ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND@#In South Korea, as an aged society, an understanding of dementia and its risk factors is important from clinical and healthcare policy perspectives. Relationship between cognitive impairment and body weight or weight changes have been reported, but these were contradictory. We have evaluated the association between weight changes and cognitive decline using national level longitudinal data.@*METHODS@#Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing from 2006 to 2012 were used. Association between weight changes and decline in cognitive function as measured by K-MMSE (the Korean version of the Minimental state examination) score was assessed by multivariate logistic regression. Weight changes were calculated from 1st wave and 3rd wave survey data, and classified into five groups as stable, increases, decreases of >10%, or 5%–10%.@*RESULTS@#About 37% of the total participants (n=4,512) were 65 years or older. These participants made up the largest proportion of the groups with weight change exceeding 10%. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that weight changes exceeding 10% (10% increase vs stable, adjusted OR [aOR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11–1.95; 10% decrease vs stable, aOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.11–1.88) were significant predictive factors for decline in cognitive function. In subgroup analyses, the association between weight changes and cognitive decline was significant in males aged over 65 years and in normal BMI groups.@*CONCLUSION@#Weight changes, both increases and decreases exceeding 10% of baseline, were significantly associated with declines in cognitive function among older adults in South Korea.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Green tea extracts are approved as nonprescription drug and available as health functional foods, health foods, and beverages. Clinical information on the products is lacking. METHODS: Information about the products on green tea nonprescription drugs was obtained from the website of the Korea Pharmaceutical Information Center. The Naver, i.e., a top ranking online search portal, was used for compiling the list of the health functional food products using key words of ‘green tea catechin’ on August 23, 2018. The recommended daily dosages of catechins were calculated as 30% of the total dried mass of green tea and about 50% of the catechins were considered as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). RESULTS: A total of two types of nonprescription drugs containing green tea powder or extracts, nine health functional food products, and three types of health foods were found. The regulatory requirements of the EGCG exceeding 800 mg were reported to be associated with adverse effects of elevated liver enzyme. If consumers take several green tea products concurrently, such as nonprescription drugs with health functional foods or health foods, it could exceed the recommended amount of EGCG. CONCLUSION: The concurrent use of green tea products as nonprescription drugs, health functional foods, and healthy foods may lead to an increased exposure to EGCG. Pharmacists should be aware the availability of various types of green tea products and the potential risk of liver toxicity due to excessive consumption of EGCG.