Pesticide residues in vegetables and risk assessment for consumers in Korea during 2010-2014.

This study was carried out to assess the exposure to pesticide residues from vegetable consumption of residents in Seoul using data on pesticide residue concentrations and the quantity of vegetables consumed. A total of 34,520 samples of 96 types of vegetables collected from 2010 to 2014 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government Institute of Health and Environment (SIHE) were analysed for 283 different pesticide residues. Among the vegetable samples, 86.1% did not contain any measurable levels of pesticide and 1.4% had residues exceeding Maximum Residue Limits (MRL). A total of 105 different pesticide residues were found and 45 residues exceeded MRLs. The most commonly found residues were azoxystrobin, diethofencarb, procymidone, cypermethrin, and tebufenpyrad. A total of 547 vegetable samples from 37 different types of vegetables had residues exceeding MRLs. From these results, 20 agrochemicals were chosen based on their high level of detection and violation rate of the MRL. The potential health risk associated with exposure to the pesticides through vegetable intake was estimated as a Risk Index (RI, %ADI). For a citizen of Seoul, the RIs of the mean value and 97.5th percentile were shown to be 0.0 ~ 7.4% and 0.4 ~ 73.9% respectively. For citizens of Seoul by age (consumers only), the highest RIs for children (under 6 years old) and the elderly (over 65 years old) were with chlorothalonil, and the estimated daily intakes (EDI) were 56.0%, 112.5%, respectively, of its ADI. For adults (19 ~ 64 years old) the highest RI was for chlorfenapyr and the EDI reached 118.6%. These results show that, despite the high levels of some pesticide residues, they may not be considered as a serious public health problem.

Measurement of antioxidant capacity using the biological antioxidant potential test and its role as a predictive marker of metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Oxidative stress increases the risk of cardiovascular complications of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study was conducted to examine the difference in antioxidant capacity according to the presence of MetS, and to characterize the association between antioxidant capacity and MetS-related factors. METHODS: We used the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) test to estimate antioxidant capacity. The BAP test has recently been used as an indicator of antioxidant capacity. We measured BAP levels in 45 patients with MetS (mean age, 44.6 ± 1.1 years) and 47 age- and sex-matched controls (mean age, 42.7 ± 1.1 years). To evaluate the association between antioxidant capacity and MetS, adiponectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), linear regression and logistic analyses were performed. RESULTS: The mean BAP of the MetS group (1,937.3 ± 36.5 µmol/L) was significantly lower than that of the non-MetS group (2,101.7 ± 29.5 µmol/L). Also, the mean BAP was low in persons having low high density lipoprotein and high triglyceride. Reduced antioxidant capacity was significantly associated with adiponectin, HOMA-IR and hs-CRP after adjusting for age and sex. The odds ratios for MetS with BAP, log adiponectin, log HOMA-IR, and log hs-CRP were 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49 to 0.82), 0.22 (0.10 to 0.51), 14.24 (4.35 to 46.58), and 1.93 (1.36 to 2.75), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with MetS showed reduced antioxidant capacity. We identified relationships between antioxidant capacity measured by BAP test and MetS, as well as MetS-related factors, such as insulin resistance, hs-CRP, and adiponectin.

[Distribution of calcaneal bone density according to the mechanical strain of exercise and calcium intake in premenarcheal girls].

OBJECTIVES: The effects of exercise on bone density have been found to be inconsistent in previous studies. We conducted a cross-sectional study in premenarcheal girls to test two hypotheses to explain these inconsistencies. Firstly, "the intensity of mechanical strain, in terms of the ground reaction force(GRF), has more important effects on the bone mass at a weight-bearing site", and secondly, "calcium intake modifies the bone response to exercise". METHODS: The areal bone mineral density was measured at the Os calcis, using peripheral dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, in 91 premenarcheal girls aged between 9 and 12 years. The intensity of mechanical strain of exercise was assessed by a self-report questionnaire and scored by the GRF as multiples of body weight, irrespective of the frequency and duration of exercise. The energy and calcium intake were calculated from the 24-hour dietary recall. An analysis of covariance(ANCOVA) was used to determine the interaction and main effects of exercise and calcium on the bone density, after adjusting for age, weight, height and energy intake. RESULTS: The difference in the bone density between moderate and low impact exercise was more pronounced in the high than low calcium intake group. The bone density for moderate impact exercise and high calcium intake was significantly higher than that for low impact exercise (p=0.046) and low calcium intake, after adjusting for age, weight, height and energy intake. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the bone density at a weight-bearing site is positively related to the intensity of mechanical loading exercise, and the calcium intake may modify the bone response to exercise at the loaded site in premenarcheal girls.

The Association between Bone Density at Os Calcis and Body Composition in Healthy Children Aged 9-12 Years.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to quantify the relationship between the bone mineral density at the os calcis and the body mass composition in healthy children. METHODS: The areal bone mineral density was measured at the os calcis with peripheral dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The fat free mass, fat mass and percentage fat mass were measured using bioelectric impedance, in 237 Korean children, aged 9 to 12 years. The sexual maturity was determined by self assessment, using standardized series of the 5 Tanner stage drawings, accompanied by explanatory text. RESULTS: From multiple linear regression models, adjusted for age, sexual maturity and height, the fat free mass was found to be the best predictor of the calcaneal bone mineral density in both sexes. About 15 and 20% variabilities were found in the calcaneal bone mineral densities of the boys and girls, respectively, which can be explained by the fat free mass. After weight adjustment, the percentage fat mass was negatively associated with the calcaneal bone mineral density in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that the fat free mass, among the body compositions, is the major determinant of bone mineral density at the os calcis in Korean children aged 9 to 12 years. Obesity, defined as the percentage fat mass, is assumed to have a negative effect on the calcaneal bone density in children of the same weight.