percent appendicular skeletal muscle mass (PASM) by sociodemographic status in adults. Methods: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2011 (n=11,123 aged ≥40 years). We used a NOVA system to classify all foods reported in a 24-hour dietary recall, and the percentage of energy intake (%kcal) from UPFs was estimated. PBF and PASM were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Tertile (T) 3 of PBF indicated adiposity and T1 of PASM indicated low skeletal muscle mass, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjusting covariates. Results: UPF intake was positively associated with PBF-defined adiposity (ORper 10% increase, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.002 to 1.08) and low PASM (ORper 10% increase, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.09). These associations were stronger in rural residents (PBF: ORper 10% increase, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.23; PASM: ORper 10% increase, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.23) and not college graduates (PBF: ORper 10% increase, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.11; PASM: ORper 10% increase, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.12) than their counterparts. Conclusion A higher UPF intake was associated with higher adiposity and lower skeletal muscle mass among Korean adults aged 40 years and older, particularly in those from rural areas and with lower education levels.

Background: The effects of excessive ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption on body composition measures or sociodemographic disparities are understudied in Korea. We aimed to investigate the association of UPF intake with percent body fat (PBF) and percent appendicular skeletal muscle mass (PASM) by sociodemographic status in adults. Methods: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2011 (n=11,123 aged ≥40 years). We used a NOVA system to classify all foods reported in a 24-hour dietary recall, and the percentage of energy intake (%kcal) from UPFs was estimated. PBF and PASM were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Tertile (T) 3 of PBF indicated adiposity and T1 of PASM indicated low skeletal muscle mass, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjusting covariates. Results: UPF intake was positively associated with PBF-defined adiposity (ORper 10% increase, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.002 to 1.08) and low PASM (ORper 10% increase, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.09). These associations were stronger in rural residents (PBF: ORper 10% increase, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.23; PASM: ORper 10% increase, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.23) and not college graduates (PBF: ORper 10% increase, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.11; PASM: ORper 10% increase, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.12) than their counterparts. Conclusion A higher UPF intake was associated with higher adiposity and lower skeletal muscle mass among Korean adults aged 40 years and older, particularly in those from rural areas and with lower education levels.

Objective: This study seeks to evaluate the association between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and the severity of depression and anxiety in the Korean community during the period dominated by the Omicron variant. Methods: We used data from the 2022 Daejeon Mental Health Survey, involving data of 985 participants aged 19–69 years. The data collected included SARS-CoV-2 infection experience, days post-infection, and depression and anxiety symptoms evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7, respectively. Additionally, physical health, social activity status, and sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, age, marital status, educational level, and household income were collected. The association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and depression and anxiety were examined. Further analyses explored association between days post- infection and the severity of depression and anxiety. Results: There was no significant correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and depression and anxiety in the overall population. Notably, participants under 50 years of age exhibited a transient worsening of depression and anxiety, followed by a decrease in symptoms within 40 days. Participants aged 51 years and older showed no significant change in depression and anxiety. Conclusion This study discerned transient effects of Omicron variant infection on depression and anxiety, particularly in younger individuals. A prospective study encompassing a larger sample size is imperative to investigate the influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection on depression and anxiety.

OBJECTIVES: Chrono-nutrition emphasizes meal timing in preventing obesity and metabolic disorders. This study explores the impact of temporal dietary patterns (TDPs) on obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean adults aged 20 years to 65 years. METHODS: We utilized dynamic time warping method and Kernel k-means clustering to investigate diet quality and the odds ratios (ORs) of obesity and MetS with different TDPs using data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS: Participants were divided into three groups based on relative energy intake over 24 hours. After adjusting for age and gender, Cluster 3 (with the highest proportion of energy intake in the evening) had the lowest Healthy Eating Index scores compared to other clusters. Following adjustment for key covariates, Cluster 3 showed the highest values for body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Compared to Cluster 1 (with a lower proportion of energy intake in the evening), Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 had ORs for obesity of 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 1.30) and 1.19 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.37), respectively. For MetS, the ORs were 1.26 (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.48) and 1.37 (95% CI, 1.17 to 1.61) when comparing Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 to Cluster 1. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals that individuals with higher energy intake in the evening have increased odds of obesity and MetS, even after adjusting for major covariates, including age and total energy intake.

BACKGROUND: Korea is considered an iodine sufficient country, and several studies have been conducted regarding iodine status in healthy Korean adults, pregnant women, and preschool children. However, data on iodine status in Korean school-age children are lacking. Therefore, the iodine nutrition status of Korean school-age children was investigated by measuring urine iodine concentration (UIC). METHODS: This cross-sectional study conducted between April and September 2016 comprised 373 school-age children. UIC was determined using a modified microplate method employing ammonium persulfate digestion followed by Sandell-Kolthoff reaction. RESULTS: The median UIC was 458.2 µg/L. Excessive iodine intake (>300 µg/L) was found in 286 children (76.7%), with extremely high values exceeding 1,000 µg/L in 19.6% of subjects. Insufficient iodine intake (<100 µg/L) was observed in eight children (2.1%). UIC values were not significantly different between sexes. CONCLUSION: Korean school-age children showed excessive iodine intake. Therefore, education regarding adequate iodine intake in school-age children is needed.
Adult ; Ammonium Compounds ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Digestion ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Iodine* ; Korea* ; Methods ; Nutritional Status ; Pregnant Women

PURPOSE: The in vitro biocompatibility of Calcium Metaphosphate (CMP) with human bone marrow stromal cells (HBMSCs) and its effect on osteoblastic differentiation have been evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of CMP on the HBMSCs undergoing osteoblastic differentiation were evaluated with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Morphologies of the HBMSCs were examined using scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Osteoblastic differentiation of the HBMSCs was analyzed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and RTPCR. RESULTS: The CMP powder and disk did not exert cytotoxic effect on the HBMSCs. In addition, the HBMSCs were adhered on the surface of CMP disk as successfully as on the culture plate or HA disk and displayed similar actin arrangement and cellular phenotypes. Furthermore, the HBMSCs grown on three different matrices were able to support osteoblastic differentiation of the HBMSCs as accessed by ALP staining. However, the CMP disk compared to the HA disk has a better ability to induce expression of osteoblast-related genes such as ALP, osteopontin (OPN) and osteoprotegerin (OPG). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that, in addition to biocompatibility of the CMP with the HBMSCs, the CMP has an ability to stimulate osteoblastic differentiation of the HBMSCs in vitro.
Actins ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Calcium* ; Humans* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteopontin ; Osteoprotegerin ; Phenotype ; Stromal Cells*