Objectives: Korea is one of the fastest-aging societies, and a large proportion of its older population lives alone. This study examined the impact of family interaction frequency on the association between living alone and depressive symptoms among older adults aged ≥80 years using nationally representative survey data. Methods: Among the 229 099 participants of the 2019 Korea Community Health Survey, 15 672 participants aged ≥80 years who either lived with close family or lived alone were included in the analysis. Participants living alone were classified according to the frequency of family interaction, ranging from less than once a month to more than once a week. The outcome variable was moderate to severe depressive symptoms, defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of ≥10. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher among older adults living alone (9.4–14.1%, depending on the frequency of family interaction) than among those living with close family (6.5%). Older adults living alone who interacted with family less than once a month were more likely to report depressive symptoms compared with those living with close family (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36 to 2.15). Weekly family interaction mitigated the impact of living alone on the prevalence of depressive symptoms (aOR 1.10; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.42). The influence of family interaction on the association between living alone and depressive symptoms remained consistent across subgroups of men, women, and those with difficulty in daily activities. Conclusions Encouraging regular interaction among family members could serve as an effective strategy to protect the mental health of older adults.

High blood pressure is an important determinant of the incidence of coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, renal failure, and peripheral vascular disease. Recommendations for control of high blood pressure emphasize lifestyle modification, including weight control, reduced sodium intake, increased physical activity. Subjects who were normotensive (n = 19, 47.2 +/- 9.0 y, BP 116/81 mmHg), treatment hypertensive (n = 33, 54.2 +/- 6.9 y, BP 132/85 mmHg) and non-treatment hypertensive (n = 14, 50.1 +/- 11.0 y, 149/94 mmHg) recruited. Anthropometric assessment (height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, fat %, fat mass, and lean body mass) and dietary assessments (using 3-days food records, daily nutrient intakes were analysed by CAN PRO 2.0 were carried out. Blood and 24-hour urine were collected). Test of recognition for salt taste threshold were performed. In non-treatment hypertensive male subjects, weight, %IBW, BMI, and waist circumference were significantly higher than those of normotensive and treatment hypertensive subjects (p < 0.05). Food habits were not significantly different among the three groups. Intakes of vitamin A, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2 were significantly higher in normotensive group (p < 0.05). Intakes of sodium and salt taste recognition threshold were the highest in normotensive group and the lowest in treatment hypertensive group (p < 0.05). Blood levels of lipids and minerals were not significantly different among the three groups. Urinary calcium level of normotensive group were significantly higher than that of treatment hypertensive and non-treatment hypertensive groups (p < 0.05). These results indicate that continuous management of hypertension by drug and non-drug treatment affects salt taste recognition threshold and reduced the consumption of sodium. However, dietary sodium intake exceed recommended sodium intake to prevent and treat hypertension. It is necessary to develop the lifestyle modification program that may have beneficial effects on hypertension treatment.
Calcium ; Coronary Disease ; Food Habits ; Heart Failure ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Incidence ; Life Style ; Male ; Minerals ; Motor Activity ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Renal Insufficiency ; Riboflavin ; Sodium ; Sodium, Dietary ; Stroke ; Taste Threshold ; Thiamine ; Vitamin A ; Waist Circumference

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) on anthropometric measurements, quality of diets, and blood parameters through the weight loss program in over weight and obese women. The subjects (n = 76, age 31.1 +/- 8.4 y, weight 70.3 +/- 7.9 kg, BMI 27.2 +/- 2.4 kg/m2) without medical disease were treated with MNT 5 times for 12 weeks by dietitian. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, fat mass, lean body mass, triceps and thigh skin-fold thickness, mid-arm, waist, hip and thigh circumference. Dietary assessments were accomplished using 3-days food records, diet quality index (DQI), and dietary pattern. The dietary pattern was assessed by daily energy intakes from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks of calorie density, and numbers of eating. Blood levels of leptin, lipid profiles (total lipids, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol), and insulin were analyzed. Anthropometric measurements decreased significantly after MNT (p < 0.001). Waist circumference was reduced most rapidly and tricep skin-fold thickness was reduced most effectively after 12 weeks of MNT. Daily energy intake, calorie density and numbers of eating incidence decreased significantly (1796.4 +/- 395.5 vs 1402.9 +/- 217.8 kcal/day, 162.3 +/- 56.5 vs 113.4 +/- 30.1, 5.0 +/- 1.4 vs 3.8 +/- 0.4, respectively, p < 0.05). The daily energy intake from breakfast and snacks significantly decreased (p < 0.001). Calories from snack, calorie density of snack and numbers of snacking also decreased (p < 0.05). The mean scores of DQI significantly increased (7.6 +/- 2.1 vs 6.5 +/- 1.6, p < 0.05). The plasma levels of total lipid, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and leptin decreased significantly after MNT (489.8 +/- 100.4 vs 447.0 +/- 87.3 mg/dL, 187.7 +/- 34.0 vs 175.9 +/- 31.5 mg/dL, 115.2 +/- 29.2 vs 109.2 +/- 26.7 mg/dL, 15.7 +/- 7.6 vs 12.4+/- 5.9 ng/mL, respectively, p < 0.05). These results indicate that MNT efficiently reduced the body weight through the changes in dietary intake, dietary patterns and dietary quality. MNT also changed body composition and reduced the levels of plasma lipid, cholesterol and leptin.
Body Composition ; Body Weight ; Breakfast ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Diet Records ; Eating ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insulin ; Leptin ; Lunch ; Meals ; Nutrition Therapy* ; Nutritionists ; Obesity ; Plasma ; Snacks ; Thigh ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference ; Weight Loss ; Weight Reduction Programs