Hwan-Sik Hwang | 16 Articles |
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Background
Prevention and management of metabolic syndrome (MetS) during childhood are crucial. Recently, obesity among children and adolescents has increased with an increase in mothers’ working hours. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between mothers’ working hours and MetS in their children. Methods Data from the 2016–2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used, and 2,598 children and adolescents aged 10–18 years were included. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to confirm the association between MetS and mothers’ working hours for each risk factor. Linear regression analysis was conducted to confirm the association between mothers’ working hours and the number of risk factors for MetS. Results Abdominal obesity in children was higher when the mothers’ working hours were 53 hours or more (odds ratio [OR], 2.267; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–4.25). In the trend analysis, the OR of children’s abdominal obesity increased significantly as mothers’ working hours increased (P-value <0.05). Additionally, sex-stratified analysis revealed a significant trend between maternal work hours and the presence of MetS in female children (P=0.016). The adjusted OR of the presence of MetS in female children with mothers working 53 hours or more weekly was 6.065 (95% CI, 1.954–18.822). Conclusion Mothers’ working hours were highly correlated with the risk of abdominal obesity in their children. The OR of the presence of MetS significantly increased in female children with mothers having longer working hours compared with those with stay-at-home mothers. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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Physical activity is known to prevent several diseases and positively affect mental health. Previous studies have shown that smartphone addiction negatively affects the physical activity of children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic smartphone use and physical activity among adolescents and the related factors using path analysis. Methods Using data from the 16th Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2020, scores on the Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version for Adolescents, physical activity, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), academic performance, depression, smoking, drinking, and sitting time were assessed. Complex sampling and path analyses were performed. Results Of the total 54,948 students, 25.5% were smartphone risk users, including potential and high-risk users. The direct path coefficients of each factor indicated that female sex (-0.14 for male), low SES (-0.062), high academic performance (0.056), low sitting time for studying purposes (-0.033), high sitting time for non-studying purposes (0.071), and depressive mood (0.130) were related to problematic smartphone use (all P<0.001). Each factor affected problematic smartphone use, and subsequently had a negative effect on the amount of physical activity, with a direct path coefficient of -0.115 (P<0.001). Conclusion In this study, we confirmed that problematic smartphone use among adolescents was negatively associated with performing an adequate amount of physical activity and that various factors, such as sex, SES, academic performance, and sitting time, directly and indirectly affected this relationship. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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Background
Although numerous studies have indicated that lower levels of physical activity correlate with a higher risk of depression, an association between the type of physical activity and depression has not been identified in Korea. This study aimed to examine whether the type and intensity of physical activity are associated with depression in Korean adults. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A total of 11,679 individuals were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analyses to identify any association between the type of physical activity and depressive disorders in the sample subjects. Results Measured weekly in units of energy expenditure, known as metabolic equivalents (METs), the amount of work-related physical activity was higher in individuals with depression according to the Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 than the participants without depression (386.7 vs. 206.7 MET-min/wk, P=0.01). Those diagnosed with depression tended to engage in less recreational activity per week (143.7 vs. 316.3 MET-min/wk, P<0.001) than those without depression. After controlling for covariates, the risk of depression among all participants was 1.012 times higher with a 100-unit increase in total work-related activity measured in METs (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.017; P<0.001) and 0.962 times lower with a 100-unit increase in total leisure activity measured in METs (95% CI, 0.937–0.987; P=0.003). Conclusion Different types of physical activity were shown to be differently associated with depressive disorders in Korean adults. This study might guide in reducing work-related physical activity and increasing leisure activity to prevent the occurrence of depression. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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This study aimed to examine the relationship between patient experience and medication compliance of patients with dyslipidemia. Methods Based on data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2015, the study examined 764 patients treated with dyslipidemia medication. Subjects who responded to the question “Do you currently take medication to lower your blood cholesterol?” with “daily taking” were categorized as the compliant group, and the remaining subjects were classified under the non-compliant group. The patient experience survey included four indicators, in which subjects were divided into groups with a positive and negative patient experience. Data on sociodemographic factors, health-related behaviors, and self-reported comorbid conditions were also collected. Results After adjusting the variables, the group with a positive response for the patient experience indicator “doctor spends enough time with the patient during consultation” was 1.89 times more compliant than the group with a negative response (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–3.48; P=0.04). For the indicator “doctor provides easy-to-understand explanations,” the group that showed a positive response was 2.74 times more compliant than the group with a negative response (95% CI, 1.39–5.39; P=0.004). For the indicator “doctor involves patients in decisions about care or treatment,” the group that showed a positive response was 2.07 times more compliant than the group with a negative response (95% CI, 1.02–4.22; P=0.04). However, for the indicator “doctor provides the patient a chance to ask questions about treatment,” positive patient experience had no significant association with medication compliance (95% CI, 0.77–2.36; P=0.30). Conclusion Building a good doctor-patient relationship with positive patient experiences can result in better outcomes for patient care through high medication compliance. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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Background
Many studies have reported that dog ownership is effective in encouraging physical activity. However, the association between living with a dog and enhanced physical activity has not been clearly verified. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of dog ownership on the amount of physical activity in a representative sample of Korean adults. Methods This cross-sectional study administered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to 1,299 individuals who visited the international healthcare center of one hospital in Seoul, Korea, between August and December in 2018. Based on responses to the IPAQ survey, the amount and duration of physical activity was calculated to analyze relationships with dog ownership. Results The total amount (P=0.02) and duration of physical activity (P=0.02) and the duration of vigorous-intensity physical activity (P=0.04) were significantly higher among dog owners than non-dog owners. The duration of daily physical activity increased with dog ownership by 18.6 minutes (P=0.01). A comparison of dog owners according to whether they walked with their dogs revealed that dog walking had no significant effect on the amount and duration of physical activity, inactivity, or health-enhancing physical activity status. There was a sex-specific association between dog ownership and total duration of physical activity in females. Conclusion The duration of physical activity increased by dog ownership. However, the higher levels of physical activity among dog owners may not necessarily be explained by dog ownership or walking with dogs. This outcome suggests that raising a dog can help promote physical activity. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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Although the number of medical institutions running a smoking cessation clinic is on the rise, there remains a paucity of research on the long- and short-term success rates of smoking cessation programs, as well as on smoking relapse rates, before and after project implementation. This study assessed the general characteristics of patients visiting the smoking cessation clinic, success rate of smoking cessation in the short term, and risks of relapse. Methods Medical records from March 2015 to April 2017 were analyzed and telephone surveys were conducted with 151 smokers who visited a hospital smoking cessation clinic from March 2015 to April 2017. Results Of the 139 smokers who were eligible for follow-up, 22 (15.8%) failed to quit smoking initially. The clinic’s 6-month success rate of smoking cessation was 64.83%. Those with higher medication compliance had a lower risk of primary failure (odds ratio, 0.056; 95% confidence interval, 0.005–0.609), whereas those with higher age (hazard ratio [HR], 0.128; P=0.0252) and a greater number of visits to the clinic (HR, 0.274; P=0.0124) had a lower risk of relapsing. Conclusion The risk of primary failure to quit was higher with low medication compliance, and that of relapsing was higher with lower age and fewer number of clinic visits. Various evaluation and analysis methods can be carried out in the future based on the accumulated data for maintenance of smoking cessation and relapse prevention. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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It is well known that breastfeeding has a significant impact on the health of mothers and children. With the growing importance of breastfeeding, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding and the prevalence of diabetes in Korean parous women. Methods The data of 5,448 premenopausal parous women aged 20–49 years who agreed to participate in the 5th– 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed in this study. Control group included women who had not breastfed. The subjects who had breastfed were classified into three groups based on the duration of breastfeeding: 0–6 months, 6–12 months, and >12 months. The variables included age, body mass index, education level, income, alcohol drinking, smoking, family history of diabetes, use of oral contraceptives, the number of pregnancies, and regular exercise. Results Among the subjects, the prevalence of diabetes was significantly lower in women who had breastfed compared to those who had not, with an odds ratio of 0.534 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.289–0.976) in women who breastfed for 0–6 months and 0.575 (95% CI, 0.321–0.990) in women who breastfed for 6–12 months (both P<0.05). Conclusion The present study found a reduced prevalence of diabetes in women who had breastfed compared to those who had not. However, no association between the duration of breastfeeding and the prevalence of diabetes could be found. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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This study aimed to investigate the relationship between marital status and the incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korean middle-aged women. Methods Based on data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2014), 3,225 women aged 40–69 years were subjected to the analysis. Marital status was categorized as married, unmarried, separated, widowed, or divorced. The odds ratios (ORs) for metabolic syndrome were calculated based on marital status. After adjustment for age, income level, education level, alcohol intake, smoking status, leisure physical activity, menopause status, daily calories, and fat intake, changes in the OR for metabolic syndrome based on marital status were examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results The OR for metabolic syndrome in the widowed group to the married group was 4.818 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.861–6.002; P<0.001) and that after adjustment of age, economic level, education level, alcohol intake, smoking status, physical activity, menopause status, total daily calories, and fat intake was 2.141 (CI, 1.432–3.199; P<0.001), both of which were statistically significant. The OR for metabolic syndrome in the unmarried group to the married group was 0.246 (CI, 0.141–0.431; P<0.001) after adjustment of all components. On the contrary, the ORs of the separated group and the divorced group to the married group were not significant. Conclusion In comparison with the married middle-aged group, the widowed middle-aged group tended to have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, which is speculated to be related to socioeconomic factors and health behavior. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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This study aimed to identify and examine the effects of weight control behaviors correlated with weight loss in obese individuals who attempted to lose weight within the past year. Methods In this cross-sectional study, data from 9,461 obese individuals were collected from the fifth and sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2014). Three of nine verified methods of weight control suggested in the survey were selected: diet therapy (reduced food intake), exercise therapy (exercise), and medication therapy (prescribed weight loss medications). Participants were divided into one of seven groups (diet therapy alone; exercise therapy alone; drug therapy alone; combined diet and exercise therapy; combined exercise and drug therapy; combined diet and drug therapy; or combined diet, exercise, and drug therapy). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether the group that tried to lose weight in the past year had indeed lost weight compared to the group that did not. Results The odds ratios for weight loss (≥3 but <6 kg vs. ≥6 but <10 kg) for the combined therapies were 2.05 (95% confidence interval, 1.23–3.41) for combined diet and exercise therapy and 5.43 (1.74–16.92) for combined diet, exercise, and drug therapy. Conclusion All levels of weight loss were significantly associated with combined diet and exercise therapy. Weight loss ≥6 kg but <10 kg was significantly associated with combined diet and exercise therapy as well as with combined diet, exercise, and medication therapy among individuals who tried to lose weight in the past year. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
After introduction of clinical skills assessment in the Korean Medical Licensing Examination, medical schools have reinforced both experiential learning with real patients and preparatory programs. This study was conducted to investigate whether a clinical practice examination (CPX) preparation program improves students' CPX score in terms of case specificity. One hundred and thirteen senior students in a medical school participated in this study. During the fourth-year clerkship, 28 students (24.8%) from three rotation groups took a 3-day CPX preparation course consisting of module development, role play, and comprehensive physical exam skills training. Eleven rotation groups (n=85) were compared as control. Both the intervention and control group took two comprehensive CPXs before and after the clerkship was completed. There was no significant difference in age, sex, and school type between the two groups. On pre-test CPX, there was no significant difference in total and sectional scores between the two groups. On post-test CPX, total scores of the intervention group were higher than those of the control groups (69.5±4.3 vs. 67.5±4.4, P<0.05). History taking scores were higher in intervention groups (70.0±6.0 vs. 66.0±6.6, P=0.01). The station scores of vaginal discharge with case similarity were higher in the intervention groups (73.0±6.3 vs. 68.9±9.3, P=0.03). A short CPX preparation course improved history taking ability, but its effect was greater only in a specific case, similar to the pre-course case. Whether this effect was due to the test experience or true improvement in competency requires further investigation. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum lipid levels in Korean adults after consumption of different types of yogurt. Study subjects were 3,038 individuals (≥19 years of age) who participated in the 2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Yogurt intake was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire by using the 24-hour recall method. We conducted complex samples general linear analysis with adjustment for covariates. The serum triglyceride levels in the group consuming viscous yogurt were lower than those in the group consuming non-viscous yogurt. Consumption of viscous yogurt is associated with low serum triglyceride levels in Korean adults. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between smoking status and suicidal ideations or suicide attempts in Korean adults. The study used data from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and involved 17,065 participants. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between smoking status and suicidal behavior. The results were adjusted for covariates including depression and physical disease. After adjusting for covariates, current smokers (odds ratio [OR], 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 2.05) and former smokers (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.72) proved more likely to have suicidal ideations than non-smokers. Among women, current smokers (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.47 to 2.72) and former smokers (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.99) were more likely to have suicidal ideations than non-smokers. However, among the men there was no significant relationship between smoking status and suicidal ideations. Among all the participants who had had suicidal ideations, there was a significant relationship between current smoking and suicide attempts (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.05 to 3.07). There was also a relationship between current smoking and suicide attempts among women (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.31 to 4.37), but no significant relationship among men. There is a relationship between smoking status and suicidal ideations and suicide attempts in the general population of Korea. This relationship is particularly clear in women, and is independent of comorbid chronic disease and depression. Current smokers and former smokers are more likely to have suicidal ideations than non-smokers; current smokers are also more likely to have attempted suicide. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
Diet and Nutrition are important modulators of bone health in men and women. We investigated the associations between frequency of food intake among certain food groups and bone mineral density (BMD) in a large population of Korean adults. We used the data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2008 to 2009. Participants were aged 20 years and over. BMDs were measured at lumbar spine and femoral neck with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Dietary and supplement intakes were assessed by food-frequency questionnaire. We used multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the relationships between annual food-frequency of each food group and BMD. After adjustment of multiple covariates, femoral neck and lumbar BMD significantly increased as the frequency of fruit consumption increased in both men and women. Frequency of other carbohydrates consumption was significantly associated with greater femoral neck and lumbar BMD for women. Frequency of milk and dairy product consumption was significantly associated with greater femoral neck BMD in men. Other food groups, however, had no significant associations with BMDs. Frequent consumption of fruit has a positive association with BMDs in men and women. Milk and dairy products and other carbohydrates also had positive effects on BMD for men and women, respectively. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
This study was performed to evaluate the association between food intake frequencies and long-term blood glucose control using glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in Korean diabetes. This study used data collected from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Patients with diabetes were defined as people who responded "yes" to the question "Are you currently suffering from diabetes?" or in whom serum fasting glucose was 126 mg/dL or more. Using the food frequency questionnaire and HbA1c in surveys, we examined the association between the annual food-frequencies of each food group and long-term blood glucose control. After adjustment for other covariates, HbA1c decreased significantly as the frequency of the intake of fish increased in each population (P = 0.001 for all, P = 0.043 for men, P = 0.001 for women). The intake of mackerel played an especially important role in the control of diabetes. Among women, HbA1c decreased as the frequency of intake of legumes increased (P = 0.029) and increased as the frequency of intake of staple carbohydrates increased (P = 0.015). On the other hand, any intake of other food groups showed no significant relationship with HbA1c. Frequent intake of fish in all populations and legumes in woman were associated with good glycemic control in diabetics. Frequent intake of carbohydrates was associated with elevated HbA1c in women. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
There are few tools to detect the diabetic autonomic neuropathy at an earlier stage. This study was conducted to investigate the association between symptoms of autonomic neuropathy and the heart rate variability (HRV) in diabetics. Study subjects consisted of 50 diabetic patients and 30 outpatient hospital control patients at a university family medicine department. The patients completed a Korean version of composite autonomic symptom scale (COMPASS). Electrocardiography was recorded in the supine position, on standing, and during deep breathing, for 5 minutes each. HRV of frequency domain was calculated by power spectral analysis. The COMPASS score was higher in female diabetic patients compared with that in controls. Among 50 diabetic patients, the total COMPASS score correlated positively with normalized low frequency (LF) score (normalized units, n.u.) (r = 0.62, P < 0 .001) and low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) (r = 0.77, P < 0.001), negatively with normalized HF score (n.u.) (r = -0.59, P < 0.001) and RMSSD (square root of the mean of the sum of the square of differences between adjacent NN interval; r = -0.33, P = 0.031). The decrease in LF (n.u) and the increase in HF (n.u) by deep breathing from the supine position were higher in diabetic patients compared with those in controls. The increase in LF (n.u) and the decrease in HF (n.u) by standing from the supine position were lower in diabetic patients compared with those in controls. The COMPASS score correlated with some component score of the HRV in diabetics. The HRV may be used as a tool to detect diabetic autonomic neuropathy by augmentation with position change. Citations Citations to this article as recorded by
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