The Impact of Weight Changes on Metabolic Syndrome over a Time period of 8 years in Korean Male Workers / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases are common causes of diseases and death for workers. With the increasing prevalence of obesity, the social costs for obesity related diseases are a growing burden in Korea. We aimed to investigate the impact of weight change on metabolic syndrome and its components in Korean male workers. METHODS: We analyzed the data from 2,785 male workers obtained during health checkups in 2000 and in 2008. The subjects were classified into 5 groups as Loss ( or = 9.0 kg) group according to the amount of weight change between the 2 health checkups. The mean values of metabolic syndrome components were compared across the 5 weight change groups by ANCOVA. After classifying subjects into 2 groups according to the normality of their body weight at baseline, the odds ratios for metabolic syndrome and its components each weight-change group were computed by multiple logistic regression analyses, using the Stable group as the reference. RESULTS: There was a strong linear relationship between weight gain and a worsening of the components of metabolic syndrome in 2008 (p<0.001). In normal body weight group, the odds ratios for metabolic syndrome significantly increased in the Mild, Moderate, and Severe gain groups (OR 1.83, 2.82, and 7.56, respectively), and increased with weight gain (p<0.001). In subjects who were obese, the odds ratios for metabolic syndrome significantly increased if their amount of weight gain placed them in the Mild or Moderate gain groups(OR 1.75 and 3.97), increased with the increase of weight gain (p<0.001), and decreased in the Loss group(OR 0.51, 95%CI 0.30 to 0.85). CONCLUSIONS: Weight gain in male workers was positively associated with metabolic syndrome through worsening of metabolic syndrome components. On the other hand, weight loss in obese male workers had a protective effect against metabolic syndrome through the improvement of the components of metabolic syndrome.

The Association between Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Men and Women / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities leading diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is suggested to be a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between H. pylori infection and metabolic syndrome. METHODS: This study was designed with Korean adults having a health check-up in a university hospital in Ulsan from March 2008 to February 2009. The subjects were 17,448 over 20 years old. The analysis was undertaken according to sex separately. The association of H. pylori seropositivity (IgG) with metabolic syndrome components was investigated by multiple linear regression analysis. The association of H. pylori seropositivity with metabolic syndrome was investigated by multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: H. pylori seropositivity was significantly inversely associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol in men (Coefficient, -0.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.03 to -0.004; P = 0.01). However, H. pylori seropositivity was not significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in both men and women (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.14; P = 0.81 for men; OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.55 to 1.02; P = 0.06 for women). CONCLUSION: H. pylori infection was significantly negatively associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol in men, but not significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in both men and women.

The Association between Marital Status and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Men / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the association between marital status and metabolic syndrome, and observed how their lifestyle may influence within their relationship. METHODS: We analyzed the data from 12,288 Korean men over 20 years old taking a health checkup in a university hospital in Ulsan from March 2008 to February 2009. The subjects were classified as married, unmarried, separated, widowed, and divorced. The odds ratios for metabolic syndrome in each marital status were calculated after adjusting for age, educational level, and family income. In only married men and divorced men, odds ratios were calculated again after adjusting for alcohol intake, smoking, or exercise added to age, educational level, and family income. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, educational level, and family income, the odds ratio for metabolic syndrome in divorced men was 1.48 (95% confidence internal [CI], 1.03 to 2.12; P = 0.03) compared to married men. However, the odds ratios in divorced men decreased to 1.47 (95% CI, 0.97 to 2.24; P = 0.07) after adjusting for alcohol intake added to age, educational level, and family income, 1.42 (95% CI, 0.99 to 2.04; P = 0.06) after adjusting for smoking added, 1.35 (95% CI, 0.93 to 1.96; P = 0.12) after adjusting for exercise added, and 1.37 (95% CI, 0.89 to 2.12; P = 0.15) after adjusting for alcohol intake, smoking, and exercise added. CONCLUSION: Divorced men were likely to have metabolic syndrome compared to married men and this finding may be mediated by their bad lifestyle.

A Study of the Growth and Development of the Infants Participated in Kyungpook Well-Baby Contest

Yearly Well-Baby Contest has been held in order to recognize the importance pf the childanjx growth and development. The total number of the infants (6 months to 24 months) who participated in this Kyungpook regional contest, held on April 1976, were 149 comprising 130 infant boys and 19 infant girls. After throughful investigation of the several important parameters including their physical development (body length, weight, head and chest circumference), nutritional status (arm circumference, Kaup index, hemoglobin and signs of the vitamin D deficiency) and the feeding history, the following results were obtained. Comparing their body length and weight with Korean Children Growth Standard (K.S.) and Japanese Children Growth Standard (J.S.), their body length were superior to those of K.S. (3.11cm to 9.4cm) and J.S. (2.3cm to 6.27cm) and their body weight superior t those of K.S. (1.99kg to 4.41kg) and J.S.(1.56kg to 3.21kg). Their arm circumference were superior to those of Korean Mean Value (1973, Hong) by 1.57cm to 2.3cm and no significant difference was noted between both sex and each age groups. The Kaup index was above 20 in 15.4% of male infant and 21.1% of female infants. Mixed feeding was the most common form of the infant feeding comprising 41.6%, followed by breast feeding in 39.6% and bottle feeding in 18.8%. Weaning was started within 6months of age in 54.4% of the infants and the majority(92.6%) of the infants within 12 months of age. In one third of the infants (32.2%) there were signs of the vitamin D deficiency including Harrisonanjx groove, rachitic rosary etc., and no difference was noticed between different types of feeding. One third (32.9%) of the infants showed anemia, using the criteria of anemia as being hemoglobin less than 10.5mg%. Incidence was the highest among breast-fed infants (47.5%), followed by mixed-fed infants in 24.2% and bottle-fed infants in 21.4%. In 19.2% of the infants supplemental vitamin D was given and only 6.7% of the infants was given iron as supplement. The conclusion arrived from these results indicated that their physical growth was quite good but nutritional status was inadequate, represented in many infants sych as signs of the vitamin D deficiency and anemia. It is hoped that by education and guidance of the mothers, especially about the proper feeding method, infants growth and development could be improved further.

A Study Concerning Health Needs in Rural Korea / 예방의학회지

Today most developed countries provide modern medical care for most of the population. The rural area is the more neglected area in the medical and health field. In public health, the philosophy is that medical care for in maintenance of health is a basic right of man; it should not be discriminated against racial, environmental or financial situations. The deficiency of the medical care system, cultural bias, economic development, and ignorance of the residents about health care brought about the shortage of medical personnel and facilities on the rural areas. Moreover, medical students and physicians have been taught less about rural health care than about urban health care. Medical care, therefore, is insufficient in terms of health care personnel and facilities in rural areas. Under such a situation, there is growing concern about the health problems among the rural population. the findings presented in this report are useful measures of the major health problems an even more important, as a guide to planning for improves medical care systems. It is hoped that findings from this study will be useful to those responsible for improving the delivery of health service for the rural population. Objectives: -to determine the health status of the residents in the rural area. -to assess the rural population's needs in terms of health and medial care. -to make recommendations concerning improvement in the delivery of health and medical care for the rural population. Procedures: For the sampling design, the ideal would be to sample according to the proportion of the composition age-groups. As the health problems would be different by group , the sample was divided into 10 different age-groups. If the sample were allocated by proportion of composition of each age group, some age groups would be too small to estimate the health problem. The sample size of each age-group population was 100 people/age-groups. Personal interviews were conducted by specially trained medical students. The interviews dealt at length with current health status, medical care problems, utilization of medical services, medical cost paid for medical care and attitudes toward health. In addition, more information was gained from the public health field, including environmental sanitation, maternal and child health, family planning, tuberculosis control, and dental health. The sample: Sample size was one fourth of total population: 1,438. The aged 10-14 years showed the largest number of 254 and the aged under one year was the smallest number of 81. Participation in examination. Examination sessions usually were held in the morning every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for 3 hours at each session at the Namchun Health station. In general, the rate of participation in medical examination was low especially in ages between 10-19 years old. The highest rate of participation among are groups was the under one year age-group by 100 percent. The lowest use rate as low as 3% of those in the age-groups 10-19 years who are attending junior and senior hgh school in Taegu city so the time was not convenient for them to receive examinations. Among the over 20 years old group, the rate of participation of female was higher than that of males. The results are as follows: A. Public health problems. Population: The number of pre-school age group who required child health was 724, among them infants numbered 96. Number of eligible women aged 15-44 years was 1,279, and women with husband who need maternal health numbered 700. The age-group of 65 years of older was 201 needed more health care and 65 of them had disabilities (table 2). Environmental sanitation: Seventy-nine percent of the residents relied upon well water as a primary source of drinking. More than 90% of latrines were unhygienic, in structure design and sanitation (Table 15). Maternal and child health: Maternal health. Average number of pregnancies of eligible women was 4 times. There was almost no pre-and post-natal care. Pregnancy wastage. Still births was 33 per 1,000 live births. Spontaneous abortion was 156 per 1,000 live births. Induced abortion was 137 per 1,000 live births. Delivery Condition. More than 90 percent of deliveries were conducted at home. Attendants at last delivery were laymen by 76% and delivery without attendants was 14%. The rate of difficult delivery counted for 3%. Maternal death rate estimate about 35 per 10,000 live births. Child health. Consultation rate for child health was almost non existent. In general, vaccination rate of children was low; vaccination rates for children but the rate of the complete three injections were as low as 5 and 3% respectively. The number of dead children was 280 per 1,000 living children. Infants death rate was 45 per 1,000 live births (Table 16). Family planning: Approval rate of married women for family planning was as high as 86%. The rate of experiences of contraception in the past was 51%. The current rate of contraception was 37%. Willingness to use contraception in the future was as high as 86% (Table 17). Tuberculosis control: Number of registration patients at the health center currently was 25. The number indicates one eight of estimate number of tuberculosis in the area. Number of discharged cases in the pat accounted for 79 which showed 50% of active cases when discharged time. Rate of complete treatment among reasons of discharge on the past as low as 28%. There needs to be a follow up observation of the discharged cases (Table 18). Dental Problems: More than 50% of the total population have lest one or more dental problems. (Table 19) B. Medical care Problems. Incidence rate: 1. In one month. Incidence rate of medical care problems during one month was 19.6% percent. Among these health problems which required rest at home were 11.8 percent. The estimated number of patients in the total population is 1,206. The health problems reported most frequently in interviews during one month are: GI trouble, respiratory disease, neuralgia, skin disease, and communicable disease-n the order. The rate of health problems by age groups was highest in the 1-4 age group and in the 60 years of over age group, the lowest rate was the 10-14 year age group. In general, 0-29 year age group except the 1-4 year age group was low incidence rate. After 30 years old th rate of health problems increases gradually with aging. Eighty-three percent of health problems that occurred during one month were solved by primary medical care procedures. Seventeen percent of health problems needed secondary care. Days rested at those because of illness during one month were 1.7days per interviewee and 8days per patient and it accounts for 2,161 days for the total productive population in the area. (Table 20) 2. In a year. The incidence rate of medical care problems during a year was 7.8%, among them health problems which required rest at those was 37 percent. Estimated number of patients in the total population during a year was 4,600. The health problems that occurred most frequently among the interviewees during a year were: Cold (30%), GI trouble (18), respiratory disease (11), anemia (10) ,diarrhea (10), neuralgia (10), parasite disease (9), ENT (7), skin (7), headache (7), trauma (4), communicable disease (3), and circulatory disease (3)-in that order. The rate of health problems by age groups was highest in the infants group, thereafter the rate decreased gradually until the age group which showed the lowest, and then the rate increased gradually with aging. Eighty-seven percent of health problems during a year were 16 days per interviewee and 4 days per patient and it accounted for 57,335 days lost among productive age group in the area (Table 21). Among those given medical examination, the conditions observed most frequency were respiratory disease, GI trouble, parasite disease, neuralgia, skin disease, trauma, tuberculosis, anemia, chronic obstructive lung disease, eye disorders-in that order (Table 22). The main health problems required secondary medical care are as follows:(previous page). Utilization of medical care (treatment) by various medical for all health problems during one month was 73 percent. The rate of receiving of medical care of those who have health problems which required rest at home was 82% while the rate of those who have health problems which did not required rest was 61percent (Table 23). The rate of receiving of medical care for all health problems during a year was 67 percent. The rate of receiving of medical care of those who have health problems which required rest at home was 82 percent while the rate of those who have health problems which did not required rest was as low as 53 percent (Table 24). Types of medical facilitated used were as follows: Hospital and clinics: 32-35%. Herb clinics: 9-10%. Drugstore: 53-58%. Hospitalization. Rate of hospitalization was 1.7% and the estimate number of hospitalization among the total population during a year will be 107 persons (Table 25). Medical cost: Average medical cost per person during one month and a year were 171 and 2,800 won respectively. Average medical cost per patient during one month and a year were 1,1109 and 3,740 won respectively. Average cost per household during a year was 15,800 won (Table 26, 27).Solution measures for health and medical care problems in rural area: A. Health problems which could be solved by paramedical workers such as nurses, midwives and aid nurses etc. are as follows: 1. Improvement of environmental sanitation. 2. MCH except medical care problems. 3. Family planning except surgical intervention. 4. Tuberculosis control except diagnosis and prescription. 5. Dental care except operational intervention. 6. Health education for residents for improvement of utilization of medical facilities and early diagnosis etc. b. Medical care problems. 1. Eighty-five percent of health problems could be solved by primary care procedures by general practitioners. 2. Fifteen percent of health problems need secondary medical procedures by a specialist. C. Medical cost. Considering the economic situation in rural area the amount of 2,062 won per residents during a year will be burdensome, so financial assistance is need government to solve health and medical care problems for rural people.