Background Self-perceived health is a good indicator of health status. It is generally accepted that self-perceived health status has important role on one's health behavior and public health education. Smoking, drinking, and obesity are well known risk factors for one's health. But its effects on self-perceived health status are not known so well in Korea. This study was planned to evaluate the effect of health behavior such as smoking, drinking, and obesity on self-perceived health status. Methods: We enrolled a total of 6,040 Koreans, visited to one general hospital health promotion center from June, 2004 through June, 2007. Data was collected by questionnaire, including basic demographic variables, family history of cancers or cerobrovascular accidents, psycho-emotional factors such as stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and health behaviors including smoking, drinking, and exercise. Risk factors for metabolic syndrome were also obtained including waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting blood sugar, and body mass index (BMI). Results: Older age, higher alcohol consumption, higher BMI, and regular exercise were associated with higher self-perceived health status. Higher education status, higher score of stress, symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia, drug medication, operation history, and abnormal HDL status were associated with lower self-perceived health status. Smoking and metabolic syndrome had no relation with self-perceived health status. Conclusion: Drinking and higher BMI were associated with higher self-perceived health status, indicating discrepancies between self-perceived health status and medical advice. More strict education might be required for those risk factors.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Perceptions of health and healthcare needs in low-resource settings: qualitative insights from Bengaluru's urban slum and rural areas Keerthi Dubbala, Wanda Spahl, Carolin Elizabeth George, Luc de Witte Frontiers in Public Health.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Turkish Validity and Reliability of The Self-Perceived Health Scale: How Do Quality of Life, Psychological Well-Being, and Health Promotion Behaviors Affect Perceived Health in Older Adults? Banu Aslan, Özgür Önal Türk Psikolojik Danışma ve Rehberlik Dergisi.2025; 15(78): 516. CrossRef
The association between tooth brushing during lunchtime and obesity in South Korean adolescents Yoonjin Cho, Heejae Shin, Seunghoon Lee, Jinhyun Kim, Jaeyong Shin, Hyunkyu Kim Scientific Reports.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
A Study on Characteristics Related to the Current Use of Heated Tobacco Products among Adolescents Jun Ho Cho Journal of Environmental Health Sciences.2023; 49(2): 118. CrossRef
Effects of Subjective Health Perception on Health Behavior and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Patients with Prediabetes and Diabetes Sungjung Kwak, Yoonmi Lee, Seunghui Baek, Jieun Shin International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(13): 7900. CrossRef
Association between Normal Weight Central Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Middle-Aged Men Hyun Joe, Jung-Eun Oh Korean Journal of Clinical Geriatrics.2022; 23(1): 59. CrossRef
The effects of health empowerment and social support on health promotion behavior in older adults: A cross-sectional study Kyungmi Lee, Semi Lim Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing.2022; 24(4): 433. CrossRef
The Effect of Physical and Mental Health and Health Behavior on the Self-Rated Health of Pregnant Women Eunwon Lee, Jiyoung Song Healthcare.2021; 9(9): 1117. CrossRef
Associations Between Positive and Negative Affect and the Way People Perceive Their Health Goals Ekaterina Plys, Olivier Desrichard Frontiers in Psychology.2020;[Epub] CrossRef
The longitudinal associations between self-rated health, binge drinking, and depression among Korean adults Hye Chung Cho, Eun Sook Lee Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion.2019; 36(2): 11. CrossRef
Trajectories of Self-rated Health among One-person Households: A Latent Class Growth Analysis Eunjoo Kim, Hyang Kim, Ju Young Yoon Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing.2019; 30(4): 449. CrossRef
Field Application and Evaluation of Health Status Assessment Tool based on Dietary Patterns for Middle-Aged Women Hye-Jin Lee, Kyung-Hea Lee Korean Journal of Community Nutrition.2018; 23(4): 277. CrossRef
What Causes Health Promotion Behaviors in College Students? Mi Young Kim, Yu Jeong Kim The Open Nursing Journal.2018; 12(1): 106. CrossRef
Association between working time quality and self-perceived health: analysis of the 3rd Korean working conditions survey (2011) Jaeyoup Jung, Gyuree Kim, Kyusung Kim, Domyung Paek, Sung-il Cho Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2017;[Epub] CrossRef
Self-rated Health and Health Service Utilization of Chronic disease Patients Eun-Ju Park The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology.2016; 9(4): 404. CrossRef
Impact of Childhood Socioeconomic Position on Self‐Rated Health Trajectories of South Korean Adults Joan P. Yoo, Min Sang Yoo Asian Social Work and Policy Review.2016; 10(1): 142. CrossRef
Study on the Effect of Social Trust and Disability Identity on Subjective Health and the Moderating Effect of Social-economic Status Dong Chul Yu, Dong-Ki Kim, Kyung Mee Kim, Yu-Ri Shin The Journal of the Korea Contents Association.2016; 16(7): 337. CrossRef
Association of selected health behaviors with perceived health, depressive symptom and fatalism among the aged 50-69 living in Seoul Eun Jin Choi, Min Hye Kim Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion.2015; 32(2): 53. CrossRef
Survey on Relationship among Health Relating Factors Sasang Constitution and Stress Mi-Young Jeong, Hee-Young Kim, Young-Hae Chung, Eun Namkung, Hwa-Young Ann, Soo-Jung Park Journal of Korean Medicine.2015; 36(3): 14. CrossRef
Background The reports that obesity could be associated with upper gastrointestinal disorders such as gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, reflux esophagitis have not been consistent. Therefore, we studied the association between esophagogastroduodenoscopic (EGD) fi ndings and the related risk factors of obesity. Methods: The study subjects include 2,210 adults who visited the Health Promotion Center of one university hospital from January 2006 to December 2006. All subjects had standard physical measurements as well as resting blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, serum lipids, and gastroendoscopic examination. BMI was classifi ed into two groups (BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2, normal; BMI < 23 kg/m2, overweight or obese). The study subjects were classifi ed into four groups according to the EGD fi ndings; normal, gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, refl ux esophagitis. Results: Mean BMI of gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, and refl ux esophagitis groups were higher than normal group after adjusting age, sex, alcohol and smoking (P < 0.001). Gastritis risk (OR, 2.098; 95% CI, 1.195 to 3.682; P = 0.01), gastric or duodenal ulcer risk (OR, 2.562; 95% CI, 1.282 to 5.117; P = 0.008), and refl ux esophagitis risk (OR, 2.856; 95% CI, 1.522 to 5.360; P = 0.001) were signifi cantly higher in overweight and obesity group compare with normal weight group after adjusting age, sex, alcohol and smoking. Conclusion: We suggest that overweight or obesity is the risk factor of gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, and reflux esophagitis.
Background There are many reports that obesity could be associated with gastoesophageal refl ux disease (GERD) but the outcomes are controversial and the studies on correlation between endoscopic severity of GERD and obesity are rare. Therefore, we investigated the association between endoscopic severity of GERD and indexes of obesity. Methods: Among the subjects who visited a health promotion center of a general hospital from January 2007 to March 2008, a total of 527 subjects with typical symptoms of GERD who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and analysis of body composition were enrolled. The endoscopic severity of GERD was classifi ed depending on LA grading classifi cation system. Results: Among 527 subjects, 125 subjects were classifi ed with Non-erosive refl ux disease (NERD) while 254, 105, and 43 subjects were classifi ed as LA grade A, B, and C group, respectively. Men and frequent alcohol drinkers (≥ 5 times/week) were likely to be in higher endoscopic severity group (OR, 2.065 and 2.394, respectively; P < 0.05). If the subject was obese by BMI and waist circumference, it showed a higher possibility of belonging to the higher endoscopic severity group (OR, 2.319 and 2.596, respectively; P < 0.001). In the case of %body fat, the obesity group was more likely to be in the higher endoscopic severity group only in men (OR, 1.906; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Indexes of obesity such as BMI, %body fat (only in men), and waist circumference were related with endoscopic severity of GERD and this relationship is more apparent in men and alcohol drinkers (≥ 5 times/week).
Background Many parents of overweight children have believed that their children's weight may be lost with the increase of their height. The purpose of this 2-year prospective study was to examine whether such belief is valid. Methods: A total of 190 children (113 boys and 77 girls) aged 6-11 years who were overweight (BMI > 85th percentile of age and gender-specifi c 1999 Korean children standard) from two elementary schools were the subjects. Their height and weight were measured again after 2 years. Children and their parents completed questionnaires on eating habits and physical activity, and their attitude on weight in the beginning of study. Children's weight status was evaluated using relative BMI. Results: Children's baseline relative BMI was 134.9 ± 13.8%. About 60% of the children reported weight loss attempt and 49% of their parents tried to persuade their child to lose weight. Children's BMI increased by 1.6 ± 2.1 kg/m2 and their relative BMI decreased by 1.2 ± 12.1% over 2 years. While children's eating habits and physical activity, and their attitude on the child's weight were not related to the 2-year relative BMI change, the child's age, gender, baseline relative BMI, and the 2-year height change were associated with the 2-year relative BMI change (R2 = 0.15, P < 0.001). The 2-year relative BMI increased with the 2-year height increase after controlling for the three predictors (B = 0.86, SE = 0.28, P = 0.002). Conclusion: We found the 2-year height change positively associated with the 2-year relative BMI change among schoolaged overweight children. Then, the belief that children's weight status may be improved with the increase of their height should be denied.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Vitamin D deficiency and Metabolic Syndrome among Korean Adolescents: Based on Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (KNHANES) Ha Na Yoo, Hyeon Suk Kim Journal of the Korean Society of School Health.2016; 29(1): 22. CrossRef
Background The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the change of parental weight status and the change of their child's weight status over 2 years. Methods: A total of 379 children ages 11-13 years were measured their height and weight in 2001 and 2003. Their parents completed a questionnaire including self-reported parental weight and height during the same period. Parental weight status was classified as overweight (BMI≥25 kg/m2) and non-overweight (BMI＜25 kg/m2). Children's weight status was classified as overweight and non-overweight using the age and gender-specific BMI established by the Korean Academy of Pediatrics. The weight status over 2 years was categorized as a group of persistent overweight, persistent non-overweight, shifting overweight to non-overweight, and shifting non-overweight to overweight. Results: After adjusting for the child's gender and the father's weight status, the odds ratio for being persistently overweight over 2 years in a child having a mother with persistent overweight was 2.8 (95% CI: 0.9-8.5) compared to a child having a mother with persistent non-overweight. Likewise, the odds ratio for being persistently overweight over 2 years in a child having a father with persistent overweight was 2.9 (95% CI: 1.4-6.1) compared to the child having a father with persistent non-overweight. Conclusion: Parental weight status over 2 years was associated with the 2-year weight status in children. The parents- and family-based intervention are needed to prevent and manage childhood obesity. (J Korean Acad Fam Med 2008;29:336-341)
Background : C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the increasing plasma proteins in inflammatory diseases and tissue necrosis and recent evidence show that increased elevated levels of CRP are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and obesity. To investigate the relationship of obesity and CRP, we evaluated the correlation of CRP with obesity index in healthy adults.
Methods : The subjects included 1,926 healthy adults (1,168 men and 758 women) who visited the Health Promotion Center of a general hospital from May to December 2004. We excluded subjects who had inflammatory diseases, and investigated based on age, physical examination, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, serum lipid profile, percentage of body fat, and body mass index (BMI). CRP was analyzed by method of Turbid Immuno Assay (TIA) which has high sensitivity-CRP. We evaluated serum level of CRP in relation to %body fat, BMI, and clustering of metabolic risk factors.
Results : Comparing the median CRP with the percentage of body fat, BMI, clustering of metabolic risk factors the value of CRP significantly increased according to increase in %body fat BMI and metabolic risk factor (P＜0.001). The proportion of elevated CRP levels (≥0.22 mg/dL) was increased as %body fat, BMI, and clustering of metabolic risk factor increased. The Odds Ratios for elevated levels of CRP were 1.5 (95% CI 1.0∼2.1) in men and 2.9 (95% CI 1.7∼4.8) in women for subjects with obesity (BMI≥25 kg/m2), 2.0 (95% CI 1.3∼2.9) in men with more than 25% %body fat, and 2.5 (95% CI 1.4∼4.1) in women with more than 30% %body fat.
Conclusion : As %body fat increased, the proportion of elevated CRP (≥0.22 mg/dL) level increased in men and women. We conclude that obesity is related with CRP.
Background : Osteoporosis and hyperlipidemia in postmenopausal women may develop due to a sudden decrease of estrogen. In general, women over 60, about 10 years after menopause, are at risk of continuous bone loss. However, many reports reveal that high body weight may have a preventive effect on bone loss. There are few studies that examine the effect of body mass index on bone loss in aged Korean women. The aim of this study was to show the effect of body mass index on bone loss in aged Korean women.
Methods : We evaluated 510 women aged over 60 who visited a health care center of a university hospital in Seoul from January 1999 to December 2004 to determine the effects of body mass index on bone mineral density in aged Korean women. We measured anthropometrical characteristics, BMD of lumbar spine, markers of bone turnover, and FSH of the subjects.
Results : The higher body mass index, the greater BMD at lumbar spine. But the levels of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and deoxypyridinoline had no significant differences. The FSH level was also low in the high body mass index group. The BMI was positively correlated with BMD (P＜0.01) by Pearson's correlation matrix. The total alkaline phosphatase also had a significant negative correlation with BMD. The levels of FSH had negative correlation (P＜0.01) with BMD.
Conclusion : Higher body mass index groups showed higher BMD with lower FSH levels. Further prospective studies considering the endocrinologic association with body weight, BMD and FSH level will be needed.
Background : Tools such as SCORE (Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation) and ORAI (Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Instrument) have been used for screening test of osteoporosis, These tools include race, age, weight, BMI, previous treatment with HRT and so on, as confounding factors. Among those factors, it has been reported that body weight is more appropriate than BMI. But those study were based on Caucasian women and not based on Korean women. Therefore, comparison among Korean women needed to be assessed.
Methods : A total of 200 postmenopausal women in ages 50 and over were enrolled in health promotion center of one university hospital. BMD was checked by DEXA of lumbar spine (L1-L4) from January 2002 to May, 2003. Women who had previous history of endocrine disease or medications, early onset menopause, previous surgery of uterus and ovary, which all could influence BMD, were excluded.
Results : The average age was 58.01, the average weight 58.36 kg, the average BMI (kg/m2) 24.39, the average BMD (t-score) -1.00. Among the total 26 women (13%) recorded BMD (t-score)≤-2.5 and 50 women (25%) recorded -2.5＜BMD (t-score)≤-1.5. Multiple regression analysis showed body weight was superior to BMI in predicting BMD (t-score). A logistic regression analysis on the likelihood of being osteoporotic (T-score＜-2.5) further confirmed this finding.
Conclusion : Patient body weight was more effective and useful than BMI in explaining BMD T-score as compared to BMI Korean postmenopausal women.
Background : This study was aimed to quantify the relationship between the bone mineral density and the body composition in Korean postmenopausal women.
Methods : Whole and regional body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured with DEXA in 149 postmenopausal women. Data were analysed using ANOVA test, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression.
Results : The mean age was 53.4±6.9 years, the mean years since menopause(YSM) was 5.4±6.7 years, the mean height was 154.5±4.9 cm and the mean weight was 56.8±7.4 kg. They were classified under non-osteoporosis (n=40), osteopenia (n=66) or osteoporosis (n=43) group. There were significant differences in age, YSM, height, total lean body mass, bone mineral content (BMC), regional lean body mass of leg and trunk and regional BMD among the three groups (P＜0.05). In contrast, weight, BMI, total fat mass and body fat percentage were not significantly different among the three groups. The BMD of total body, lumbar spine and proximal femur had a negative correlation with age and YSM but positive correlation with height, weight, total lean body mass (P＜0.05). From multiple linear models, age, total lean body mass, total fat mass and YSM were found to be the best predictor of total BMD (R2=0.460, P＜0.05) and age and total lean body mass were found to be the best predictor of BMD of lumbar spine (R2=0.223, P＜0.001) and proximal femur (R2=0.351, P＜0.001).
Conclusion : From these results it is suggested that lean body mass is the major determinant of BMD at total, lumbar spine and proximal femur in postmenopausal women.
Background : Body mass index is currently applied as the diagnostic standard of overweight and obesity, regardless of age. Percentage body fat ratio applies separate standards among different sex, but does not have separate standards for different age groups. Since body mass index and percentage body fat may differ according to age, we conducted this study to see if a separate standard for overweight and obesity is indeed necessary for different age groups.
Methods : We selected 2,190 subjects, who were the 10 percent picked randomly by computer, among 21,921 clients who had visited the St. Mary's Hospital's health promotion center in Seoul. Those diagnosed with diabetes, thyroid disease, renal failure, and tuberculosis were excluded, leaving 1,939 over the age of 20, as final subjects. Anthropometric measurements were done using electronic scales and height meters, while body composition was measured with a multi-frequency bioelectric impedance analysis (Inbody 3.0 Biospace, Seoul). The results of this study were shown in mean and standard deviation, and mean values according to ages were compared by Ancova test.
Results : In the case of adult men, percentage body fat increased with age. This was observed especially with subjects over 30 compared to subjects in their 20s, although not proven to be statistically significant. A decrease in fat free mass rather than increase in body fat mass was noted with aging. With adult women, percentage body fat increased markedly with subjects over 50, mainly due to increased body fat mass rather than decreased fat free mass. Subjects exceeding a body mass index of 25, which is the standard limit of body mass index for obesity, was 60th percentile for adult men, and 70∼80th percentile for adult women. Percentage body fat in this case was 22.54% for men and 31.99∼33.46% for women.
Conclusion : Our study indicates that both men and women show changes in body mass index and fat free mass with aging. Hence, there are limitations to applying a universal standard for body mass Index, regardless of age. We suggest that further studies on standards for adult obesity should be conducted based on specific Korean epidemiologic data.
Background : Obesity has been generally diagnosed by 'Body Mass Index (BMI)' in primary care. Recently the use of Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer' has become popular in Korea to evaluate body fat rate (BFR), as cost is inexpensive and the method to use is simple. As a result, the opposed finding of normal BMI and elevated BFR vice versa in same individuals are being encountered frequently. We designed this study to find out the characteristics and cardiovascular risk of people in these groups.
Methods : The medical records of health promotion center were obtained and 22,704 applicants visitor who undeerwent health risk questionnaire, screening tests and physical examination for cardiovascular disease were reviewed.
Results : After adjusting for age, sex, exercise and education level, cardiovascular risk such as hypertension, DM, and hypercholesterolemia, LDL tended to increase linearly and HDL tended to decrease linearly with increase of BFR or BMI. In comparison with normal BMI and BFR group, the odds ratios of normal BMI and elevated BFR group or vice versa were increased.
Conclusion : If either one of BMI or BFR of a person was elevated, even though the other was within normal range, the cardiovascular risk of that person was shown to be high.
Background : The effect of smoking on obesity and fat distribution is controversial. We evaluated the difference of fat distribution and obesity according to the amount of smoking, and the influence of leptin level between obesity and the amount of smoking.
Methods : Subjects were selected among patients who visited the Health Promotion Center of Yeungnam University Hospital for general health evaluation from May to August, 2001. They were aged from thirty to fifty and had no weight change during six months. We excluded the patients who had disease and medication history that can cause weight change. One hundred thirty-five men were included in this study. Smoking status, alcohol and exercise history were reviewed by interview method. Height, weight, waist and hip circumference, %body fat, blood pressure, and blood chemistry were measured. Leptin was measured by a commercial radioimmunoassay (Linco Research, Inc., St., Louis, MO). The differences of obesity parameters and leptin levels according to the amount of smoking were evaluated by analysis of covariance with multiple comparision. All statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 10.0
Results : Body mass index, %body fat, waist circumference and waist to height ratio (W/H ratio) were significantly increased according to the amount of smoking after adjustment for age, alcohol intake and exercise (P＜0.05). But, BMI, %BF, WC and W/H ratio in mild and mild-moderate smokers were lower than those of the non-or ex-smoker, paradoxically (P＜0.05). Also, serum leptin level was increased according to the increase of amount of smoking, but it had no statistical significance. Over one pack per day smokers had 3.5 times higher risk of hypertension than under one pack per day smokers.
Conclusion : In Korean middle-aged men, obesity index showed difference between the amount of smoking status. BMI, %BF, WC and W/H ratio were significantly higher in heavy smokers than mild and mild-moderate smokers. Though it was not statistically significant, leptin was higher in heavy smokers than in mild and mild- moderate smokers.
Background : Because of improvement of economic state and eating habit changes in Korea, 60-70% of gallbladder stones are cholesterol stones. As ultrasonography was used increasingly, detection of asymptomatic gallstone were increased. There has been few studies about asymptomatic gallstone in Korea. So, this study was designed to obtain associated factor of prevalence of asymptomatic gallstone.
Methods : We screened adults over 20 years who were visited the Health Promotion Center in a university hospital from May 1995 to May 1999. Subjects were defined as case group(584 subjects) who were diagnosed gallstone by abdominal ultrasonogaphy by radiologist. Control group(1153 subjects) were selected by random sampling from visitors of the Health Promotion Center. Every subjects were assessed with respect to gender, age, height, weight, fasting blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride. Social-Economic state, smoking were assessed by self-administered questionnaires. Associated factor of prevalence of asymptomatic gallstone were analyzed by Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression.
Results : Age, BMI(Body Mass Index), fasting blood glucose were associated with gallstone by Chi-square test(P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression showed that prevalence of asymptomatic gallstones was increased by age (>40 years old) and were associated with BMI (>25㎏/㎡), fasting blood glucose.
Conclusion : Associated factors of prevalence of asymptomatic gallstone were increased by age (>40 years old) and were associated with BMI (>25㎏/㎡), fasting blood glucose, and were not different from those in West countries. Further studies will be needed about associated factors according to the composition of gallstone and developing from asymptomatic gallstone to symtomatic gallstone.
Background : This is a cross-sectional study to assess the effect of BMI (body mass index) on blood pressure and to get the appropriate BMI range for the prevention and control of hypertension in old men and women.
Methods : From 1996 to 1998 we obtained data for anthropometrics, blood pressure, serum blood profiles and health behaviors about 418 out of 668 old people having visited a charge-free clinic in rural areas. First we tried to figure out the relationship between BMI and systolic or diastolic blood pressure in old men and women separately. After adjusting age, smoking , alcohol, blood glucose, total cholesterol, we checked the linear relationship between each quintile BMI group and prevalence of hypertension in old men and women and obtained prevalence odds ratio (POR) for hypertension in each the 2nd to the 5th quintile BMI group compared to the baseline hypertension- prevalence of the1st quintile BMI group.
Results : Regardless of sex, there was significant correlations between BMI and systolic blood pressure (in men r=0.257, p=0.002;in women r=0.182 p=0.005) or diastolic blood pressure (in men r=0.204, p=0.014;in women r=0.256 p<0.001). The prevalence of hypertension in men and women increased 1.37 and 1.41 times respectively by each quintile BMI increase. According to each BMI group in men (median BMI value of each quintile group:18.2, 20.4, 21.8, 23.3, 26.6 kg/㎡), PORs for hypertension were 1.0, 3.7(95% C.I;1.05-12.68), 3.6(95% C.I;1.03-12.59), 6.5(95% C.I;1.89-22.29), 4.0 (95% C.I;1.11-14.36). In women, (median BMI value of each quintile group;18.6, 21.3, 22.9, 25.1, 28.3 kg/㎡), PORs for hypertension were 1.0, 1.6(95% C.I;0.62-3.82), 2.9(95% C.I;1.22-6.99), 2.9(95% C.I;1.28-6.68), 4.2(95% C.I;1.73-9.98).
Conclusion : Regardless of sex, there was a significant positive association between BMI and prevalence of hypertension in the old and the risk of hypertension increased even in normal weight group compared to the underweight group. Further studies on the appropriate to prevent and control hypertension in old people will be needed.
Background : Stress is found to have influence on physical and mental disorders, and also to healthy life habits related to physical health mental stress. Job holders are groups that have suffered from chronic stressful condition. Consider medical people of job-holders to received exessstress. So, we tested this investigation to know the relationship between health habits and stress amounts about nurse.
Methods : This study was performed on nurses who worked on one hospital in Pusan Metropolitan city for one months(from April, 1, to April, 30, 2000). We used 128 results. Health habits were investigated about 5 articles out of “Breslow’s 7 health habits” and stress amounts were measured by Korean-translated BEPSI(Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument) and Bae Jong- Myun’s 30-items SRRQ(Social Readjustment Rating Questionnaire).
Results : There were differences in amounts of stress of subjects according to marital state(P<0.05), job department(P<0.05), BMI(Body Mass Index) (P<0.05), sleeping time(P<0.05).
Conclusion : This investigation has showed that having excess stress in nurses. Body Mass Index, sleeping time appeared to be health habits related to amounts of stress.
Background : In general, increased body weight may be a risk factor for hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and coronary heart disease. It is very difficult to lose weight especially in aged people. Osteoporosis is commonly developed in aged. Many reports revealed that obesity may prevent bone loss. The protective effect of obesity on bone has been ascribed to a high body fat content. Obese aged people can be very confused whether to decide to lose weight or not.
Methods : We evaluated 137 women aged over 60 who visited a health care center of a university hospital in Seoul from Jan.1999 to Oct. 1999 to determine the effects of obesity on bone mineral density in aged Korean women. We measured anthropometrical charactersitics, BMD of lumbar spine, markers of bone turnover, and FSH of the subjects.
Results : The results revealed that obese group had a greater BMD at lumbar spine, but the levels of FSH were noted to be lower than the non-obese group. But, none of the markers of bone turnover showed significant differences between the two groups. BMI was positively correlated with BMD (r=0.455, P<0.001) by Pearson's correlation matrix. Also, the level of total alkaline phosphatase significantly had negative association with BMD. The level of FSH revealed that it had a negative correlation (r=-0.290, P<0.01) with BMI.
Conclusion : We concluded that obesity might have a protective effect related with FSH. Prospective studies on endocrinologic association with BMD, bone markers, FSH and estradiol will be needed.
Background : Recently the Korean society has been challenged with the rapid growth of obese popuation due to the improved socioeconomic status and lifestyle changes over the past decades. Not only has obesity been known as one of major risk factors for various diseases including cardiovascular diseases(e.g. hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke) and diabetes mellitus, but it has also increased the death from obesity-related diseases. it has been required, however, to establish our own obesity criteria adjusted for Korean since much difference is expected to exist in the degree of obesity between white and Asian people. Therefore, this study was designed to provide with primary data to help establish new criteria through identifying the distribution of Body Mass Index(BMI), and then analyzing its relation with some obesity-related diseases.
Methods : This study calculated BMI and related it to some obesity-related diseases by analysing data from 1995 National Health Interview Surveys, in which a random sample of 5,750 Korean at the age of 15-69 had self-reported their heights, body weights and diagnoses with obesity-related diseases by physicians. Variables under consideration include potential risk factors (e.g. alcohol intakes, smoking, exercise, etc.) as well as demographics of the sample population.
Results : Average BMI(kg/M²) were 22.6±2.6 for male and 21.7±4.8 for female(mean±SD), which increased in direct proportion to the increase of age until the age reached the group of 40-59, and then followed by the inverse in its relation with the age at 60 and over. It was revealed, however, that prevalences of obesity-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus etc. were the highest among the population group with their BMI of 23.8~35.6. In short, this study identified the proportional relation of BMI with the prevalence of obesity-related diseases.
Conclusion : In this study, the prevalence for hypertension and diabetes mellitus was shown to be higher than the average among population with their BMI of 21.9~23.8, whose figure is much lower than both 26.4, the value of the 90th percentile proposed in MONICA project and 25, the current WHO criteria of obesity. However, a Japanese study reported that the health risk began to increase at the BMI of 23 with risks for obesity-related diseases dramatically increased at the BMI of 26-27 and over, and concluded that because Asian has more body fats accumulated within the upper body part compared with the white, the Asian persons are more obese, though less in terms of BMI, than the white. Therefore, future works should be focused on establishing our own criteria for obesity with health risks through determining the association of BMI with prevalence of various diseases in Korea.
Background : The waist/hip ratio is an useful index of abdominal obesity, but it includes two variables which may result in a false interpretation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of waist/height ratio as a predictor for the risk factors of coronary artery disease(CAD).
Methods : 1395 persons(818 men & 577 women) were selected as subjects who visited the Health Examination Center at Ewha Mokdong Hospital from October 1996 to March 1997. Waist circumference was measured at the level of umbilicus with standing position. Hip circumference was measured at the level of the largest circumference of the hip. We set the criteria of the risk factors as hypertension(systolic BP≥140mmHg and/or diastolic BP≥90mmHg), glucose intolerance(fasting blood glucose≥115mg/dl), hypertriglyceridemia(>160mg/dl), hypercholesterolemia(≥200mg/dl), and low HDL-cholesterol level(<35mg/dl). The morbidity index of CAD was calculated by the sum of the risk factor scores(one point per item if present).
Results : There was significant correlation between waist/height ratio, waist/hip ratio and body mass index(BMI)(p=0.0001). BMI had more strong correlation with waist/height ratio(r=0.81) than waist/hip ratio(r=0.48). According to the simple regression analysis, BMI, waist/hip ratio and waist/height ratio had significant correlation with all of the risk factors and the morbidity index. According to the multiple regression analysis, waist/height ratio had significant correlation with age, weight, height, systolic BP, triglyceride, cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. The risk factor morbidity index of the groups with waist/height ratio over 0.45 was significantly more higher than the group of the lowest risk factor morbidity index(waist/height ratio under 0.4) in men(p=0.01). For women, 0.46 was the level which the risk factor morbidity index increased significantly(p<0.01).
Conclusion : Waist/height ratio can be a useful index of abdominal obesity. And it may be used as a more easier and better predictor of multiple CAD risk factors than waist/hip ratio. We can predict that waist/height ratio over 0.45 in men and over 0.46 in women may have more higher coronary artery disease risk.
Background : Previously, a large epidemiological study has found that an increase in the serum triglyceride level is an independent risk factor of coronary artery disease and by treating it, the mortality due to coronary artery disease could be decreased. Our study is designed to analyze the serum triglyceride level in healthy adults and to study various factors influencing the serum triglyceride level.
Methods : Study involved all patients who visited Seoul National University Hospital Health Promotion Center from May 1995 to Feb 1997. After a complete history and a physical examination, each participant answered a questionnaire involving sociodemographics, tobacco, alcohol, exercise, menstrual cycle and daily dietary contents. A blood chemistry was also drawn after 12 hours of fasting. We used analysis of covariance and multiple regression analysis to correlate triglyceride level with forementioned variables.
Results : Healthy 3,332 men and 2,986 women were statistically analyzed. The average triglyceride level was 110.7mg/dl(geometric mean). Men at 50's had the highest level of triglyceride. As women aged, their triglyceride level increased. The proportion of participants in their 40's in men and 70's and over in women with triglyceride >220mg/dl, a value of clinical importance, was 19.0% and 18.4%, respectively. The triglyceride level changed significantly according to BMI, exercise, physical fitness, alcohol, tobacco, blood pressure, uric acid and glucose. However, no statistically significant difference was found among diet, thyroid function, income and region. For men, a multiple regression analysis revealed that the factors influencing triglyceride level in decreasing order, were BMI, uric acid, tobacco, diastolic blood pressure, ALT and maximal oxygen uptake. However, for women, a similar analysis showed that BMI, systolic blood pressure, exercise, tobacco and age played a significant role(p<0.001).
Conclusion : Serum triglyceride level was associated with correctable behavioral factors such as obesity, smoking, alcohol, exercise, and physical fitness. Among these factors obesity was the most related factor with triglyceride level.
First
Prev
