Weight Control Methods Related to Depressive Symptoms among Adults Living in Seoul / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a disease state which should be prevented and managed. However, attempting unhealthy weight control can be related to psychologic problem like depression. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between weight control methods and the depressive symptom among adults who have had weight control experience within recent 1 year. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional study on 10,285 adults (age, 25 to 69 years), who had weight control experience within recent 1 year, from the Community Health Survey, Seoul, 2009. Depressive symptom, tried weight control methods, weight, height, smoking status, alcohol intake and socioeconomic status were surveyed through face-to-face interview. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale is used for assessment of depressive symptom. RESULTS: Depressive symptom was diagnosed in 5.2% (male: 2.9%, female: 7.0%) of study subjects and the most frequent method for weight control within 1 year was exercise (77.9%). Among men, depressive symptom was related to high likelihood of trying one-food diet (odds ratio [OR], 3.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62 to 6.62), fasting (OR, 3.59; 95% CI, 1.61 to 8.02), dietary supplements (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.40 to 4.73), Korean herbal medicine (OR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.24 to 6.51), self-medication (OR, 5.50; 95% CI, 1.53 to 19.80). Among women, depressive symptom have relationship with high likelihood of trying one-food diet (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.94), fasting (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.59), prescribed medicine (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.48 to 3.52) and low likelihood of trying exercise (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.83). CONCLUSION: This study shows the difference of tried weight control methods depending on depressive symptom. Depressive symptom was related to high likelihood of trying weight control methods such as one-food diet, fasting and taking a diet-pill. In addition, that symptom was also related to low likelihood of trying exercise in women.

A Study on the Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Korean Adults / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was conducted to identify the use of complementary and alternative therapies, and the perception and attitudes toward CAT in Korean adults. METHODS: The 1,010 study subjects were recruited from ten regions in South Korea. Data were collected from July to September, 2004. RESULTS: The 43.2% of the sample(n=436) had an experience of using CAT. The subjects using CAT was more likely to have high score in the CAT perception compared to the subjects with no experience of CAT(p=.001). The primary source of information about CAT was mass media(59.7%). The 52.4% of the sample answered that CAT was supplementary and the 27.7% answered CAT was applicable to chronic pain or musculoskeletal disorders. Subjects(34.8%) pointed out that the greatest problem was no scientific informant in the use of CAT. The primary reason of using CAT was to maintain their health or to prevent disease(44.0%), and the 59.0% of the subjects responded that CAT was effective. Majority of subjects were satisfied with CAT(63.3%) and experienced no side effects of CAT(90.6%). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that professional counseling and education for CAT is needed for Korean public as well as the research approach to test the effects of CAT.

Effects of Antioxidant Supplementation on Lipid Profiles in Elderly Women / 대한지역사회영양학회지

Antioxidant vitamin supplementation focuses one's attention on the prevention of age-related diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant status and lipid profiles and to look into the antioxidant vitamin supplementation that affects lipid metabolism in 20 elderly non-smoking Korean women (placebo group: n = 6, vitC suppl: n = 7, vitE suppl: n = 7). Age, height, weight, muscle, percent of fat and WHR were not significantly different among the groups, however % of fat was above 33% and WHR was above 0.9. And blood pressure of the placebo group was 131.7/81.7 (border line hypertension), that of vitamin C supplement was 141.4/87.1 (hypertension) and that of vitamin E supplement was 151.4/92.9 (hypertension). Although nutrient intakes of all groups were poor, antioxidant status (blood vitamins C, E, A, and beta-carotene) and lipid profile (TG, total-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol) were normal. For nutritional intervention, the vitamin C supplement group received L-ascorbic acid 1,000 mg, and vitamin E supplement group received d-alpha-tocopherol 400IU for 4 weeks, showing the effects of vitamin E supplementation. Response total cholesterol of HDL-cholesterol (T-Chol/HDL) in vitamin E supplement group was significantly decreased from 4.3 to 3.2. And response LDL-cholesterol of HDL-cholesterol (LDL/HDL) in the vitamin E supplement group was also significantly decreased from 2.6 to 1.7. In addition, after the adjustment for plasma lipids (TG, total cholesterol), plasma vitamin A levels in vitamin E supplement group were significantly increased from 7.89 mg/g to 14.91 mg/g. And systolic blood pressure in vitamin E supplement group was significantly reduced. These results suggested that vitamin E supplementation affects the lipid profiles and blood pressure in elderly non-smoking women. So various nutrition programs must be implemented against age-related diseases and further studies are needed regarding sorts and amounts of antioxidant nutrients and supplementation periods.